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Alex Sanchez Named Head Coach Of Eels Elite Team

THE FLORIDA EELS ANNOUNCE ALEX SANCHEZ TAKES OVER AS HEAD COACH OF THE ELITE TEAM

24 MAR | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels are excited to announce that Alex Sanchez will be taking over as the new Head Coach of the Florida Eels Elite team. Coach Frankie Scarpaci, Eel Premier coach will be coach Sanchez’s assistant on the Elite team. Coach Sanchez will continue as the assistant coach of the Premier team. Having both Sanchez and coach Frankie Scarpaci working as a solid unit on both teams will bring about the unity and synergies that we are looking for amongst the players.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci is very excited about Sanchez coming on board as a full-time coach. He did a phenomenal job as assistant on the Premier team. Alex played 4 years for the Florida Eels. In 116 games, he scored 31 goals and 88 assists for 119 points averaging 1.03 PPG. He is 2nd in all time Franchise points. He is 5th in all time Franchise goals. He is 2nd in all time Franchise assists. He is 1st in all time Franchise games played. (153) He was team captain of his last year with the Eels. His teams reached numerous heights making it to the Frozen 4 in the USPHL and the finals in his last year as Captain. There is no doubt Coach Sanchez has the experience as a player. He has been through the trenches and has experienced first-hand what players need to do to win. The fortitude, the determination and dedication each player needs to exude. The need for each and every player to have the will to win and make the sacrifices to reach those ends.

Coach Sanchez also played NCAA Div. III Hockey at Aurora University. He will bring his experience of playing NCAA college hockey to his players. It is not just having a dream of playing college hockey. It is a process of development. Players need to understand the journey involved.

This will be a phenomenal coaching punch. Having both Coach Alex Sanchez and Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci working with the Elite and Premier players. We have added so much depth in our coaching echoes General Manager Frank Scarpaci. Synergies all around from the ice, skills training, systems, philosophy, intensity, experience, off ice training, video analysis… Nowhere in the league will you find this support. We look forward to next season guys. I know so many of the players have already heard and are so excited about the change.

FLORIDA EELS SPRING AND SUMMER USPHL AND PRO AM CHOWDER CUP SHOWCASE DATES

Pro Am Pre-Draft Showcase – May 11th, 12th, 13th, 2018

(Men’s Tournament for players 17-20 years old) 1998-2001
Jr. A Division – Players basically 18-20 years old.
College Open Division- Players basically 17-19 years old ( No players born in 1998 allowed in the College Open Division)

NO 1997 Birth Years Allowed in either Division

USPHL Spring Showcase – May 11th, 12th, 13th, 2018

Players birth years (1997 through 2002)

Senior Chowder Cup – July 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 2018
(Men’s Tournament held in two Divisions for players 17-20 years old)

Jr. A Elite Division – Players basically 18-20 years old (NO 1997 Birth Years allowed) 1998-2000

College Open Division – Players 17-19 years old {with some 16 year olds allowed) 1999-2001
NO 1998 Birth Years allowed in the College Open

Junior Chowder Cup – July 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 2018

USPHL Summer Showcase – July 13th, 14th, 15th, 2018

Players birth years (1998 through 2002)

Junior Chowder Cup – July 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 2018

(Men’s Tournament held in two Divisions)

2002 Division for players who are 16 years old (NO 2001 Birth Years allowed)

2003 Division for players who are 15 years old (NO 2002 Birth Years allowed)

THE FLORIDA EELS ARE HONORED TO ANNOUNCE OUR 7TH COLLEGE COMMITMENT THIS SEASON A HUGE CONGRATULATION GOES OUT TO BRIAN KOZEK AS HE COMMITS TO FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY.

16 MAR | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels are honored to announce our 7th College Commitment this season A huge congratulation goes out to Brian Kozek as he commits to Framingham State University. He is no doubt one of the Florida Eels top academic students. He had many NCAA Div. III options. He was honored to have been recruited by so many well-known and respected college coaches from some very prestigious colleges and universities. No doubt FSU loves what they saw in him both from a tangible and intangible basis.

Kozek is from Chicago, IL. He has been with our Eels Junior program for 4 years. He is a model for USPHL and the Florida Eels player development. Initially he played for the Eels Empire team, then the USP3 team, then the Elite team and this year our Premier team. It was all about developing his skill set and getting him ready for college hockey. This season he was voted as team Captain as he was also Captain on his USP3 team and assistant Captain on the Elite team. He did an incredible job with leadership responsibilities on each team he was on.

Florida Eels General Manager Scarpaci says:
“Brian Kozek has great vision on the ice. He has tremendous passion and is one of the most dedicated and determined young men who ever laced up a pair of skates for the Eels. He has one of the best work ethic I have ever seen in a player. He arrives at practice a minimum of 1 hour before anyone else and remained an extra hour shooting 150 pucks each day 5 days a week. This is a very dedicated and determined individual. He realizes in order to make it in life you can’t just put in your time. He works on all of the little things in his game during his down time. These are the ingredients of a successful individual in life whether as hockey player, lawyer, businessman or any craft. That is what makes him so special. I strongly believe he will go far in life. He will excel at anything he does.”

He is a great character young man who comes from extremely loving and supportive parents: Anne and Mike Kozek, who were supportive in every way to facilitate and allow their son to reach and realize his dreams and goals of advancing to the Next Level: College Hockey. In fact, Mrs. Kozek moved to Florida and billeted numerous Eels Junior players over the past 4 seasons and has been real surrogate mom to our players, and has had a major impact on their lives. The Kozek’s have been dedicated volunteers with the Eels program. Eels Premier coach, Frankie Scarpaci noted in his player profile and scouting report: This Eels veteran has a big leadership role. A big physical defenseman that plays in all 3 zones. A guy you want in the trenches with you in big games. As a defenseman, he makes excellent first passes out that college coaches look for. He battles extremely hard in front of his net. He plays like he has deeded rights to the crease. Also, a monster on the boards. Possess excellent gap control. Block shots. In addition to his defensive skill, he has excellent offensive abilities. Indeed, he is the lead leading goal scorer for a defenseman. He has a hard-heavy shot from the blueline that gets through traffic. On the powerplay and regular shift. He gets sticks in lanes on the penalty kill. This season like in his previous seasons with the Eels, Brian was selected by a panel of coaches to the league’s All Star Team.

Kozek is looking forward to becoming a FSU Ram and playing for Coach Guy Angers. FSU plays in the prestigious Massachusetts state college league MASCAC. Brian will be playing against Plymouth State, Salem State, Worcester State University, Fitchburg State, Westfield State, and the University of Mass Dartmouth. Coach Angers has been coaching for over 8 years at FSU. He is building a strong program that his players and the University can be proud of. Kozek is use to a coach like Coach Angers who brings enormous passion, excitement and creativity to a team. Brian is excited as well as he is joining 2 former Eels teammates: Goalie Nolan Greene and forward Michael Gennello who play for the FSU men’s hockey program.

We wish the best of luck to Brian. There is no doubt that he will make us all proud in his endeavors and studies at college.

How to Email College Coaches

Sending an introductory email to a college coach can get your foot in the door with a program you’re interested in and give a coach the opportunity to conduct their initial evaluation of you. However, emailing college coaches as a means to get discovered isn’t as effective as it was five years ago. Coaches are getting hundreds—if not thousands—of emails from recruits. Simply sending an email isn’t enough to get a coach’s attention. You need to create clear, concise emails with attention-grabbing subject lines to give yourself a chance at the coach opening your email, reading it and responding.

Before you start firing off emailing college coaches across the country, there are a few specific details you need to know first. Here’s a rundown of what we’ll be covering to help you better understand how to email college coaches:

Quick Links

What subject line is best when emailing college coaches?

In talking about how to email college coaches, the subject line always comes up as one of the most critical pieces of the email. Without an eye-catching subject line, a coach won’t even open your perfectly crafted email.

To get started on writing your subject line, there’s a few key pieces of information you need to include: Your grad year, your position, state (if you’re emailing a local coach) and a piece of information that’s unique about you. Do you have a lightning fast 40-yard dash time? Are you looking at an academic-focused school that will be impressed with your ACT score? If you compete in a sport in which club teams are really important, consider adding in your club team and/or the tournament you’ll be at next. Once you determine that, take a look at just a few examples of well-crafted subject lines:

2020 Linebacker, 6’2” 220lbs, 4.6 40yd dash
2018 LH Pitcher, 90 MPH FB, 33 ACT
2021 from IL, 23.25-second 50 free
2019 Center-mid, Premier Academy, MLK Tourney schedule attached
2019 OPP, 9'8" APP, Premier VB Academy, video attached

Here are a few general tips to consider when creating your subject line for emailing college coaches:

Think about what would be important to the coach. Generic subject lines like “football recruit” or “looking to play for you” and even “talented high school football prospect” are going to blend into the background of the coach’s inbox. Instead, do you have an interesting stat? Do you play a unique position? Is your height and weight important for your sport and position?
Keep your subject line to 50 characters or less. Coaches are on the go and probably read the majority of their emails on their phone. An extremely lengthy subject line will only get cut off, so you need to maximize the space you have.
Use numbers and stats in your subject line. We’ve hinted at this before, but including key stats in your subject line can really make an impact. Plus, numbers set your subject line apart from all the words crowding the coach’s inbox.

What to say when emailing a college coach

You’ve laid down the ground work, now it’s time to write the email! Think about your email like an inverted pyramid (https://www.getvero.com/resources/inverted-pyramid-method/). The top of the email is where you need to grab the coach’s attention. You can use a stat about the team that interested you or why you’d like to play for them. The next section is to give a little more information about yourself and to show the coach why you would be a good fit for their program. Here is the key information you want to be sure to include when emailing college coaches:

Your general information: Name, graduation year, high school and club name
Academics: GPA, test scores, if they would be important information for the coach you’re emailing
Athletics: sports specific stats and relevant measurables
Contact information: your phone number and email, as well as the contact information for your coaches

The last section should be giving them a specific next step, such as letting the coach know you will be giving them a call at a specific date and time or inviting them to come see you compete. Whatever you do, avoid sending mass, generic emails out to all the coaches you want to contact when emailing college coaches. The coach will know if you took the time to personalize your email, and it will make a difference. Coaches want to recruit players who are genuinely interested in their program—most don’t have the time and resources to recruit an athlete who is not likely to commit to their school.

How to start an email to a college coach

Similar to your subject line, your opening needs to be attention-grabbing. Depending on the type of school and the coach—here’s where your research comes into play—your opening will change. If you’re looking at academically-focused schools, lead with how impressed you are by their academic record when emailing the college coach. If you’re emailing a school with a winning record, point out that you’d love to be part of such a successful legacy. There are numerous reasons you would be emailing a college coach. Here are a few examples of ways to open an email:

“I wanted to connect with you after speaking with Amber Brown, an athlete on your team. She told me about your coaching style and I believe that, based on your emphasis on work ethic and training, I would be a great fit for your program.”

“I’ve been following your program for a while, and recently found an article about you that inspired me. I wanted to connect with you because I think that I would be a great addition to your team.”

“In researching your program, I noticed that you will be graduating 5 seniors this year. I would love to help bridge the gap left by those departing seniors.”

How much information do I need to include in my email to college coaches?

This is an introductory email, so you don’t need to give the coach your whole history. Instead, tease a few key stats that you think this coach would be interested in knowing. Are you the ideal height and weight for your position? Include that. Do you have an outstanding GPA and test scores and you’re emailing an academically-focused coach? Include that. Also, make sure you include contact information for your current coaches: your club coach, high school coach, persona trainers, and anyone else that you have worked with for your sport. Then, link off to your NCSA recruiting profile where the coach can find your highlight video, all your stats and your personal statement.

At the end of your email, tell the coach what you’re going to do next

At the end, you want to specifically let the coach know what you’ll be doing next. If you’re planning on following up the email with a call, let them know to expect a call from you in the next few days. If you’d like to visit their campus, tell them you will give them a call to schedule a time to connect. You don’t need to use generic language like, “If you’re interested, feel free to call, email or text me.” If the coach is interested, they will contact you. Instead, tell them the next step you’re going to take, and then what they need to do in response.

Insider tip: Turn on your “read receipt” function to see if a coach has opened our email. This feature is really helpful for athletes who are too young to be contacted by a coach yet. Read receipts will let you know if a coach has received and opened your email, so you can be sure to follow up accordingly. Learn more about how you can enable this feature for your next email.

Sample email 1—Athletic-focused email

Dear Coach Smith,

I’ve been following your team for a while now, and was really impressed by your team’s performance in the championship game last year—congratulations! I wanted to connect with you because I would love to be part of this competitive team.

My name is Jane Doe and I’m a 6’2” forward at Generic High School in Chicago, IL. I was recently honored by being been named the Gatorade Player of the Year. I am currently a starter on my AAU basketball team and am a four-year varsity starter for my high school team. I think that my work ethic and talent would be a great match for your program.

For the rest of my athletic stats, highlight video, academic stats and personal statement, please visit my online profile at: [link to NCSA profile].

I will be competing in an AAU tournament near you on September. 5, 2017, with my first game at 1p.m. CT. I would really appreciate it if you would could see me compete in person.

Thank you!

Jane Doe
Class of 2018
Senior | Forward | 6’2”
Generic High School, Chicago, IL
Online profile: www.recruit-match.com
Video: www.youtube.com
Phone number: 555-555-1234
Social media @janedoe_forward

Sample email 2—Academic-focused email

Dear Coach Johnson,

I’m really impressed by your athletes’ dedication to both their athletics and academics. I noticed that you not only have a winning record, but you have set the school record for graduating the most athletes! As an aspiring college athlete, I am driven to excel both athletically and academically, and I believe I would be a great fit for your program.

My name is John Smith and I’m a left-handed pitcher with an 85-MPH fastball. My biggest asset is that I’m a team player who focuses both on the field and in the classroom. I’m currently in the top 5% of my class with a 4.0 GPA and a 32 ACT. I’d like to major in prelaw, and I’ve been researching your school’s well-known prelaw program.

You can view my profile for more information about my athletic and academic qualifications, as well as my skills video here: www.myNCSAprofile.org.

I’m planning a trip to visit your campus this September, and I would love to meet you or another member of your coaching staff. Can you please let me know if you have any availability to meet with me? I will also be calling you tomorrow at 5p.m. CT to schedule a meeting!

Thank you,

John Smith
Class of 2018
Senior LH Pitcher
GPA: 4.0 | ACT: 32
Generic High School, Chicago, IL
Online profile: www.myNCSAprofile.org
Phone number: 333-555-1234
Social media @john_leftpitcher

Before you send, edit, edit, edit

You’re so close to sending that email, but before you do, run spell check and re-read. A great way to catch strange wording or grammar errors is to read your email out loud. When you hear a phrase that sounds wrong, you’ll know you need to fix it. You can also cut and paste your email into Google Translate and listen for any errors.

Still not sure if the email is error free? Have your parents take a look to double check. Make sure that you have included all your contact information, your call to action and a link to your full recruiting profile

Insider tip: Try sending your email between 4-8 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Our data show that this is the best time to send an email to college coaches.

Congratulations—now you know how to email college coaches, from the research to the subject line, from address to the email body! But your work is not done yet.

How to Email College Coaches

How to email college coaches.

Quick Links

What subject line is best when emailing college coaches?

2020 Linebacker, 6’2” 220lbs, 4.6 40yd dash
2018 LH Pitcher, 90 MPH FB, 33 ACT
2021 from IL, 23.25-second 50 free
2019 Center-mid, Premier Academy, MLK Tourney schedule attached
2019 OPP, 9'8" APP, Premier VB Academy, video attached

Here are a few general tips to consider when creating your subject line for emailing college coaches:

Think about what would be important to the coach. Generic subject lines like “football recruit” or “looking to play for you” and even “talented high school football prospect” are going to blend into the background of the coach’s inbox. Instead, do you have an interesting stat? Do you play a unique position? Is your height and weight important for your sport and position?
Keep your subject line to 50 characters or less. Coaches are on the go and probably read the majority of their emails on their phone. An extremely lengthy subject line will only get cut off, so you need to maximize the space you have.
Use numbers and stats in your subject line. We’ve hinted at this before, but including key stats in your subject line can really make an impact. Plus, numbers set your subject line apart from all the words crowding the coach’s inbox.

What to say when emailing a college coach

Your general information: Name, graduation year, high school and club name
Academics: GPA, test scores, if they would be important information for the coach you’re emailing
Athletics: sports specific stats and relevant measurables
Contact information: your phone number and email, as well as the contact information for your coaches

How to start an email to a college coach

“I wanted to connect with you after speaking with Amber Brown, an athlete on your team. She told me about your coaching style and I believe that, based on your emphasis on work ethic and training, I would be a great fit for your program.”

“I’ve been following your program for a while, and recently found an article about you that inspired me. I wanted to connect with you because I think that I would be a great addition to your team.”

“In researching your program, I noticed that you will be graduating 5 seniors this year. I would love to help bridge the gap left by those departing seniors.”

How much information do I need to include in my email to college coaches?

At the end of your email, tell the coach what you’re going to do next

Insider tip: Turn on your “read receipt” function to see if a coach has opened our email. This feature is really helpful for athletes who are too young to be contacted by a coach yet. Read receipts will let you know if a coach has received and opened your email, so you can be sure to follow up accordingly. Learn more about how you can enable this feature for your next email.

Sample email 1—Athletic-focused email

Dear Coach Smith,

I’ve been following your team for a while now, and was really impressed by your team’s performance in the championship game last year—congratulations! I wanted to connect with you because I would love to be part of this competitive team.

My name is Jane Doe and I’m a 6’2” forward at Generic High School in Chicago, IL. I was recently honored by being been named the Gatorade Player of the Year. I am currently a starter on my AAU basketball team and am a four-year varsity starter for my high school team. I think that my work ethic and talent would be a great match for your program.

For the rest of my athletic stats, highlight video, academic stats and personal statement, please visit my online profile at: [link to NCSA profile].

I will be competing in an AAU tournament near you on September. 5, 2017, with my first game at 1p.m. CT. I would really appreciate it if you would could see me compete in person.

Thank you!

Jane Doe
Class of 2018
Senior | Forward | 6’2”
Generic High School, Chicago, IL
Online profile: www.recruit-match.com
Video: www.youtube.com
Phone number: 555-555-1234
Social media @janedoe_forward

Sample email 2—Academic-focused email

Dear Coach Johnson,

I’m really impressed by your athletes’ dedication to both their athletics and academics. I noticed that you not only have a winning record, but you have set the school record for graduating the most athletes! As an aspiring college athlete, I am driven to excel both athletically and academically, and I believe I would be a great fit for your program.

My name is John Smith and I’m a left-handed pitcher with an 85-MPH fastball. My biggest asset is that I’m a team player who focuses both on the field and in the classroom. I’m currently in the top 5% of my class with a 4.0 GPA and a 32 ACT. I’d like to major in prelaw, and I’ve been researching your school’s well-known prelaw program.

You can view my profile for more information about my athletic and academic qualifications, as well as my skills video here: www.myNCSAprofile.org.

I’m planning a trip to visit your campus this September, and I would love to meet you or another member of your coaching staff. Can you please let me know if you have any availability to meet with me? I will also be calling you tomorrow at 5p.m. CT to schedule a meeting!

Thank you,

John Smith
Class of 2018
Senior LH Pitcher
GPA: 4.0 | ACT: 32
Generic High School, Chicago, IL
Online profile: www.myNCSAprofile.org
Phone number: 333-555-1234
Social media @john_leftpitcher

Before you send, edit, edit, edit

Insider tip: Try sending your email between 4-8 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Our data show that this is the best time to send an email to college coaches.

Congratulations—now you know how to email college coaches, from the research to the subject line, from address to the email body! But your work is not done yet.

Premier Team Celebration After Win Over the Wisconsin Riverkings At the USPHL Championships

Florida Eels Elite Team

2017-18 Florida Eels Premier Team

Important Information Regarding Playoffs Schedules Bus Departure and Jerseys

Florida Eels Playoff Schedule

The schedule is set for the USPHL Florida Division playoffs this weekend held at the Florida Hospital Ice Center, 3173 Cypress Ridge Road, Wesley Chapel, FL. It is as follows:

Premier Division:

Wearing their White jerseys

Fri. 02/23/18

2:15 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Palm Beach Hawks

Sat. 02/24/18

6:30 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Palm Beach Hawks

Mon. 02/26/18

Tie breaker game if needed. Time TBA

Elite Division:

Wearing their Green Jerseys

Fri. 02/23/18

2:45 p.m. Florida Jr. Blades. vs. Florida Eels

Sat. 02/24/18

6:00 p.m. Florida Jr. Blades vs. Florida Eels

Mon. 02/26/18

Tie breaker game if needed. Time TBA

BUS

On Friday the bus will depart the Fort Myers Skatium for Wesley Chapel, Florida at 9:15 a.m.

On Saturday the bus will depart the Fort Myers Skatium for Wesley Chapel, Florida at 1:30 p.m.

LET’S GO EELS!!!!

USPHL Florida Division Playoffs

The Florida Division starts there 1st round of the Playoffs this week. All games start on Friday February 23rd at the Florida Hospital Ice Center in Wesley Chapel Florida the new 6 sheet facility.

This is the first time in the USPHL that the playoffs are using a super site to host all of the playoffs for the Florida Division for the Premier and Elite Divisions.

Premier Division:

The first place Tampa Juniors vs. 4th place Florida Junior Blades

The second place Florida Eels vs. The 3rd place Palm Beach Hawks

Elite Division:

The first place Tampa Juniors vs. the 4th place Palm Beach Hawks

The second place Florida Jr. Blades vs. the Florida Eels

These last few games of the season have proven extremely exciting for all of the teams. In fact, many of the games were dispositive right down to the final few for determining seeds in both the Premier and Elite divisions. All of the organizations have done a phenomenal job in building playoff atmosphere between the teams. The crowds have been equally phenomenal.

At the Fort Myers Skatium each game garnered 250-300 fans and the same was true down in Palm Beach Ice Zone and Germain Arena. The Eels always have 150 -200 of its fans who travel to all of its away games. We expect to see this in Tampa at the playoffs.

In each division, the winners of the first round will advance to Beantown USPHL Nationals in Marlboro Mass March 7th – 10th. 2018. The boys know the USPHL playoffs are highly scouted on HockeyTV Fasthockey. This type of exposure is key to their player development and advancement. Moreover, for the two teams who win the 1st round and advance to the USPHL Nationals the prize is unparalleled. Nowhere in Junior hockey do players receive such visibility and exposure than at our USPHL Nationals. The playoff forum is right in the heart of the Beantown and at that venue there will be NHL General Managers, coaches and scouts, NCAA Division I and III coaches, USHL Coaches and NCDC Coaches all scouting our players and prospects. This is the event of a lifetime. What many players do not realize is that reaching the Nationals like this may never happen again. It is so hard to reach this level. Even for those advancing to college may never get to play in the final rounds of playoffs.

So, we tell our guys leave everything on the ice. Give everything you have. Play hard. Fight for every square inch of the ice. Shot 5-6 times per game. Be the most tenacious in your fore-check and equally relentless in your back check. Every player block 3+ shots per game. My guys say yes business as usual. And the coaches smile.

As always, the USPHL puts on a show. All of our teams do. We back it up with the 2,500+ players we advance to NCAA colleges. 500+ NCAA Division I alumni. Several Hobey Baker winners. Numerous alumni who were drafted into the NHL and play there. Our NCDC program. Our league is the largest Junior Hockey League in the USA. It will be an honor for the Florida Division players as well as the Southeast Mid Atlantic Midwest and Northeast Teams and players to come together under one Super site for the Nationals. Good luck all players.

Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels General Manager

USPHL South/Florida Representative

Parents of players going to college Next Year

We have a College Scholarship Handbook and many players have been combing through it

The book has about 700 pages and over 2,400 Programs offering Private Federal and State Money

You can purchase this or one similar to it at a local bookstore. Go to the educational section and there are 3-4 brands each are equally good They cover the same info They cost $31.00-$40.00

I urge you all to purchase one. It is a bit overwhelming for the players to go throughly through. A good number of players in the past have garnered considerable money from these books

Call me if you have any questions

Coach Frank 941-400-9023

THE FLORIDA EELS ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR 4TH COLLEGE COMMITMENT FOR THIS SEASON AND ITS OVERALL 205TH PLAYER TO ADVANCE TO COLLEGE HOCKEY. JEREMEY HAMERQUIST -1997 COMMITS TO WILLIAM PATTERSON UNIVERSITY

The Florida Eels are excited to announce our 4th college commitment for this season and its overall 205th player to advance to college hockey. Jeremey Hamerquist -1997 Commits to William Patterson University ACHA Division I. WPU is located in Wayne, New Jersey. Jeremy is from Woodland Park, CO. He has been the Eels Elite top netminder all season. He is an exceptionally intelligent young man who had multiple choices for next season and weighed his options but felt that the academic and hockey program at William Patterson University best fits his interest and is so excited to have chosen WPU.

Hamerquist has done a phenomenal job all season. He had spent some time with the Eels Premier team during the season as well. Hamerquist has been an excellent leader in the lockerroom. Hamerquist had backboned the team’s success and has taken charge in their recent march to the playoffs. He has good size. HEIGHT: 5’10”; WEIGHT: 177 LBS., catches Left. SCOUTING REPORT: Mature goaltender who does a good job in controlling the game. Plays the puck well. Great vision. Great tracking the puck. Very quick glove. Butterfly style. Battles shooters. Very Vocal He is so much looking forward to becoming a Pioneer and playing for such experience coaches as coach Joe Balance and Assistant Coach Ian Michaelchuck. These coaches are amongst the Elite in college hockey. I am looking forward to their mentorship. Coach Ballance will be entering his 11th year as a collegiate level coach and his 9th with the William Paterson University Pioneers. During his tenure, Coach Ballance has led the Pioneers to five championships (10’,11’,12’,13’,16’), including four consecutive Super East Collegiate Hockey League (SECHL) Championships in row (10’,11’,12,13’). He has guided the Pioneers to the SECHL championship game in each of his 8 seasons as Head Coach. He also has led the Pioneers to 7 National Tournament appearances in his 8 seasons.

For the 2018-19 season William Patterson University has been elevated to ACHA Div. I. This is part of an exclusive club. There are only A total of 60 teams competing in Men’s ACHA Division I. This year William Paterson University Ice Hockey Team is to Represent Northeast as #1 Seed in National Tournament from March 15 to 19, 2017

Hamerquist has a phenomenal work ethic. He is often found at the rink 2 hours prior to practice working on his agility, dissecting games he played and upcoming opponents studying opposing shooters tendencies. Now that shows his determination and dedication. He is a player with a high compete level and will to win. He will bring those intangibles to WPU hockey program and to WPU. Jeremey and his family have made enormous sacrifices over his youth and junior hockey career to help their son realize his dreams. Congrats Jeremy.

The Florida Eels Elite team Split Weekend Earning 3 Points - Winning Saturday 5-3 But Edged by Jr Blades 2-1 in OT on Sunday In the Last Regular Season Games.

Talk about good old fashion barn burners between two very competitive rivalries the Fl. Eels and the Jr. Blades. The Elite teams had home and away games for their remaining regular season games this past weekend. The Eels proved victorious on Saturday with a resounding 5-3 win over the Blades. We did not think there could be a more exciting game than Saturday night at home. The local fans got quite a treat with over 250 in attendance. It was an incredible game and both teams came to play. It was truly very entertaining,

Then Sunday was even more dramatic. The Eels and Blades were up and down the ice. Hard hitting, high flying shots constantly pounding the goalies, saves after saves. Battles in the corners, in front of the net….everything you would want BUT the score remained scoreless at the end of the 1st period and again scoreless at the end of the 2nd. In fact it took until 12:30 of the 3rd until the Eels scored on the power play. However, the Blades would not lay down and they tied things up at 14:43 mark. The game was tied at the end of regulation.

It would be remiss for us not to recognize Matthew Maniglia who made incredible save after save and again and again. He was incredible. This young man made saves that amazed everyone. Near impossible saves . Great job

The Eels fired 47 shots on net. The Blades fired 39 at the Eels.

In OT with 5 seconds remaining the Blades scored. WOW

What a fitting end for the teams. Both teams will face off once again in the Florida Division playoffs starting Friday in Tampa

Scoring went as follows:

• #37 Clement Espinasse (power play) (#27 Gage McNeish)

In net for the Eels was Matthew Maniglia who turned away 37 shots of 39 for a .950 Save %

THE FLORIDA EELS PREMIER TEAM CLOSED OUT REGULAR SEASON GAMES WITH A HUGE WIN OVER THE JR. BLADES 3-0

The Florida Eels Premier Team Closed Out Regular Season Games with A Huge Win Over the Jr. Blades 3-0

On Sunday the Premier team traveled to Germain Arena for the last remaining game of the season. In fact, the results of the weekend games did not have a consequence for the Eels as far as standings were concern. For the Jr. Blades, they were trying to sweep the Eels as they were hoping to move up from 4th seed to 3rd which would have brought their opponent from the Tampa Juniors to the Eels in the 1st round of the playoffs. The Jr. Blades did quite well Saturday night as they edged the Eels at home 2-1 final score.

The Eels played well enough to win on Saturday but couldn’t capture that extra goal that would have tied the game. In fact, the Eels outshot the Blades 41-to 34. The Eels equally controlled zone time but things did not go their way. On Sunday, we again saw the Eels dominating zone time. They were much quicker to the puck and dominated on the cycle. The Eels goal was again to control territorial possession and puck possession. The scorekeeper recorded 48 shots for the Eels and 24 for the Blades. In fact, the Eels alternates noted 62 and 60 shots for the Eels. Bottom line it showed another throttled effort to win.

Both teams played very hard. Whenever these 2 squads meet you can bet on one thing: A very spirited and competitive game. This is one of the top rivalries in all of junior hockey. But the game was a clean hard-fought battle. There were many retiring players on both teams. Young men who have been with both organizations for years and this was their final regular season games with their clubs and it was most fitting that it was between the Eels and Jr. Blades. Despite the fierce competition between the players they showed mutual respect. You only find this in hockey. Both teams left the ice bruised up with battle sores. They left everything on the ice. True warriors. Many congratulating one other for another phenomenal season and wishing best of luck in the future. Unlike games in the past the building was filled with parents and players saying good by. This as professional as you will find anywhere.

The Eels scored 3 unanswered goals in this game shutting out the Blades. Blake Hoffman scored his first goal of the regular season. (He scored several in scrimmages vs. colleges and the Women’s Olympic Team) Very exciting for Blake. We also saw Nikita Lopatin score a pair and Brandon Rosario also garner a pair of assist. Petr Staif, who returned from his NCDC training also notched a pair of assists.

Complete scoring for the Eels went as follows:

•

Blake Hoffman (even strength) (#3 Petr Staif, #21 Brandon Rosario) 29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#12 Gavin Medina, #3 Petr Staif)
• #29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #26 Colton Crabtree)

In net for the Eels earning a shutout was Viktor Wennberg
Who turned away 24 shots on net.

THE FLORIDA EELS ANNOUNCE ITS 3RD COMMITMENT FOR THE 2017-18 SEASON AND ITS OVERALL 204TH PLAYER TO ADVANCE TO COLLEGE. NICK KOTZ COMMITS TO NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE NCAA MEN’S DIVISION III PROGRAM.

15 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels announce its 3rd commitment for the 2017-18 season and its overall 204th player to advance to college. Nick Kotz commits to New England College NCAA Men’s Division III program. Nick is from Munster, IN. He has been with the Eels for 3 seasons. He is a goalie. Nick plays for the Eels Premier team. He has won player of the week All-Star on several occasions. Nick is a 1997 dob. He has had numerous options from various college programs and is so excited to have chosen NEC.

Nick did his research and really likes the small New England College atmosphere of NEC. It is located in Henniker NH about 2 ½ hours north of Boston. From an academic perspective, the school has the major and courses he is interested in. It is right in the heart of New England the mecca of academia.

NEC plays in the tough NEHC Conference where it competes against some of the toughest teams in NCAA Div. III hockey including Norwich Hobart Babson UMass Boston and others

From an ice perspective, Nick is thrilled to be able to play for coach Tom Carroll. Coach Carroll continues to add to his reputation as the most successful coach in New England College hockey history. In 15 seasons, he has compiled a record of 213-153-36, including 15 trips to the post season, five trips to the conference championship game and an NCAA Tournament bid and trip to the NCAA Semifinals in 2005. Prior to NEC Carroll served as head coach and general manager of the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL. Coach Carroll spent several seasons as the top assistant coach at the University of Notre Dame. As a player, he played for the University of Wisconsin While at Wisconsin, where his team went to three Frozen Fours including two NCAA Division I National Championship teams. Very impressive resume and Nick is looking forward to his mentorship. Indeed, Kotz looks forward to becoming a NEC Pilgrim and becoming an integral part of the team.

Kotz is no stranger to hard work. He is often found at the rink 2 hours prior to practice and is one of the most determined and dedicated player on the Eels Premier team. He will bring those intangibles to NEC hockey program and to the college community. Nick comes from a warm and supportive family James and Dawn Kotz who have made enormous sacrifices over the past 3 years to help their son realize his dreams. Congrats Nick. Congratulations Nick.

The Florida Eels are thrilled to report that Nikita Lopatin, from Moscow Russia has committed to Utica College

The Florida Eels are thrilled to report that Nikita Lopatin, from Moscow Russia has committed to Utica College’s men’s NCAA Division III hockey program for the 2019 season. Utica College is one of the most prestigious colleges in the USA. At the helm of Utica is coach Gary Heenan., who has established Utica as one of the perineal NCAA Division 3 powerhouses in the USA. They play in one of the toughest college conferences: United Collegiate Hockey Conference UCHA. This year their schedule included games against the USA NTDP U18, ADRIAN College, SUNY CORTLAND, , ENDICOTT COLLEGE, OSWEGO STATE, NEUMANN UNIVERSITY, ELMIRA COLLEGE

and other top ranked men’s college hockey teams.

Nikita joined the Eels in 2016-17 and has been one of the most exciting and electrify players for the Florida Eels and in the USPHL As a rookie he scored 26 goals and tallied 26 assists. He is a prolific goal scorer and has been one of the USPHL Premier Leading Goal Scorers in the league. This season he was voted as Assistant Captain of the team. He has been selected numerous times to Player of the Week in both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. He was chosen by the league coaches last season as a league All Star.

He most recently broke the all-time goal scoring record for the Eels with 62 career goals. This season in 32 games he has 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points. That is 2 points per game. He is 5th in All Time Eels Franchise points with 116. He is 1st in Eels All Time Points Per Game 1.625

He is 6’1’ 200 pounds. There is no doubt, ask any opposing coaches or players, Nikita is considered amongst the top players in this league. He is a constant threat. An example is in one game he scored two shorthanded goals and an assist on the same penalty kill on that same shift.

He plans to move on to the NCDC Islanders Hockey Club next season as part of the Florida Eels and the IHC Affiliate Player development program.

No doubt, Nikita looks forward to playing for Coach Gary Heenan. Coach Heenan, has led Utica to 14 consecutive ECAC Men's West Conference playoff appearances (2003-2016), five appearances in the ECAC West championship game, four ECAC West regular-season championships and a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four. Playing for Utica and being a Pioneer is a dream come true for him.

Nikita has worked so hard in his development both in Canada and while he played for the Eels over the past 2 seasons. He is another example of how hard work determination, sacrifice and dedication pays off. Nikita marks the Eels 203rd Eels player to advance to college and play ice hockey. Congrats to Nikita Lopatin and to Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci for doing an excellent job in developing Nilita Lopatin in to one of the top college prospects in the USPHL and in the USA.

CONGRATS GOES OUT TO JEREMY HAMERQUIST FOR BEING SELECTED AS PLAYER OF THE WEEK GOALIE BY THE LEAGUE COACHES HE IS ON FIRE

15 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Southeast/Florida Elite Players of the Week
By USPHL PR, 02/14/18, 10:15AM EST

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Forward of the Week

Mark Kishko, Charlotte Rush

Mark had 2 goals and 2 assists in Saturday’s 9-1 win and added 1 goal and 3 assists in Sunday’s 9-2 win as he continues to stay red hot leading up to playoffs totaling 8 points in the two contests this weekend against Atlanta.

Defenseman of the Week

Austin Mourar, Richmond Generals

Austin was excellent this weekend again and turned in another dominating performance with a 5 point weekend. Austin again logged key minutes in all situations including special teams where he was excellent scoring 1 goal on the power play and 1 shorthanded goal on the PK . Austin on the season has appeared in 28 games scoring 9 goals and adding 20 assists for 29 points with 4 PPG and 10 PPA 1 SHG 1 SHA and 2 GWG with 29 PIM.

Goalie of the Week

Jeremy Hamerquist , Florida Eels

Jeremy Hamerquist had a big weekend helping the Eels earn a sweep over Palm Beach. Jeremy made 30 saves in Saturday nights 2 to 1 victory and followed that up with a 28 save performance in the Eels 5 to 2 victory on the road on Sunday. Hamerquist is a 1997 birth year from Colorado. He is 4-1 in his last 5 starts.

Florida Eels Premier Team Overtakes the Palm Beach Hawks 4-3

The Florida Eels Premier team avenged their loss of Saturday afternoon with a win over the Hawks Sunday by a score of 4-3

The players just got off a 2 ½ hour bus ride and for the 1st period the guys looked a bit tired. You could see they were struggling a bit. But coach Scarpaci got them to simplify their game and settle down and got his players re-focused. In the 2nd and 3rd period the boys came out with a different statement. It was clear and emphatic. They were determined to get back into it and turn this into a win.

Despite spotting the Hawks a 2 goal lead the Eels came storming back. They chipped away goal by goal and shored things up on the defensive side of the ice. Coach Scarpaci does not allow his boys to panic. They have the confidence, determination and fortitude to come back. It comes from training and inner resolve.

The Eels closed things out with a final score of 4-3. They gained 3 points over the weekend with this win. The Eels return to Palm Beach on Wednesday for their final game vs the Hawks. It is a make up of the Winter showcase.

Brandon Rosario and Colton Crabtree each picked up 3 points in the game

Brian Kozek and Jared Figueroa each had a pair of goals and 1 assist

Detailed Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (# Brandon Rosario, #26 Colton Crabtree)
#10 Brian Kozek (power play) ( Brandon Rosario, #11 Kami Kortelainen)
#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #10 Brian Kozek)
#10 Brian Kozek (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, Brandon Rosario

In net for the Premier team was Danick Francoeur who turned away 30 of 33 shots.

Reminder Playoff Fees Due Tuesday

Folks the playoffs are around the corner and the playoff fees are due Tuesday

Thank You

Jake Court first Florida Elite player to surpass 30 points as he hits 30 and 31 last night with a goal and an assist
Jake Court GP 40 G 13 Assists 18 Points 31

The Florida Eels Elite Ice Cap

The Florida Eels Elite Team Putting It All Together

The Elite team looked really good last night commented General Manager Frank Scarpaci. In fact, he echoed it was the best game the boys played all season. Coach Greg Sears commented to the boys at the end of the game, he loved what he saw. He enjoyed what they were doing. This is playoff hockey…. Assistant Coach Joey Giambalvo noted he thought the guys were all in sync. They were working together as a team….

No doubt the boys have shown marked improvement and it has been illustrated in their play over the last ½ dozen games. It is not simply the wins. It is how they are playing. They guys are playing an exciting and very aggressive fore-check with an equally exhaustive and determined back check. They are firing 30-40 shots at net each game. Now that is how we want the guys to play and it comes at the right time. It does take time and these are young developing players. But that is the name of the game. Player development.

It was a 0-0 game right into the middle of the 2nd period. The Eels managed to get on the score board first with a huge slapper from Jake Court who has been on fire of late. Dylan Robello scored the 2nd for the Eels in the 3rd period and the Hawks scored one to bring it within 1. This was a razor close game and the place was packed to watch the best game the Elite team played all season.

In Net for the Eels was Jeremy Hamerquist who turned away 37 of 38 shots. He was phenomenal in net.

Scoring for the Eels was:

#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#90 Dylan Robello, #17 Hendrik Röbel )
#90 Dylan Robello (even strength) (#54 Jake Court, #24 Remi Veilleux)

Eels Premier Team Ice Cap

The Florida Eels Premier Team lose in tight match up vs the Palm Beach Hawks. This was an excellent game for both teams as they both were at the peak of their game. Both teams showed a certain pep in their game and had all cylinders firing. The Eels were disappointed in the loss but were able to capture one point in the tie.

The Hawks had a monkey on their back having lost their previous 6 games so they clearly had the incentive and motivation to do whatever it took to come up with the win.

The Hawks scored first with less than 3 minutes into the game and the Eels tied things up with a big goal by Bryce Freel around the 7-minute mark ending period 1 in a tie. But the Hawks scored 2 more in the 2nd and the Eels scored one more from Colton Crabtree leaving the Eels down by one. This was a clutch goal as it was a shorthanded one. Eels being deadly all year while shorthanded. The Eels managed to tie things up with a key goal by Caden Tchop and the two teams were forced to go into OT. Unfortunately, the Hawks scored in OT 3 on 3.

The two teams square off again today down in Palm Beach at 3:30 pm and will play their 3rd game of the series mid-week back in Palm Beach

Scoring for the Eels went as follows:

#4 Bryce Freel (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #11 Kami Kortelainen)
#26 Colton Crabtree (shorthanded) (#8 Ellesse Carini, #55 Blake Hoffman)
#15 Caden Tchop (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #53 Jaime Moreno)

In goal for the Eels was Viktor Wennberg

THIS IS THE 2ND TO LAST HOMESTAND FOR THE EELS THIS SEASON. COME ON OUT TODAY AND JOIN US AT THE FORT MYERS SKATIUM FOR OUR GAMES VS. THE PALM BEACH HAWKS

10 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

This Is The 2nd To Last Homestand for the Eels This Season. Come On Out Today and Join Us At The Fort Myers Skatium For Our Games vs. The Palm Beach Hawks The Eels Premier team squares off tonight at 3:20 pm vs the Hawks. This past Thursday the 2 clubs played an awesome and a very exciting fast paced game where we saw our home town Eels defeat the Hawks by a score of 6-4. These 2 teams may be battling it out in the playoffs in 2 weeks so this might be an excellent preview of the playoffs. The Eels have some of the top scorers in the league who always make the games exciting to watch. However, we have seen quite a few of the other guys start to light the lamp so to speak making the Eels more dangerous with a more balanced attack. Indeed, the Eels Premier team has some new players who have added much size to their explosive attack. The Eels offer one of the most entertaining hockey in Florida.

Tonight at 9:15 pm the Elite team goes into battle vs. the Hawks Elite squad. Here we expect a real old fashion barn burner as both squads are fighting for that 3rd place seed in the playoffs. They both sit with 36 points in the standings. Right now the Eels have a slight edge as they are ahead with head to head competition. But a win here tonight brings 2 points to the standings and that elevates the barometer.

The Elite team has been on fire of late and their surge comes from team chemistry hard work and determination. The guys have bought into our system and they are realizing the fruits of these efforts. The Elite team also has several new players who are very talented and their contribution has measurably improved this team.

These 2 clubs actually have 3 games remaining between one another. Tonight’s game then a rematch on Sunday in Palm Beach and another game midweek also in Palm Beach. So any support from our home town crowd would be greatly appreciated.

Bus Fee For Playoffs $80.00

Guys in addition to the playoff fees $250.00 there is a fee for transportation for the bus for the playoff travel

That fee is $80.00 Please include that in your payment

First Round of the Playoffs Fees Due.

1ST ROUND OF PLAYOFFS

9 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Congratulations guys both teams have made the playoffs. The Premier team at the minimum has secured 2nd place in their division The Elite team equally has secured a playoff spot and is in dog fight battling for 3rd place with the Palm Beach Hawks for 3rd seeding. This is truly very exciting for he organization for both teams to advance to the 1st round of the playoffs. We have worked very hard all season and I for one am especially proud of the players development. You individually and as team have grown significantly. You have seen that the fruits of hard work does not come easy. If it did everyone would realize what you have. The advancement in this sport to the “Next Level” and that is college — your ultimate goal is takes enormous discipline, self sacrifices dedication fortitude and determination You have seen 202 of your Eels colleagues move on to college and soon many will advance this season and others next season.

The playoffs is part of that Next Level of play. It opens up much in your own player development and the exposure and visibility opportunities are immense. So many college recruiters and coaches tune in to these games. HockeyTV will be burning with college coaches watching and scouting those games. Of course our goal in the 1st round is to win and move on to the USPHL Nationals hosted in Massachusetts No doubt at that venue the Bean town there will be in excess of 100+ college scouts and many NHL General Mangers. It is truly the most prestigious playoff forum of its kind in the USA. Several players on both teams have been there before and it truly is phenomenal.

The playoffs are indeed the next season if you will. Each player is required to pay for each round. The fee for round one is $250.00 We ask that all players bring their checks to Clare on Tuesday Feb 13th at the rink. She will be there to collect the money.

Thank you
Frank Scarpaci
Florida Eels GM
941-400-9023

Florida Eels Premier Team Overtakes the Palm Beach Hawks 6-4 in Midweek Game

Today the Hockey fans saw over 110 shots fired between the two teams and that was only with a 2-period game. No doubt the Eels and the Hawks came to play. The Eels dominated play for the first 10 minutes of the 1st period. In fact, anyone watching the mid-day game would have predicted a 10+ goals for the Eels. The rink appeared to be tilted. All 4 lines were ignited and the Hawks simply could not contain the Eels line rushes.

Indeed, the Eels scored with 3:00 minutes into the game with a goal from Kellen Crowther and then notched its 2nd with a goal from Colton Crabtree at the 8:00 minute mark who is amongst the lead leaders in scoring. But the Hawks got on the scoreboard which was the start of their comeback. At the 10:12 mark the Hawks lit the lamp. Then the Eels struck for their comfortable 3rd at the 15-minute mark. But the Eels got a bit complacent and the Hawks scored their 2nd of the morning. Then the big sting. An Eels penalty and the Hawks scored on the power play to even things up. Then Eels sniper Brandon Rosario gave life back to the Eels with a go-ahead goal with less than 2 minutes remaining in the 1st ½

The Hawks tied things up 8 minutes into the 2nd period continuing on a seesaw in scoring. But Gabe Hemstrom got the Eels back on top with a key power play goal on the 11-minute mark. Gabe has been on fire of late and appears to be notching a goal per game of late. Then Brian Kozek also scored on the power play with less than 2 minutes to play to slam shut the Hawks rally and solidify the win for the Eels

The Eels and Hawks played a old fashion barn burner today. A good prelude to the playoffs to come in 2 weeks. It was an extremely exciting and fun game to watch. Both teams came to battle. Today the Eels were victorious and the two teams play another home and away series this Saturday in ft Myers and a rematch at Palm Beach on Sunday.

Scoring for the Eels went as follows:

•
#88 Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#42 Cameron Carnes, #28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette)
• #26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#21 Brandon Rosario)
• #5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#88 Kellen Crowther, #42 Cameron Carnes)
• #21 Brandon Rosario (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #23 Nikita Pinimyasov)
• #16 Gabriel Hemstrom (power play) (#23 Nikita Pinimyasov, #5 Hayden Haldane)
• #10 Brian Kozek (power play) (#4 Bryce Freel, #21 Brandon Rosario
In net for the Eels was Danick Francoeur who turned away 38 of 42 shots in the match

CONGRATS GOES OUT TO HENDRIK RÖBEL SELECTED AS PLAYER OF THE WEEK - DEFENSEMEN - FOR THE ELITE DIVISION

7 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Southeast/Florida Elite Players of the Week By USPHL PR, 02/07/18, 12:00PM EST

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Forward of the Week

Ken Malinoski, Tampa Bay Juniors

Ken scored 5 goals this weekend in Tampa’s wins over the Florida Blades. He has 8 goals in the last 10 games since moving to forward.

Defenseman of the Week

Henrik Robel, Florida Eels

Henrik Robel had a great first week with the Eels. The Berlin, Germany native collected seven assists this week over the series with Daytona. Henrik is a 2000 birth year with good size and very good skill set. Henrik adds tremendous depth to the Eels defensive core and also adds an offensive weapon.

Goalie of the Week

Anthony Keating , Charlotte Rush

Anthony faced 27 shots in Saturday’s outing stopping all but 2. He turned around and faced another 30 shots in Sunday and turned away 27.

HURRICANE IRMA MAY HAVE PASSED BUT THE STORM BETWEEN THE EELS AND HAWKS PREMIER TEAMS HAS NOT PAST. 7 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

HURRICANE IRMA MAY HAVE PASSED BUT THE STORM BETWEEN THE EELS AND HAWKS PREMIER TEAMS HAS NOT PAST.
7 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Come join us this Thursday at the Fort Myers Skatium when the Fl Eels Premier team squares off vs. the Palm Beach Hawks at 12:30 pm
This is a special make-up game from the Northeast showcase so the game will be 2 25 minute periods.

The teams are battling for key playoff seeding so it will be a key game in the standings.
The Premier team is the only team playing as the Elite team did their make-up vs. the Jr. Blades
The Hawks have fallen on 4 game winless streak losing to the Blades earlier today 8-2, to the Eels the previous game 4-3, to the Racers 8-3, and the Racers again 2-1. They did have one win over the Jr Blades Jan 24th but had 2 previous losses to the Tampa Juniors and one to Daytona. So they have fallen on some hard times in the last 30 days. However, we can expect them to come inhere Thursday fired up to turn things around and avenge their losing streak. They too are heading in the playoffs in a couple of weeks and now is the time to reset things in motion. Thisis a team and program with a strong tradition so our players cannot expect to take them for granted.

Coach Scarpaci has his team itching to jump right into action and get his team ripe to finish the regular season in high form. They are taking one game at a time and in customary Eels fashion, one shift, one period and one game at a time. We have actually a 3 game series vs the Hawks. Tomorrow and again back here at the Skatium on Saturday and the final down in Palm Beach on Sunday.

So please come down to join us here at the Ft Myers Skatium Thursday and or Saturday at 3:20.

Eels Show What It Feels Like To Win

Ouch

Did Someone Sat Hawks Are Coming To Town?

We own you

Florida Eels Midday Game Thursday 12:30 pm at The Ft Myers Skatium

Come join us this Thursday at the Fort Myers Skatium when the Fl Eels Premier team squares off vs. the Palm Beach Hawks at 12:30 pm

This is a special make-up game from the Northeast showcase so the game will be 2 25 minute periods.

The teams are battling for key playoff seeding so it will be a key game in the standings.

The Premier team is the only team playing as the Elite team did their make up vs. the Jr. Blades

Eels Premier Defeat The Daytona Racers in Game 3

It was their uncustomary 3rd game of the weekend and their 2nd of the day and the Eels just came off a disappointing lost to the Daytona Racers. The players were indeed exhausted after a 5 hour trip the day before and a start time of 9:30 pm in last night’s game. They did defeat the Racers after the long road trip and bus legs by a score of 6-1. But the untold other foe being battled by the Eels Premier team was the flu. The flu had seriously affected ½ the team and many sat out the games and practices the previous week and were barely able to skate. So, it was fully understood by all of us why the Eels were so shaky in their morning loss to the racers several hours earlier by a score of 7-4. In fact, we were very concerned about fielding a team for the 3rd game.

Well, the Eels dug deep into their reservoir and came out alive and ready to avenge their earlier loss that morning. Coach Frankie Scarpaci knew he would rally his team early if they got their offensive game going so he targeted his guys to fire upon the Racers opposing goalie and that they did with 21 shots on net in period 1. The team responded in equal kind in the 2nd ½ with another 18 shots. The team also kept the Racers to a minimum with 13 shots in the 1st period and 11 in the 2nd ½

The Eels struck first with a goal from Eels sniper Brandon Rosario with less than 2 minutes into the game but the Racers wouldn’t quit adding as they notched to the long day one making it 1-1. Then the Eels scored again with another huge goal from Ellesse Carini who has been on fire of late. But the Racers wouldn’t go away and they scored to even things up until the Eels gained some day light seconds before the end of the period with a power play goal from Colton Crabtree putting the Eels on top 3-2 going into the break. Then the Eels got a clutch goal from hot hand Caden Tchop and Racers exchanged a goal in the 2nd period making it 4-3. You could see there was drama and tension in the air as the Eels wanted to leave here with 2 wins. They expected to come home with 3 over the weekend and were not going to allow the Racers to come up with a win. Here. The Racers on the other hand were very hungry and after the upset earlier that morning was extremely determined to capture another win. They have only 8 wins on the season and they were etching to garner one here. Their goal undoubtedly is to reach 10 and they have a few games to play but the Eels had something to say about this. The Eels stepped up their defense and closed all lanes. Keeping this exciting till the end, the Racers coach pulled their goalie with a minute to go and the Eels capitalized on the empty net with a goal to close the barn door at 5-3.

Scoring for the Eels in that game was as follows:

#21 Brandon Rosario (even strength) (#55 Blake Hoffman)
#8 Ellesse Carini (even strength) (#19 Aleksey Sukhomlin, #47 Jared Figueroa)
#26 Colton Crabtree (power play) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #4 Bryce Freel)
#15 Caden Tchop (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #10 Brian Kozek)
#19 Aleksey Sukhomlin (shorthanded) (empty net) (#15 Caden Tchop, #55 Blake Hoffman)

In net for the Eels was Danick Francoeur who turned away 21 of 24 shots on net.

The Eels came away from the weekend with 4 points and will get to rest a few days but not for long as they have a midweek game at home vs. the Palm Beach Hawks on Thursday at 12:30 pm

Flu Hits The Eels As Both the Elite and Premier Teams Lose To Daytona 7-4 in Game 2 of weekend series

Both the Eels Elite and Premier teams wheels came undone in their 2nd game vs the Daytona Racers as they both lost lost their games 7-4. Despite clear wins the evening before the Eels showed some fatigue in these games as they were during the flue and the long trip and early morning games. No excuses offered just reality.

Anthony Sozio and Hendrik Röbel Ignite Eels Elite to a 4-1 Win Over the Daytona Racers

Anthony Sozio and Hendrik Röbel Ignite Eels Elite to a 4-1 Win Over the Daytona Racers

Anthony Sozio scores a pair while newly acquired defensemen garners 4 assists in route to the Eels 4-1 clear and convincing win over the Daytona Racers. Daytona managed to score first 9 minutes into the first period. The Eels just came off a 5-hour bus ride and you could see they had some dead legs in the first 15 minutes of play. But then they started to re-gain composure and scored 4 unanswered goals throttling to a 4-1 win over their east coach foes.

Coach Sears commented that “he liked the way our guys were playing last night. They had a cohesion within them. They played as a team. Smart decisions and played with structure and within our system.” GM Scarpaci from a far, as he was home sick with the flu, observed from Hockey TV that “our guys were much more disciplined that the Racers. We had 6 penalties for 15 minutes which resulted in us being shorthanded 10 minutes. Compared to the Racers they had 11 penalties which totaled 43 minutes. These infractions resulted in 10 power plays. The key here is discipline that is why I am stressing. In every shift. Our Eels showed that last night and have been showing it in every game of late. Sure, there were break downs but not like earlier in the season.”

Discipline does not only mean with infractions. It means in every respect on the ice. Puck possession. Territory. How you play in your own zone. Talking to refs. How you effectuate the power play. Here the Eels have matured immensely. In this game the Eels were no doubt the more disciplined team.

Scoring for the Eels last night was as follows:

#41 Anthony Sozio (power play) (#17 Hendrik Röbel , #54 Jake Court)
#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#97 Joe Arnold, #17 Hendrik Röbel )

#41 Anthony Sozio (even strength) (#90 Dylan Robello, #17 Hendrik Röbel )

#90 Dylan Robello (even strength) (#41 Anthony Sozio, #17 Hendrik Röbel )

In net for the Eels was Jeremey Hamerquist who allowed just one goal on 18 shots.

The Eels have a game this morning vs the Racers at 8:00 am to complete the regular season play between the two organizations.

THE FLORIDA EELS WELCOME HENDRIK RÖBEL TO ITS PROGRAM.

The Florida Eels welcome HENDRIK RÖBEL to its program. A 6’4” 220 pounds solid defensemen joins the Eels organization. He is a solid player. Averages almost a point per game. Came from the Midwest USPHL Division. Previously played in Berlin Germany. A 2000 dob. Prior to coming to the USA, he played juniors for Eisbären Juniors Berlin U19 General Manager Frank Scarpaci had previously recruited Hendrik last April and he was extremely thrilled when he was able to negotiate him to join the Eels in his most recent trade. RÖBEL joined the team in Daytona and immediately impressed the coaching staff with his solid play both defensively and offensively on the blueline. He is a smooth skater. Makes excellent first passes out of the zone. Very smart with the puck. Solid heavy shot from the blueline and no doubt this release makes the pucks reach the opposing goalies. He has strong skill set and is very disciplined and possess very keen gap control.

He will be a valuable asset to the Eels program for the remainder of the season and during its playoff run. Last night in Daytona He garnered his first 2 assists as an Eel

The Eels Premier team out gunned the Daytona Racers 5-2.

The Eels pounded the Racers goalie with 39 shots on net. The Eels had to travel across the state with a 5 hour bus trip and the coaching staff was a bit concerned with how the players would perform after the long bus trip. Well speculation came quickly to rest as the Eels scored 3 goals in the first period and never looked back. In fact what was impressive with tonight’s win was 5 different players were involved in the 5 goals. In fact new comer Kami Kortelainen scored his first goal as an Eel in this contest. His size and skill set was noticeably present in the match. He worked very well with the Eels players and you could see a good chemistry was present The Eels retuned back to Ft Myers with another 5 hour bus trip all in all a 10 hour road trip.

The Eels will return to Daytona this Saturday for a 3 game weekend vs. the Racers. One game on Saturday and two games on Sunday.

Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

#26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa)

#29 Nikita Lopatin (short handed) (#15 Caden Tchop)

#21 Brandon Rosario (short handed) (#53 Jaime Moreno, #26 Colton Crabtree)

#11 Kami Kortelainen (even strength) (#29 Nikita Lopatin)

#12 Gavin Medina (even strength) (empty net)

In net for the Eels was Danick Francoeur who turned away 18 of 20 shots. #usphl

KAMI KORTELAINEN JOINS EELS PREMIER TEAM

The Florida Eels would like to welcome Kami Kortelainen to its Premier team. Kami is a 1997 6’4” 215 power forward from Helsinki Fin. He came over to the USA and played for the NCDC Boston Bandits earlier this season. He has averaged over a point per game while in the USA playing Juniors.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci as usual continues to take quantum steps to bolster his teams as they are positioned to complete their regular season games and ensuing playoffs. Kami joined the team yesterday and will no doubt play a huge role in the Eels Premier team run for the remainder of the season and in the upcoming playoffs. Today against the Daytona Racers will be his first games with the Eels. Welcome to the Eels family.

USPHL Playoff Dates and Information

Folks, the first round of the playoffs will be held the weekend of February 23rd through 26th

Friday- Monday.

The way it works is the first 4 teams in each division: Premier and Elite will advance to round 1 in the playoffs.

The regular season seeding will determine the opponents. It will be a best of 3 with each opponent. In other works, the 1st place team will play the 4th place team in a best of 3 series. By the same token the 2nd place team will square off vs the 3rd place team in a best of 3 series. The top seeded team will be considered the home team. At the conclusion of round 1, the winners will advance to Marlboro (New England Sports Center) Massachusetts for the USPHL Nationals at Beantown. So, there will be 2 teams out of the Florida USPHL Division from the Premier and Elite who advance to Nationals.

2018 USPHL Florida Premier and Elite Playoffs

Florida Hospital Center Ice (Wesley Chapel, FL)

Hosted by the Tampa Bay Juniors Hockey Club

GENERAL PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

• Top 4 Teams in each Florida division qualifies. Florida will send two (2) Teams/Divisions to USPHL North Championships

• PLAYOFF GAME SERIES MATCH-UPS:

o Based on Final League Standings (Premier and Elite): [Matchups: Seeds: 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3]

o Best 2 out of 3 series: Winner of each series goes to USPHL finals (Boston, in March)

PLAYOFF WILL BE RUN PROFESSIONALLY AND PROVIDE FOR: PERSONNELL WILL BE NEEDED FOR TWO-RINKS-SIMULTANEOUSLY

• Game Ice blocks (3-hr due to unlimited 5v5 O.T. requirements)

• Referees (paid at normal USPHL Premier and Elite rates)

• Official (paper) Scorer & Timekeeper

• Official LIVE Scoring (Sports Engine)

• P.A. Announcer/Music between shifts/periods, etc. • Play-by-Play Announcer: We will want to reach out to other Florida teams to determine if YOUR play-by-play announcer is available – we will likely need them.

• Videographer (Camera operators) for both rinks

• HockeyTV broadcast

GAME FORMATS & OVERTIME:

• All Rounds (same format)

• Normal League Game Format (same 10-min warm-up, 3/periods @ 20-Stop)

o Overtime (modified from regular season / continue 5 v 5 until there’s a winner)

 Resurface (after 3rd period) and (Period-4: Teams Switch Ends) (note: continue switching ends if add’l periods are needed)

PRO-SHOP

• The FHCI RINK has a full Pro Shop on-site (Rinkside Sports) http://www.floridahospitalcenterice.com/facility/rinkside-pro-shop/

________________________________________

FINAL SCHEDULE (AS OF JAN16)

2018 USPHL PREMIER/ELITE (FLORIDA) PLAYOFF

FLORIDA HOSPITAL CENTER ICE GAME / Wesley Chapel, FL

WARM-UPS will be 30-minutes prior to the Puck-Drop time as usual

FRIDAY 23rd ROUND MAIN RINK RINK-B

1 PUCK DROP: 11:15 AM

PREMIER #1

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 11:45 AM

ELITE #1

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

1 PUCK DROP: 2:15 PM

PREMIER #2

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 2:45 PM

ELITE #2

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

SATURDAY 24TH ROUND MAIN RINK RINK-B

2 PUCK DROP: 3:15 PM

PREMIER #3

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 2:45 PM

ELITE #3

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

2 PUCK DROP: 6:30 PM

PREMIER #4

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 6:00 PM

ELITE #4

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

SUNDAY 25TH NO GAMES

MONDAY 26TH ROUND MAIN RINK RINK-B

IF NEEDED and the series are tied 1-1 after first 2 rounds.

----------------------------------------------------------

If only 2-games are needed, they can be payed on the Main Rink 3 PUCK DROP: 12:00 PM

PREMIER #5

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 11:30 AM

ELITE #5

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

3 PUCK DROP: 3:00 PM

PREMIER #6

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel PUCK DROP: 2:30 PM

ELITE #6

(1v4 or 2v3) we can adjust game slots for travel

THESE SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE SCHEDULES PROVIDED HERE ARE NOT SET AND WILL IN ALL PROBABILITY CHANGE DUE TO SOME TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AND ACCOMMODATIONS.

USPHL NATIONALS

At the USPHL Nationals two teams will advance from the Florida Division, two from the Midwest East Division, two from the Midwest Division, two from the from the Northeast Division, two from the Mid Atlantic Division, and Two from Southeast Divisions for total of 12 teams.

The USPHL Nationals

These will be held the week of March 7th through the 11th More details to follow.

Florida Eels Elite Team Dismantles The Palm Beach Hawks 7-0 In Key Game for Playoff Seedings.

The Florida Eels Elite Team Explodes For 7 Unanswered Goals vs the Palm Beach Hawks

On Saturday night, the Eels brought it all together with an all cylinders firing. It wasn’t simply an offensive assault. They played a hard nose fore-check which forced dozens upon dozens of turnovers. Their back check was equally relentless. The Hawks did manage 40+ shots on net as they too are a proud club and would not quit. The Eels goalie Viktor Wennberg did manage to turn away 47 shots to say the Eels were hungry is an understatement indeed. They came out with an insatiable appetite to score. And that they did. They had 7 different scorers. The team has been playing very good of late. They have developed a system and the players are finally buying into it. These are young guys and 70% are first year players and the player development has paid off. We have taken our time with these guys and now we see the fruits of our efforts materializing. The players are energized and giving 100% at games practices and conditioning.

Scoring went as follows:

#94 Cade Swygert (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere, #97 Joe Arnold)

#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#37 Clement Espinasse, #41 Anthony Sozio)

Gage McNeish (even strength) (#82 Jimmy Sturdivent, #37 Clement Espinasse)

#25 Jaymen Swygert (even strength) (#90 Dylan Robello, #71 Kalib Carlyle)

#97 Joe Arnold (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere, #94 Cade Swygert)

#79 Allan Hernandez (even strength) (#39 Liam Ferris, #89 Daniel Merida)

#71 Kalib Carlyle (short handed) (empty net) (#94 Cade Swygert, #97 Joe Arnold)

Brian Kozek USPHL Defensemen Player Of The Week

Congrats Goes Out To Eels Premier Team Captain Brian Kozek as Southeast/Florida Premier Defensemen Playerof the Week

Southeast/Florida Premier Players of the Week

By USPHL PR, 01/24/18, 1:00PM EST

Forward of the Week

Evan Schieber , Atlanta Jr Knights

Schieber, Macon, Georgia native, scored four goals and added three assists in two games this weekend versus the Carolina Eagles. Evan leads the team in scoring with 21 goals and 21 assists. Evan has been recruited by several schools this year and will be a great addition both academically and on the ice wherever he decides to go!

Defenseman of the Week

Brian Kozek, Florida Eels

Kozek, Eels captain, who has had an exceptional season defensively and this past weekend he also added 2 goals and 2 assists to his point total, helping the Eels sweep the Daytona Racers. Kozek now has 7 goals and 18 assists with a total of 25 points in the season.

Goalie of the Week

Karl Zodda , Carolina Eagles

On Saturday Karl came in to play the second period with the Eagles down 4-0. He faced 33 shots in two periods only letting up 3 goals. On Sunday, Zodda back stopped the Eagles in a 2-1 win. Karl faced 45 Shots stopping 44 of them. Karl is from Utah and played AAA U18 last season for the Colorado Rampage.

Congrats To Gage Mcneish Who Was Selected As Defenseman of the Week Southeast/Florida Elite Players of the Week

Southeast/Florida Elite Players of the Week

By USPHL PR, 01/24/18, 1:15PM EST

Forward of the Week

Stefan Owens, Richmond Generals

Stefan is one of the top forwards in the Elite Division and a huge part of the Generals offense this season . He is averaging a point a game and is used in all situations and plays huge minutes for our team. Stefan was excellent again this weekend against Potomac helping us get the sweep on the weekend. (33 games, 13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points, 6 ppg, 8 ppa, 1 shg, 1 sha, 3 gwg)

Defenseman of the Week

Gage Mcneish, Florida Eels

Gage had a great weekend for us registering 2 goals and 3 assists. Gage anchored the blue line for the Eels and helped capture 5 out of 6 points over the weekend including a 4-2 win over the Florida Jr. Blades in witch he had 2 assists. Gage is a 2001 birth year with a bright future!

Goalie of the Week

Daniel Kortenhaus, Tampa Bay Juniors

Kortenhaus, a '99 Goalie from Tampa, FL had his 1st shutout of the season in Tampa's win Sunday vs Palm Beach for his 11th win, lowering his GAA to 2.06 and save % to .924.

The Florida Eels Elite Defeated the Jr Blades in Major Match Up Between the Two Clubs

The Eels Elite players came out a blazon. No doubt all cylinders were firing for these guys. All year long General Manager Frank Scarpaci has been instructing his coaching staff that player development is key here. I am not concerned about taking first place or second place. When that is the primary focus, we see coaches and teams tend to focus their attention on 6 forwards and maybe 4 defensemen, and perhaps one goalie. Here we are looking for Elite team to develop young men to advance to our Premier team and perhaps the NCDC. The ultimate prize is for the players to move on and play college hockey. The Elite division for our Eels organization is precisely that.: Player Development.

Indeed, this year alone we have moved up 12+ players up and down to the Premier level. Even more when you consider the practices. It is with this attention you enhance players skill set, confidence and determination. In fact, in years past the Eels typically have moved up 12+ players per year form its second team and 100% of those young men went on to become impact players on our top team and eventually advanced to the Next Level – that being college. The Eels are extremely proud of its player development model We don’t just give lip service. We put our words into action.

Coach Sears, echoed, last night the Eels Elite team put much of what they have been working on all season to work for them. It was noticeably present the passing was tape to tape, the skating was faster and the decision making was so impressive. The goaltending was spectacular and we saw similar results in the previous two games and one of our goalies Jeremy Hamerquist earned a shutout in Saturday’s win over the Daytona Racers. This team is now poised and ready to get to the Next Level in the season.

The Eels Elite team came to play commented the HockeyTV announcer. This was also echoed by the game announcer and so many people in the building. In fact, the Eels fans came out to see this very special rivalry. The Eels had over 150 people in attendance. The crowd was loud and very engaged. It made it fun. Fun for all the players families and the community.

The Eels Elite team defeated the Jr. Blades for the first time this year. The 2 clubs have 2 more games this season. In fact, the last two remaining regular season games are against the Eels and Jr. Blades. The way the standings and seeding are, there is no doubt those two remaining games will have a major consequence in the seeding. We saw last night level of competition was phenomenal. We even had the drama of a Jr. Blades’ penalty shot and the responding save by the Eels goalie denying the Jr. Blades top scorer. The players on each team drove to the net with heart and determination. The hitting was hard but clean. The rivalry was alive but professional and respectful.

The Eels managed to get on the score board first and then opened things up with a 2-0 lead. But as we saw last night, the Jr Blades did not quit and they came back with a vengeance scoring once and twice to tie the game. Ah a familiar scenario between the two clubs. The game could go into OT. The Eels coaches called a time out and refocused their players and opened things up to a 3-2 game and then sealed the game with its 4th goal winning 4-2.

This game was very exciting game for both teams. It was the precepts of playoff hockey. The Eels have about a dozen games remaining and they intend to heighten their performances in each of the remaining games preparing for the playoffs. They will do what the Eels always do however, and that is take each shift, each period and each game very serious. They will elevate their practices with that same goal in mind. One Mission: Win the first round of the Florida Division playoffs in Tampa. Then Get to Boston for the USPHL’s Nationals. You see the Eels got snowed out of the USPHL Main Showcase. So, the players and coaches want their chance to be showcased and garner visibility and get exposed in their quest for the League title.

The Florida Eels Elite Team Defeats the FL Jr. Blades.

The Eels Elite team came out on fire over the Florida Jr Blades. The entire team came out blazon in this special make-up game. All cylinders were firing in this extremely spirited contest. The Eels and Jr. Blades always bring everything to the game when they play one another. This is one of the best rivalries in all of Junior hockey. One thing for sure, the level of competition and skill of the players is at the highest level.

The remaining games are very important to all of the clubs as each team is jockeying for playoff seeding. The Blades are in 2nd place looking to take over 1st from Tampa. The Eels are in 4th place and they are looking to move up to 3rd place.

There is no neutral between these two clubs. No matter what the teams leave everything on the ice.

Tonight, the Eels cleanly defeated their cross-town foes 4-2. This was the Eels 3rd game in as many nights. The Jr. Blades were off over the past week so the concern was if the Eels players would be tired. But there was no sign of this.

With this won the Eels picked up 5 points out of 6 in the last 3 games.

Florida Eels Elite Team Defeats the Jr Blades In Special Monday Game.

The Eels Elite team came out on fire over the Florida Jr Blades. The entire team came out on fire in this special make up game. All cylinders were firing in this extremely spirited contest. The Eels and Jr. Blades always bring everything to the game when they play one another. This is one of the best rivalries in all of Junior hockey. One thing for sure, the level of competition and skill of the players is at the highest level.

There is no neutral between these two clubs. No matter what the teams leave everything on the ice.

Tonight, the Eels cleanly defeated their cross town foes 4-2. This was the Eels 3rd game in as many nights. The Jr. Blades were off over the past week so the concern was if the Eels players would be tired. But there was no sign of this.

With this won the Eels picked up 5 points out of 6 in the last 3 games.

The Florida Eels Sweep The Daytona Racers in 2 Game Weekend Away Games

The Florida Eels Premier team continues with its winning ways with a sweep over the Daytona Racers 3-1 in their first game and 9-4 in game two. This is a classic East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry in Florida and the Eels Premier team has won each of their 6 matches vs. the Racers. The Eels have 4 more games against Daytona all in Daytona.

In game one, the following players scored for the Eels:

The first was from Gavin Medina short handed

Then the 2nd was netted by Brandon Rosario from linemate Nakita Lopatin

The 3rd goal was from Nikita Lopatin from Brian Kozek and Jamie Moreno

In net, playing an awesome game, was Nick Kotz as he turned away 26 of 27 shots for

a .963 sav. %

In game two, the Eels shook off their bus legs and came out on fire exploding for 9 goals in that extremely fiery and spirited match up. After spotting the Racers their first goal, the Eels went on a scoring frenzy. Scoring for the Eels were as follows:

The first was from #29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, #12 Gavin Medina)
#10 Brian Kozek (power play) (#21 Brandon Rosario)

#5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #10 Brian Kozek)

#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #23 Nikita Pinimyasov)

#15 Caden Tchop (power play) (#55 Blake Hoffman, #4 Bryce Freel)

88 Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#12 Gavin Medina)

#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #23 Nikita Pinimyasov)

#5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#42 Cameron Carnes, #92 Rajhan Munnings

#10 Brian Kozek (power play) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #4 Bryce Freel)

In net was Nick Kotz who turned away 23 of 27 shots

GAMES MONDAY AT THE FT MYERS SKATIUM

14 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels Premier and Elite teams are looking forward to their games tomorrow at the Ft Myers Skatium. Both teams square off vs. the Tampa Juniors. It has been since the Christmas Showcase that the Premier team played and the same for the Elite team excepting the one game vs. the Jr. Blades last weekend. The Eels players are extremely anxious to get back on the ice and play. They are jumping out of their skin to get things going. You can see it in their faces. Both teams. They have fire in their eyes.

Both teams have been training very hard on and off the ice not to speak of the hours of video analysis as well. They have about 16 games remaining and the boys are intently focused. They know that each game, each period and each shift is important. These guys are very determined says Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. Truly a dedicated group of men and have their eye on the big picture. They have learned not to be distracted. Coach Frankie echoes, they will take one game at a time. It is like performing surgery in the way they play. They are methodical and don’t get rattled. Coach Scarpaci insist they need to be consistent and relentless.

Coach Sears and his team are equally excited about Monday’s game and the remainder of the season. His guys have faced enormous adversity this year and learned volumes from it. That is all part of player development as a player and as a team. They have lost a good number of games in OT and these games have taught character and developed fortitude. The players are held bent on taking this team to the Next Level. This is a tight bunch of guys and they are willing to make all the sacrifices to make it work. The spirits are very high and the goaltending is very poised and confident. GM Scarpaci says we have dissected our competition and we are ready for whatever they bring. WE have been equally critical of our own game and made significant adjustments so it will be exciting to watch.

Our guys are now healthy and over the flu. We are as polished as we ever were this season. We are at our best. We are fine tuning for the playoffs. We won’t be satisfied with just making it Hell no…. you will see a team ready and explosive. It is our time.

Come join us Monday
Premier 10:30 am
Elite 1:30 am

A Battle For First Place In the Florida Premier Division This Monday 10:30 am Eels vs. the Tampa Juniors

This Monday The Eels Premier and Elite Teams Square Off vs. the Tampa Juniors at Home

Monday the Eels and Tampa play their remaining Hurricane IRMA make-up game at the Fort Myers Skatium. The Premier team puck drop at 10:30 am while the Elite team plays at 1:30 pm. The Eels Premier team is 2 points behind Tampa. However, the Juniors played 4 more games than the Eels due to the Winter Storm rescheduling. The Tampa Elite team have played 3 more games than the Eels Elite as the Eels played one make up last Sunday vs. the Jr. Blades resulting in a shootout loss.

The Eels Elite are trying to gain ground on the 3rd place Palm Beach Hawks who have 4 more points than the Eels. Thus far the Eels Elite are 1-1-2 vs Tampa having lost in OT in 2 games. Yes, the contest has been that razor sharp and close. On the Premier side the Eels have won 3 of the 5 games. Both teams have scored a total 26 goals in the 5 contests. So, no doubt these have been high scoring very spirited games. These two teams have been battling neck and neck for first place all season long but the Eels generally have several games yet to play gaining an edge.

So once again battling for not only Southwest Florida Supremacy, these two teams are competing for first place in the Florida Division of the USPHL. That is not simply a token it places the first-place team as the top seed in the playoffs.

Today, Saturday and Sunday while the Eels are off, the Tampa Juniors, The Jr Blades and the Daytona Racers are all playing one another and it will give the Eels are great scouting opportunity to better prepare not only for Monday’s games vs. the Tampa Juniors but give a snap shot of the Daytona Racers who the Eels travel to next weekend to Daytona for away games. You can expect both the Eels Premier team and Elite team to be burning up the Hockey for games this weekend.

Please come down and join us this Monday morning and afternoon at the Fort Myers Skatium.

Cold and Flue Season

PLAYERS ALL PRACTICE JERSEYS NEED TO BE TAKEN HOME AND WASHED

10 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Attention Captains:
Please take him the player practice jerseys and wash them. We want to kill the germs. Too many players have colds. But be sure to bring them back in time for practice.

Players should bring home their under clothes
Guys are sick and we want to get a head of this the best we can
Someone on each team also please bring home the water bottles and wash them in the dish washer so we can sterilize them

Thanks
Frank

Tuesday Ice Schedule Wed Bus Departs To Boston Mass

Tuesday Jan 2nd

Premier team has ice 6:30 am

Elite team has ice 7:30 am

Both teams have ice 11:00 am - noon

Wednesday Jan 3rd

Bus Departs 6:30 amEat a good breakfast before you arrive

Suggest you pack your hockey bag Tuesday after work outs

Check all equipment etc Tuesday

FLORIDA EELS PREMIER AND ELITE SCHEDULE WINTER COLLEGE SHOWCASE JANUARY 5th – 7th, 2018

FLORIDA EELS PREMIER AND ELITE SCHEDULE

WINTER COLLEGE SHOWCASE

JANUARY 5th – 7th, 2018

Venue: Hotel:

New England Sports Center Embassy Suites

121 Donald Lynch Boulevard 123 Boston Post Road, W

Marlborough, MA Marlborough, MA 01752

Telephone: (508) 485-5900

PREMIER SCHEDULE

Day Date Time Home vs. Away Rink

Fri. 1/05 10:30 a.m. Northern Cyclones vs. Florida Eels 6

Fri. 1/05 8:50 p.m. Florida Eels vs. New York Aviators 1

Sat. 1/06 7:00 p.m. Steele County Blades. vs. Florida Eels 2

Sun. 1/07 11:50 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Springfield Pics 5

ELITE SCHEDULE

Day Date Time Home vs. Away Rink

Fri. 1/05 9:10 a.m. NH Jr. Monarchs vs. Florida Eels 2

Fri. 1/05 8:30 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Jersey Shore Whalers 4

Sat. 1/06 10:00 a.m. Northern Cyclones vs. Florida Eels 5

Sat. 1/06 5:20 p.m. Florida Eels vs. New York Aviators 5

BRANDON ROSARIO SELECTED AS USPHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

8 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels Players Once Again Recognized By The USPHL in All Star Status

Eels Forward of the Week
Brandon Rosario, Florida Eels

Rosario had a great weekend against the Palm Beach Hawks where he helped the Eels beat them 6-1 and 7-2. In both games he was able to produce 2 goals and 5 assists for a total of 7 points. Brandon has been a huge part of the Eels success as he is tasked with shutting down the opponents top line every game. (GP-2, G-2, A-5, PTS-7)

Defenseman of the Week
Tyler Romel, Carolina Eagles

Tyler Romel of the Carolina Eagles had a tremendous weekend against the Richmond Generals in a split between the two teams. Romel had a goal and an assist on Saturday in the Eagles 5-4 win over Richmond and scored on the Power Play on Sunday in a 6-5 loss to Richmond. He recorded a Plus 3 for the two games and was matched against key players for Richmond. “I believe Tyler Romel is one of the best defensemen in the league right now. Not only does he bring a 6’4” frame, he can skate well, has pretty good hands and a strong hockey IQ," stated Coach Lincoln Flagg. Tyler is from Pittsboro, North Carolina and played Premier last season for the Springfield Pics. He has some very good academic NCAA D3 schools talking to him right now.

Goalie of the Week
Sam Best, Charlotte Rush

Sam Best made 37 saves on 42 shots he faced in a weekend split with the Hampton Roads Whalers. Best recorded his 11th win on Sunday making some crucial saves early on. He also currently has 11 wins with a 1.61 GAA and .936% with 2 shutouts.

USPHL Brandon Rosario Player Of the Week

The Florida Eels Premier Team Sweeps The Palm Beach Hawks In Weekend Home and Away Series. They Have Gone 7 Out Of Their Last 8

The Premier team is on fire and they are razor sharp with 25 goals in their last 4 games. Additionally, we have scored 46 goals in the last 7 games. Now that is an offensive presence. On Saturday at home the Eels defeated the Hawks 7-2 and then in West Palm Beach they topple the Hawks 6-1. In their previous set of games prior to the Thanksgiving break they unraveled the Jr. Blades 7-4 and 5-0. They did have a hiccup against the Hawks back in mid November 2-5 but their previous 3 outings they dropped the Jr. Blades 5-1, 7-0 and over powered the Hawks 7-4.

Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci has these boys firing hard on all cylinders. He takes no team for granted. In fact he instills we take no shift off, no period is taken lightly and no game for granted. Games are won long before we get to game day locker room echoes Coach Scarpaci. It is all about on ice practices, off ice conditioning, game prep and video analysis. It is having your players buying into the system being dialed in and emotionally invested. It is not about individual accolades or ice time. Assistant Coach Alex Sanchez notes, “It is being a team and all about the team in every way. You look at the way they play and conduct themselves on and off the ice.”

Coach Scarpaci echoes, it is all about maturity and “I don’t mean age. You need to spend hours talking and working with your players individually. You need to show them you believe in them and them in you. It takes hours from a coaching perspective. But that is what we do,

GM Scarpaci notes, We are very progressive and successful program in advancing players into college hockey. The college coaches know full well when they take on our players they get a player who is not only physically capable of being an immediate impact player for them now but that they have developed the mental side of the game. It isn’t easy to play college hockey. If it were everyone would reach that plateau. It takes a dedicated and determined young man. A player with high skill set, one with a high compete level. With passion and fortitude to do everything to reach those goals and that includes abstaining from vices and willing to make the sacrifices and commitments necessary to realize that goal. Wanting it and having goals is not enough. Everyone wants it. Most junior players have that goal. But we teach and instill the additional intangibles to capture the bar.

This past weekend our players were on fire as they topped the Hawks 7-2 at home and continued their dominance in Palm Beach 6-1. It was very exciting to see our offense in sync and they way they were tilting the ice throttling shots after shots. We were especially happy with our defense and netminders who kept the GAA to 1.5 for the weekend.

Florida Eels Elite Go 1-1-1 in Rare 3 game Weekend vs. The Jr. Blades and The Palm Beach Hawks

The Eels Elite team got back on their winning track with a win and a tie over the weekend to gain 3 points in their 3 game set of games. Even the game they lost to the Hawks was one of the hardest fought battles all season. In fact both the tie OT loss to the Jr. Blades was an equally playoff style game with some of the best hockey all season by both clubs.

On Friday night the Eels and Jr. Blades battled to a 2-2 tie at the end of regulation. Goals came from:

#12 Gavin Medina (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #54 Jake Court in the first period

But the Blades tied things up. Then in the 2nd the Blades went ahead 2-1 but the Eels came back to even things out with a goal from:

#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#92 Rajhan Munnings, #77 Corey Altieri

The game went in to OT 3 vs. 3 but the contest was yet to be decided forcing it to a shoot out. The Blades won it in the end. But this game showed the makings of turning things around for the club.

On Saturday vs. the Hawks at home the Eels got on the scoreboard first.

· #95 Lucyan Pawlowicz (power play) (#82 Jimmy Sturdivent, #90 Dylan Robello)

But the Hawks returned the favor with two of their own. The Eels tied things up in the 3rd by great effort by:

#97 Joe Arnold (even strength) (#94 Cade Swygert, #71 Kalib Carlyle

But the Hawks edged us with a 3rd goal to gain the lead. The Eels players maintained their composure and kept driving at Hawks. In fact the Eels unloaded 13 shots on the Hawks netminder to try to recapture a tie but were thawed by a solid performance form the Hawks goalie. In the end we were disappointed with the loss no doubt but the effort was there for 3 periods said Coach Greg Sears. We were in this game and all of our players were dialed in and emotionally vested said GM Scarpaci. It is disheartening of the guys when you play that hard and come up with no points. Says Coach Sears. Our boys gave it their all.

GM Scarpaci and Coach Sears decided to radically shake up the lines to see if they could gain that little edge. A nice spark. Something that may be missing. They went to the drawing board and reset things in motion for their away game vs. the Hawks. Well things were shaken up alright and changes were even adjusted during the game. We instilled even great competition in the lines and the lines were competing with each other as were players on lines were competing where they would end up. In the end any complacency or ineffectiveness was modified immediately.

Well folks we all saw a new and revived and more competitive group of guys.

The Eels scored 2 in the first period.

· #54 Jake Court (power play) (#95 Lucyan Pawlowicz)

#54 Jake Court (power play) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #82 Jimmy Sturdivent

Then the Hawks came back with 2 of their own in the 2nd period.

Nobody scored in the 3rd and the Eels found themselves going into OT after the game was tied in regulation 2-2.

· Well the teams squared off 3 vs. 3 and both teams flew up and down the ice being denied by the netminders until #37 Clement Espinasse (even strength) (#54 Jake Court) scored.

The Eels won and the Ice Zone exploded. The Premier guys were loud the entire game as they cheered on relentlessly through out the game. The fans were lively no doubt but nothing was like this celebration as the Eels snapped their losing skid. To see coach Sears face and the Elite players faces was priceless. There is no doubt this is a very talented and hardworking group of players. From the guys on the ice to the scathes in the stands to the coaching staff. They all have been working extremely hard and this was a product and fruits of those efforts. GM Scarpaci said he is extremely proud of his Elite guys and trusted in them and has full faith that this team will ripen into top potential. They will now show everyone who they really are.

A big shout out to goalie Jeremy Hamerquist who played phenomenal He was nothing short of spectacular.

Info On Our College Tour

Florida Eels Announce College Tour For 2017-18 Season

College Tour

Off to College
This week we announced the plans for our College Tour while in Boston the week of January 8th – 11th 2018

We will leave Ft Myers Florida by Bus Wednesday Jan 3rd and arrive Thursday January 4th in Marlboro MA

That evening we will all get a quick dinner and have a team practice in Marlboro Mass New England Sports Center.

Jan 5th – 7th the Premier teams and Elite teams will play in the showcase games.

Some players have elected to remain in Massachusetts for the college tour We will target approx. 6 colleges for tour. This second phase is not part of the regular Eels program. The players will need to make plane reservations back home late on Thursday Jan 11th.

We will suggest the flight to take.
Cost:
• Players will have to pay for own hotel rooms 4 players per room approximately $50 per night for which would be $200.00. We will need a check to hold their rooms.
• Players need to share the cost of vans and gas which will be $200 per player. Check payable to the Eels
• College Showcase Fee of $250.00 per person. Check payable to the Eels
• Players are responsible for purchasing their own flight home from Boston.

In addition to the above each player is responsible for paying for their own food while on the college tour.
•

Please note that this trip is extremely popular and very worthwhile for the players who are planning on attending college in the fall of 2018. Players get to kick the tires if you will. They get to see the schools, dorms etc. However, it makes s no sense for players to go who are not destined and targeted to attend college next fall. You have time and it would not be a wise allocation of funds. This is not a field trip. You will be also missing valuable practice time back in Florida.

Also, we fully understand and appreciate that funds are limited with all players and families. If you cannot afford to do this additional college tour do not panic. We can do the virtual tours on the web of colleges that many of the college web sites have. But there is no doubt this has enormous upside.

Players need to get their college letters in as I instructed. They need to have written to admissions offices. Letters t o coaches and gone to the college web sites and filled out recruiting profiles. They should have their high school transcripts sent to the colleges even if it is unofficial. They should have obtained 3 letters of recommendation. They help enormously. For schools they have a definite desire to attend they need and should fill out their college applications. Also by now you all should have compiled a U tube of 12 + clips 15 seconds each segment. This should be of goals or assist for forwards and defenseman. You should also show good plays back check fore-check, solid hits. For goalies save saves etc.

We need to have a $450 deposit paid by Monday to secure your spots.

If parents and players have any questions please fell free to call me.

Look forward to hearing from you
Thanks
Frank Scarpaci
Florida Eels GM
941-400-9023

Fourth Annual Florida Eels Tots For Tots Christmas Drive

To all Premier and Elite players and parents. This is the Florida Eels 4th annual Toys For Tots Christmas Drive for toys for the unfortunate. We are all very fortunate to be doing what we are doing – playing junior hockey. Training every day 4+ hours and playing against some of the best players in the world. We get to enjoy all of the amenities of living in Southwest Florida and getting to realize our ultimate dream and perfect our goals of playing men’s college hockey.

But there are so many in the world who are not so fortunate to be in a position to do much of anything. Christmas is not so great for young boys and girls who wake up with nothing under their tree. For years the Florida Eels Junior players have stepped up in a small way and made donations of toys to help make these boys and girls have something under their tree and yes believe. Guys even though these gifts may be a small token for you they are significant for the children.

We are asking every player from both teams to bring in one gift valued between $10.00 - $20.00 and deposit. Please bring all toys to the Eels office to Clare. The gifts must be unwrapped.

Thank you so much in advance for your help, cooperation and generosity.

Clare Scarpaci

Florida Eels Weekend Extravaganza Of Games

Friday Night

Florida Eels Elite vs. the Jr. Blades

Fort Myers Skatium

Drop Of Puck 8:00 pm

The Eels Elite team is in 4th place having played 19 games with 8 wins 9 losses and 2 OT for a total of 18 points. The Eels are chasing the Palm Beach Hawks who have 22 points. The Eels have a total of 3 games this weekend. In fact they have 2 games vs. the Hawks. Saturday at home at the Ft Myers Skatium drop of puck at 9:15 pm and then they travel to West Palm Beach for their away game of the 3 game weekend for a 6:30 pm game.

The Eels Premier team does not have a game Friday. They have a 2 game home and away series vs. the Palm Beach Hawks. On Saturday the Hawks come to town. The Premier squad takes on our Eels team at 3:20 pm drop of puck. The Eels are in first place having played 20 games one point ahead of Tampa who played 22 games. Tampa plays the Daytona Racers for a 2 game weekend. One thing for sure is that any team in this division cannot take any team for granted. Nobody can afford to sit on their laurels or be complacent. Tamp cannot take the Racers for granted. If they want to over take the Eels for first then they are expected to make a full assault on the Racers. The Eels can only worry about what they can control. That is their contest vs. the Hawks.

The Jr. Blades Premier team is off for the weekend.

The key for the Hawks match up between the Hawks and the Eels is the fact that the Hawks also have 27 points. That means the Eels only edge the Hawks by a one-point margin. The Eels intend to garner some daylight between the two teams. You can expect the Eels to bring their best game on Saturday and once again on Sunday.

There is no doubt this Friday and Saturday you will find some of the most exciting hockey in Southwest Florida right here at the Fort Myers Skatium. So many of our players are capturing quite a bit of attention from college coaches. General Manager Frank Scarpaci has been talking non-stop to college coaches from the Midwest, the New York Pennsylvania area and New England. It is not surprising says Frank Scarpaci. The scouts know our program. They know the player development model we instill. They know the intensity of our training. They know our guys are training north of 4 hours a day, with ice, at World Gym, agility training, on the Skatium’s sports court shooting 100 pucks per day etc. Not too many programs provide this and these ingredients allow our players to be immediate impact players for college coaches and that is exactly what they are looking for and that is why the Eels players are so attractive to the college scouts.

THE EELS ARE PROUD TO REPORT THAT EELS VETERAN FORWARD A.J. GIORDANO HAS COMMITTED TO ACHA IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY.

SOUTHEAST/FLORIDA PREMIER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK DEFENSE PLAYER OF THE WEEK BLAKE HOFFMAN & FORWARD OF THE WEEK NIKITA LOPATIN, FLORIDA EELS

22 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Week 8 – Southeast/Florida Premier Players of the Week
11/22/2017, 1:00pm EST
By USPHL PR
WEEK 8 – SOUTHEAST/FLORIDA PREMIER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Forward of the Week
Nikita Lopatin, Florida Eels

Lopatin again displayed a dominating performance scoring at least a goal in each one of the three games played this past weekend. Throughout the weekend Nikita grabbed 7 goals and an assist for 8 points. Maybe the most impressive thing about this was two of the goals were scored shorthanded.

Defenseman of the Week
Blake Hoffman, Florida Eels

Hoffman (GP-3 G-0 A-4 PTS-4) had a real solid weekend for the Eels. Blake’s typically a very reliable defensive defenseman that eats major key minutes in the defensive zone. This past weekend not only did he demonstrate his typical defensive play, but he also added four assists total throughout three games played.

Goalie of the Week
Connor Close, Richmond Generals

Connor stopped 29 of 31 shots on Sunday to secure the win for the Generals against the Eagles and split the weekend series. Connor is second in the league in save % and top 5 in the league in GAA and among the leaders in wins in the league as well. Connor picked up his team leading 6th win of the season on this past Sunday.

The Eels Invite You To Join Us at The Fort Myers Skatium For Their Double Header With The Eels Elite Tam vs. The Jr. Blades At 3:20 pm And Then The Premier Team Squares Off vs. the Blades At 9:15 pm

The Eels have played the Jr. Blades for the second weekend in a row .The Premier team has seen these guys 5 times already and this will be their 6th of the season and it will be the Elite squads 5th outing. We have seen each other so much it would almost be fitting to have them over for Thanksgiving. The Premier team has been very successful in the scorecard. They have defeated the Jr. Blades 4-1 in the five games played so far. The only loss came in their first game and then Coach Frankie Scarpaci readjusted his troops and refocused their energies and they have been extremely hot against their cross-town foes

All of the games have been very competitive. These two teams represent probably the best and most fierce rivalries in Jr. Hockey. Nothing is left on the ice. Each player brings his best. You can never take a win for granted. Despite the Premier team having the edge in wins this season, we can always expect the Jr. Blades to come out hard and ready willing and quite able to drop the Eels in the win column. They are one of the best teams in our league and we never take them for granted. Nor will or can we be complacent or sit on our laurels.

For the Elite team, the wins have not been there. The guys come out hard and push the envelope with the same intestinal fortitude and determination but are always thawed by the Blades Elite team. Coach Greg Sears has made major changes over the last several days and he has his team now playing with the tempo and fortitude and structure he expects. This will not be the same team that lost the 4 previous games. The personnel may look the same with a few exceptions but the way in which we play will be entirely different. You will see a quicker team a hungrier team, a team that will and can capture not only a win here this afternoon, but a team that will be making a statement in the league.

Come join us today at the Fort Myers Skatium. We are not inviting these guys for dinner but we intend to deliver them a full course meal. The servings will be goals and the main course are 2 wins.

Elite Game is at 3:20 pm

Premier Game is at 9:15 pm

The Florida Eels Premier team came up big time once again as they defeat the Jr. Blades by 5-0. This is the 2nd shutout in two weeks for the Eels over the Jr. Blades. Florida Eels Premier goalie Victor Vineberg played phenomenal in net for the Eels as he turned away 28 shots in route to his shutout. He was brought up from the Elite team a month ago and has done very well for the Premier team.

The Eels had just come off a road trip vs. the Palm Beach Hawks and did not get home till late last night and it was a long day indeed. Coach Frankie Scarpaci took his time this morning allowing his team a needed rest and got in a quick practice and got their focus in tack.

This was a big game for the Eels as they are looking to capture some points to gain edge on Palm Beach Hawks and gain some daylight ahead of the Tampa Juniors. Things are very close right now and for Coach Scarpaci a little too close for comfort.

Nikita Lopatin scored two goals tonight, once again as his dominance as player in the USPHL is highlighted. This is a man amongst boys says Coach Scarpaci.

The Eels came out alive and began the pressure on the Blades and their attack was continuous and systematic. The Eels unleashed 49 shots on the Jr Blades netminder. They play that relentless style of play. A hard fore-check and an equally aggressive and hungry back-check. They never stop coming at you even on the Penalty Kill as was illustrated once again tonight as last Friday scoring another short handed goal. Last Friday night they scored a pair of short-handed goals right away and they carried that intensity to this contest.

Last Friday night they blanked the Blades 7-0 and Saturday they again downed the Jr. Blades by a score of 5-1. Despite the results the Jr. Blades always bring their best game to the ice. They play a tough game and never quit. The Eels cannot and will not be complacent nor will they sit on their laurels. The Eels know only one way to play and that is an all out effort. There is no trap with the Eels. That is not what the College Coaches want to see.

SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES BY DANICK FRANCOEUR

14 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Florida Eels ace netminder Danick Francoeur from Laval, Quebec Canada stepped up with stellar performances allowing the team to battle for first place in the Florida Division. He won his 3rd straight for the Florida Eels Premier team. Against the Palm Beach Hawks Francoeur backstopped his team to a 7-4 win a week ago in Palm Beach. This was a solid win as the Hawks have owned first place most of the season and it was the first outing between the two clubs and Francoeur lead the Eels to victory in front of a packed house in Palm Beach. This past Friday Francoeur shutout cross town rivals the Jr. Blades by a score of 7-0 where he faced 40 shots on net. Indeed, the Jr. Blades were shocked by the Eels lightning offense but were equally stunted by Francoeur stonewall goaltending. He was spectacular. Then Saturday, Danick had an equally impressive debut with a 5-1 impenetrable performance where he turned away 21 of 22 shots on net. No doubt the Jr. Blades big guns were frustrated by the one two three punch of the Eels offense, defense and high-level goaltending. Francoeur has been playing phenomenal of late. Poised and focused. Tracking the pucks so well. Battling real tough against shooters. Directing his rebounds and controlling the play. This is what we expected of him when we brought him to our program. In 10 games he has 7 wins and 3 losses. He has a 2.74 GAA with a .924 save percentage.

Undergraduate Studies At Wentworth

Undergraduate Studies

At Wentworth you will test yourself in extraordinary and challenging ways. Sure, there will be exams, studio reviews, study groups, and papers. But you will also be expected to do—in labs, in studios, in the community, and beyond. Wentworth provides the tools you will need to succeed in the marketplace, highlighted by strong academic programs and cooperative education. You will meet energetic students and will learn from expert and enthusiastic faculty. You will be surrounded by remarkable, motivated people who have a drive to succeed academically and professionally.

As a Wentworth student, you see what it means to be part of a “maker community” every day. Here, classroom learning is never an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. Wentworth’s commitment to experiential learning gives you diverse opportunities to put your knowledge into action, transforming theory into practice as you engage in any number of hands-on activities designed to enrich your education.

Undergraduate Majors

Applied Mathematics
Architecture
Biological Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Business Management (elective focuses in Technology Project Management or Entrepreneurship)
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Computer Information Systems
Computer Science
Computer Networking
Construction Management
Electromechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering - Interdisciplinary
Industrial Design
Interior Design
Mechanical Engineering

Minors

Aerospace Engineering
Applied Mathematics
Bioinformatics
Biology
Business Management
- General Business
- Entrepreneurship
- Technology Project Management
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Computer Networking
Computer Science
Construction Management
Industrial Design
Manufacturing
COF Minor in Performing Arts
Media, Culture and Communications Studies
Physics

NCAA Div. 3 Wentworth Institute Of Technology Check Out Areas Of Study They Have 3 spots Open for next season See me

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The Florida Eels Elite Team At Home vs. the Jr. Blades at 3:20 pm Ft Myers Skatium

The two teams have a home and home series between the two clubs. Today they square off at 3:20 pm at the Ft Myers Skatium and Sunday they play at 1:15 pm at Germain Arena. These two teams have met twice this year with the Jr. Blades edging the Eels is a heart breaker 4-3 scoring with only seconds remaining in regulation. The next day the Eels fell victim to a 4-2 loss. The Eels are slightly ahead in the standings. They both have played 15 games. The Eels have 8 wins 6 losses and 1 tie for 17 points. The Blades have 8 wins as well but have dropped 7 games with 16 points. Palm Beach is slightly ahead of both teams sitting on 17 points and they play Tampa this weekend also in two games who are in first with 21 points. Ah you can see this is a very close among the 4 teams. Daytona is in 5th place notching only an OT loss for 1 point.

No doubt this will be an old fashion barnburner between the Eels and Blades and we can expect no different in the Palm Beach vs. Tampa games.

WE would appreciate your support to come on down this afternoon and join with us as we cheer on the Eels. These two clubs clearly have one of the strongest rivalries in Junior Hockey; every game is always a battle. They are less then 21 miles from each other and the teams both are deeply supported by their respective areas.

The Eels Premier team faces off tonight against the Blades Premier team at 9:15 pm at the Ft Myers Skatium as well. The Eels won last night. A clear and convincing winning performance by the Eels team. But take one thing for sure. The Eels Premier team will not take the win last night as an indication of what tonight’s game will bring. The Eels will not be complacent. Nor will they sit on their laurels. Today is a new game and yesterday’s win was just that. Yesterday’s win. All eyes and focus is no today’s games.

Florida Eels Premier team Defeat The Jr. Blades In Game One of the Weekend Home and Home Series.

Florida Eels Ace Goalie DANICK FRANCOUR LEADS EELS in tonight's huge win SHUTTING OUT JR BLADES 7-0

The Eels dominated the Blades tonight with outstanding performances by the entire team including a shut out by Danick Francour, a hat trick by Nikita Lopatin , 2 goals by Colton Crabtree, one solid goal by Brandon Rosario and the flawless play by the Eels entire D Core

Way to go guys and all around phenomenal effort by the entire team. These same two teams square off Saturday evening 9:15 pm at the Fort Myers Skatium while the Elite teams play at 3;20 pm also at the Skatium. The Elite teams will return to Germain on Sunday completing their home and home series

Week 5 - Premier Players of the Week

11/03/2017, 9:15am EDT

By USPHL PR

WEEK 5 - PREMIER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

In our Premier division our top leaders come from the Florida Eels and the Minnesota Blue Ox organizations. Here is a bit more about our winners-

Top Forward of the Week – #29 Nikita Lopatin, Florida Eels

Lopatin had a real solid weekend, last weekend against cross town rival the Florida Blades collecting 5 goals and 7 points. He has been a great asset to the team and a big factor in both games. He totals 12 points in his last 3 games!

Top Goalie of the Week - #77 Brady Boudreau, Minnesota Blue Ox

Boudreau went 2-0 last weekend. He had his first ever career shutout, faced 34 shots, allowed 1 goal!

Coach Witta states, “To see Brady develop and have success this season with the Blue Ox is not a surprise to me at all. I believed in him last year. The kid hates to lose. He works hard, stays positive and epitomizes what a "Great teammate” is supposed to be. It’s not easy having a target on your back being the son of a NHL coach. But Brady has not had anything given to him at all - he has earned the chance to help his team win and embraced it! It’s been a lot of fun to watch!”

Keep up the great work guys! Check back weekly for our top performers!

THE LONG AWAITED MATCH UP BETWEEN THE FLORIDA EELS ELITE AND PALM BEACH HAWKS.

THE LONG AWAITED MATCH UP BETWEEN THEFLORIDA EELS AND PALM BEACH HAWKS.

This Saturday the Eels Elite team plays host to the Palm Beach Hawks game scheduled at pm at the Fort Myers Skatium. The Elite teams will play later that evening at 9:15 pm at the Skatium. This is the first game between the two clubs as Hurricane Irma postponed their previous outings between the Eels and the Hawks. By now these two teams normally would have played at least twice by this juncture. But the Hurricane postponement did not deaden the storm brewing between the two clubs. These guys are anxious and eagerly awaiting for the puck to drop. This is a huge and patiently awaited match up between these two teams.

The Hawks have played two additional games than the Eels. They are exactly 3 points ahead of the Eels in the standings.  They sit in 2nd place with 15 games played 8 wins 6 losses 1 OT losses for 17 points. While the Eels are in 3rd place having played 13 games with 7 wins and 6 losses and 14 points. In first having played 15 games 9 wins 5 losses 1 OT for 19 points. No question, once readily can see how important these games are in the standings. There is 4 significant points on the line. These are not simply regular season games.

All of the Elite teams in Florida are battling for their spots in every game. There are 5 points that separate 4 teams between them. It is amazing that playoff decisions are being carved out so early. Like the teams in the Premier division, the Elite teams games are so exciting as each game is consequential and played like it is a playoff game and not a midseason regular game.

Obviously, the Eels can only look to what they can control. That being the games vs. the Hawks this weekend. They are focusing on Saturday evening and each shift and period before them. The Eels Elite team has been working so hard examining each part of that team to rejuvenate and spark the team to garner a path of winning.

These two clubs have traditionally been keen rivals for East Coast vs. West Coast Of Florida Supremacy. This weekend will be no different. The teams will battle it out in Fort Myers Saturday 9:15 pm and then head back to Palm Beach for a game at Palm Beach Ice Zone game time 6:00 pm @usphl.com

This Weekend Plan Beach Hawks vs the Eels - A Battle for East Coast vs. the West Coast Supremacy

This Saturday the Eels Premier team plays host to the Palm Beach Hawks in a special matinee game scheduled at 3:20 pm at the Fort Myers Skatium. The Elite teams will play later that evening at 9:15 pm at the Skatium. This is the first game between the two clubs as Hurricane Irma postponed their previous outings between the Eels and the Hawks.

The Hawks have played two additional games than the Eels. They are exactly 4 points ahead of the Eels in the standings.  They sit in first place with 15 games played 10 wins 3 losses 2 OT losses for 22 points. While the Eels are in 2nd place having played 13 games with 9 wins and 4 losses and 18 points. In third place is the Tampa Juniors with 14 points. But Tampa has a 3 game weekend as they play the Daytona Racers on Friday and then a home and away vs. the Jr. Blades. So the teams are vehemently battling for their spots in every game. It is amazing that playoff decisions are being carved out so early. But that is what makes these games so exciting as each game is consequential and played like it is a playoff game and not a midseason regular game.

Obviously, the Eels can only look to what they can control. That being the games vs. the Hawks this weekend. They are focusing on Saturday afternoon and each shift and period before them. These two clubs have traditionally been keen rivals for East Coast vs. West Coast Of Florida Supremacy. This weekend will be no different. Both squads are very different than last season. In fact the Eels have about 16 new faces on their Premier team. The Hawks have a similar ratio including a new coach. You can expect both teams to bring it all to the ice Saturday at 3:20 pm drop of puck

The teams will then head back to Palm Beach for a game at Palm Beach Ice Zone game time 3:30 pm @usphl.com

General Manager Scarpaci On The Road In Search Of CollegesOptions For our Boys

Well GM Scarpaci is off once again this time in New England Searching for college options for the Eels players. He will be visiting 7 schools next week and meeting with college coaches and assistant coaches. He will be bringing videos and data for our players.

GM Scarpaci Visiting 7 Colleges Next Week For Our Players

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys
Next week GM Frank Scarpaci will be visiting the following colleges and meeting with the head coaches and assistant coaches. He will be presenting information on our players. If you have interest in these colleges please see him no later than Monday.
Curry College
Stonehill College
Tuffs University
Babson College
Wentworth Institute of Technology
U Mass Dartmouth
Salem State University

FLORIDA EELS

CCM APPARELL FOR SALE

Listed below is Florida Eels CCM apparel that we have in stock and the price of the apparel. If you are interested in purchasing any of these items, please give Clare a call at (941) 400-0712.

¼ Zip Training Tech Top 1 Large

2 Medium Price: $ 55.00

CCM Heavy Warm-up Jacket 1 Small

2 Medium

2 Large

2 X-Large Price: $105.00

CCM Light Warm-up Jacket 2 Medium Price: $ 60.00

Team Training Cuff Pants – Black 3 Small

1 Medium

2 Large Price: $ 40.00

CCM Light Warm-up Pants 8 Large Price: $ 47.00

Elite Team Ice Cap

The Eels Elite team brought new life and spirit to Sunday’s game vs. the Tampa Juniors. The boys came out with heart and determination. The goaltending here once again battled shooter after shooter and the game was very close until the 3rd period. In fact the game was tied 1-1 until 14 minutes of the 3rd. That is when Tampa took advantage of their power play and the Eels went down 2-1. The Eels sustained another penalty at the 16 minute mark which saddled the Eels with another Penalty Kill situation and thus hampered its opportunity to tie things up. Coach Sears making every effort to tie the game pulled his netminder for the extra skater. But Tampa took advantage of the open net and scored their 3rd goal of the game eclipsing the Eels Elite 3-1.

The guys had a very good practice today working on their skating game and shooting clinic. Then after practice they had one of the most grueling off ice practices to make them more focused and determined to take down Palm Beach.

The Elite team and the Premier teams play this Saturday at home and back in Palm Beach Sunday

Premier Team Ice Cap

Florida Eels Premier Team Edged by the Tampa Juniors 7-5. It was a hard fought battle as the Eels came back from a 3-goal deficit. In the 3rd period the Eels tied things up but Tampa managed to go ahead and then the Eels battled back bringing their tally to 5 but Tampa notched one more then got an empty net goal raising it to 7-5. This was a tough loss as the boys kept hammering away to bring it with in reach but sometimes it just does not happen.

Coach Frankie Scarpaci said his team showed resilience and perseverance but came up short. It wasn’t a case of not being in it or engaged. As Coach Frankie echoed, it s funny about this team – they realize there are two options about “commitment” you either have it or you don’t. Every last one of these guys have it. …Sometimes you will sustain a loss but as a coach I have to look at the way we play and it was the resolve to come back and the efforts laid out is what I have to measure here”

No doubt there are things to be worked on here this week. The coaches were back at the drawing board as early as last night when they returned. Talk about unified commitment

This weekend the Eels Premier and Elite teams square off vs. the Palm Beach Hawks. Saturday at home and Sunday in Palm Beach

EELS PREMIER TEAM TOPS THE TAMPA JUNIORS 5-4

In the West Coast of Florida we are well accustomed to storms, severe lightning and yes Hurricanes. That seems to be the climate between the Florida Eels and the Tampa Bay Juniors. Every game between the Tampa Juniors and the Florida Eels, the players bring everything to the ice. The games between these two clubs clearly are so consequential in the standings. Tonight the Eels and the Tampa Juniors Premier teams battled for every square inch of the ice.

One thing for sure, the games between the Eels and the Tampa Juniors are left to the final seconds of the third period before a decision is final. This game proved no different. Despite the Juniors striking first with only seconds into the first period, the Eels seem to dominate play for three periods. At one point in the 3rd period the Eels were up by 3 with the score 5-2. But as is typical with Tampa they kept storming back and that they did as they brought the game within 1 goal as Tampa scored 2 in the 3rd leaving it 5-4 in to the last minute of the 3rd period. Tampa then pulled their goalie and called a time out with the puck in the Eels’ zone. A nail biter in the last 20 seconds as the Tampa Juniors managed to have 4 shots on net while the Eels goalie Viktor Wennberg came up with save after save frustrating Tampa’s attack suffocating all pucks until the sounding of the final buzzer.

This was another huge win for the Eels as they regain 1st place in the Florida Premier Division standings. The Eels have 18 points also shared by Palm Beach but the Eels have fewer goals against and more goals for thus the tie breaker.

Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

#4 Bryce Freel (even strength) (#28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, #21 Brandon Rosario)

#29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #4 Bryce Freel

#26 Colton Crabtree (short handed) (#55 Blake Hoffman, #1 Viktor Wennberg)

#21 Brandon Rosario (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #26 Colton Crabtree)

#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #21 Brandon Rosario)

In net for the Eels was Viktor Wennberg who turned away 47 of 51 shots for a .922 Save%

The fire burning is that in the eyes and heart of Florida Eels Defensemen Bryce Freel.

The Fire is Blazing from Illinois to Florida. The fire burning is that in the eyes and heart of Florida Eels Defensemen Bryce Freel. A bid guy 6’3” 185 pounds. We scouted and recruited him for 2 years says GM Frank Scarpaci. We love the way he owns the crease and battles for positioning. He is a very smart young man and does not take too many risks in the defensive zone. Indeed, he came to the Eels as a defensive defensemen. But we have seen enormous growth in his game. Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci believed in him and he and assistant coach Alex Sanchez set out to bring Freel’s game to a whole new dimension. We have developed his mobility, puck movement and vision. These are key to a defensemen who wants to play high level college hockey. The Eels have made the investment of time and it has been paying off. Specifically, Bryce has developed into a bona fide offensive threat. And it is expanding in every shift, of every period of every game.

Look at last season, in 41 games he had 6 goals and 5 assist for 11 points. This season in just 11 games, Freel has 2 goals and 7 assists. He has 1 power play goal and an impressive 6 power play assists. This is amazing.

You can see he has the confidence in himself and the coaches have the reciprocal confidence in him. This goes hand in hand. Coach Frankie Scarpaci says he loves the way Bryce is coming along. We are only 11 games into the season. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Moreover, unlike some players who become defensive liabilities when turning up the offense, this is not the case with Freel. He has bought into our system. He has learned how and when to join the line rush and join in with the forwards. He is a main stay on the power play with his blistering slap shot that hits the net.

So much of his offense is not even reflected on the score sheet. Remember a quick transition out of the zone is modern day hockey. This is a skill set that he will take to college. Yes that is the primary reason why Bryce joined us this season. He heard about the Eels advancing its players to college hockey. 200+ in fact. But now he knows the reason why. His coaches take painstaking effort and spend countless hours in player development to get you ready for the “Next Level” and for Bryce that means college hockey. For a 1997 he needs to make this happen - this season! He is a last year guy. Bryce also sees first hand the visibility efforts and promoting of the Eels players to the college coaches. This simply is not the case with so many programs.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci who has been recruiting Freel for a few years echoes, “we know we had a player with good skill set and size. That is a starting point for us. For most clubs it is an ending point. For us we take that set and expand it to develop him into his maximum potential. This includes rigorous ice and off ice training , video analysis, critique and mentoring. Instilling the determination and passion that allows our players to exude unwavering confidence on and off the ice. What we did not realize when we signed him was the high character of Bryce. He is an incredible young man with unquantifeid dedication to make himself the best he can be.”

This is a young man who will realize his dreams and goals of playing college hockey. We are anxious, delighted and eager to see how he selflessly garners point production this season in contributing to his Eels Premier team’s success this season. We are proud of him and what he accomplished to date and look forward to the games ahead.

Hayden Haldane the toughest 5’9” 188 pound player in the league

In 11 games, he has 4 goals 4 assists for 8 points. He has 1 power play goal. But this kid brings more than offense to the team. He is without question an ignition switch. He is one of the team’s true spark plugs. He plays so much like last year’s captain Jordan Court. He will drive to the net with a full head of speed. He thrust systematic and continuous pressure on the opposing goalies.

He punishes opponents along the boards, in front of the crease and behind the net with his hard nose gritty play. He wins loose puck battles and his fore-check is relentless. He is the guy opposing coaches hate to see on the opposing teams lineups and opposing players hate to play against him. The Eels are quite fortunate not to have one player like Hayden. In fact they have Brandon Rosario, Colton Crabtree and Aleksey Sukhomlin. Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci can send them out there on separate lines. OUCH! All 5 guys play with such intensity and high compete level. Hayden is known for his unwavering determination and he will wear you down shift by shift period-by-period and when you think you have daylight you see the other guys coming out!

Hayden like all of the Eels players have come to the Eels in quest of college hockey opportunities. There is no secret the Eels have been very successful in advancing its players -200 - to college hockey. The program does an outstanding job getting its players the exposure and visibility they need to come under the radar of college recruiters and coaches. One thing for sure, Hayden Haldane, Brandon Rosario, Colton Crabtree and Aleksey Sukhomlin all play the style of play loved so much by the college coaches. Each time the boys hit the ice it is a recruiting audition so to speak. So with the Eels there is no taking a shift off, a period off or a game off. Lets look forward to a phenomenal weekend against the Tampa Juniors home Friday night at 8:15 pm at the Fort Myers Skatium and away in Tampa Sunday Afternoon at 1:15 pm

The Standings in the Florida Division are so tight , you cannot even shave that close.

Only 2 points separate the first place Palm Beach Hawks from the Florida Eels. In fact the Hawks and Eels both have 8 wins. The Tampa Juniors have 6. The 4th place Jr. Blades have 5 wins and they square off vs. the Hawks this weekend while the Eels and Tampa have a home and home game Friday and Sunday. There exists so many gyrations in this weekend set of games. That is what makes this weekend so special The top 4 teams are competing against one another and each game is so consequential. These are divisional games so a win is like a 4 point swing.

The Florida Eels and the Tampa Bay Juniors have been the two top programs battling it out each season at playoffs in the top division in Florida. Neither team is taking this weekend set of game of games lightly. It will be a dog fight from the drop of puck at 8:15 pm Friday night until the final buzzer after Sunday’s game in Tampa.

The Eels and the Tampa Juniors each have solid line ups and a potent ensemble of players. In fact, both the Premier teams and Elite teams are pretty solid from goaltending through defense and to the forwards. Both clubs have depth and can roll out additional players to respond to the other team’s attack. Neither team takes either opponent for granted. They have learned through over a decade of experience competing against each other that the game isn’t over until it is over. Each team has made dramatic come backs in the 3rd period and each team has stole games in overtime.

It is when the standings are so close that we witness and experience some of the best caliber of play. The players realize it, the coaches know it and the fans appreciate it. Both clubs are so well coached. Each program has had their respective bragging rights in player advancement. The USPHL is very fortunate to have such fierce and competitive teams in the league and particularly in the non traditional market. The Eels this year like in the past does not rely on local talent. To the contrary, the Eels are probably the most aggressive in terms of players from out side of Florida and definitely is one of the leaders in imports.

This is the first season in which both the Eels and Tampa have elevated to the Premier Division. The programs went from their old USP3 and Elite to Premier and Elite. This change is not simply a change in titles or designation. The USPHL created stiff standards for the new Premier Division and implemented those for the Elite Division as well. We have seen this in the quality of recruited player, the pre-season training camps, the practices, coaching and the all around heightened player development.

Please join us at the games this weekend or if you cannot personally attend join us on HockeyTV

Eels Premier Team Ice Recap

The Florida Eels Premier team avenged Saturday’s lost to the Jr. Blades by over powering the Blades 7-3 on Sunday. Assistant Captain Nikita Lopatin from Moscow scored 4 times celebrating a “Hat Trick Plus One” as he completely dominated the game. No doubt says GM Scarpaci Lopatin is one of the best players in the entire league. In Saturday’s lost Lopatin managed 3 points as he scored one goal and notched 2 assists. That gave him 7 points for the weekend series.

Also stepping up on Sunday’s game was rookie defensemen Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, who impressively assisted on 4 goals. This game brought another whole side of JP’s game says Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci. We know he posses the keen defensive part of the game but this game showed JP is buying into the Eels system that encourages our defensemen to jump into and be part of the offensive play. Assistant Coach Alex Sanchez said, JP has great vision and when you couple this with his skills and hockey sense it equals a total player.

The Eels did suffer a hiccup Saturday as they fell to the Blades 6-3. But the team did not sit on its laurels and accept the lost. Coach Frankie Scarpaci said he watched the game into the late evening and he made some key adjustments. Most importantly he stated he got his players back on track and insisted that they play within his structure and focus on how we play. Coach Sanchez concluded that the key to the 100% turn around was the intensity in which the guys brought to the ice on Sunday, from the drop of the puck, shift-by-shift, period-by-period. GM Scarpaci concluded that the Premier team was very hungry and heightened this with a systematic and continuous attack on net.

Coach Scarpaci also noted that folks saw Brandon Rosario bring a whole new game to the rink. He was swarming the opposing goalie. The ice seemed tilted when his line was out there. He heard Coach Frank’s echoed: Losing was not an option. In fact he scored two goals that were not credited to the Eels. The officials simply were not in position to see the puck cross the line. The Blades goalie was being pumped over and over again and the Eels were not letting up.

Scoring for the Eels Premier team went as follows:

#29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, # Viktor Wennberg

#4 Bryce Freel (power play) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #26 Colton Crabtree)
#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, #19 Aleksey Sukhomlin)
#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#19 Aleksey Sukhomlin, #23 Nikita Pinimyasov)
#26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette, #21 Brandon Rosario)
#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #21 Brandon Rosario
#26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #28 Jean-Philippe Montmarquette)

Back stopping today’s win was Viktor Wennberg who turned away 44 of 47 shots for a .937 Save %

Eels Elite Team Ice Recap

The Florida Eels Elite team lost their edge this weekend as they lost to the Jr. Blades in their 2 game weekend series. The Eels fell Saturday 4-3 with less than a minute to go. Then on Sunday having played another tough game with their 2nd lost 4-2. The guys did well in some periods but as Coach Greg Sears said it has to be for an entire 60 minutes. In period one of the first game they completely dominated the game. They looked like they were going to blow the game wide open. But the Blades came storming back in the first minute of the 2nd period putting 2 behind the Eels goalie. The Eels had a tie with less than a minute remaining in the 3rd but were not able to hold on to secure a point or letting them advance to OT. This all comes with experience says Coach Sears.

The intensity level of game two was much better from the Eels. They played a solid game with all 4 lines going hard. The highlight of this game was the play of Sean McLean and Liam Ferris. Sean almost scored 2 goals using his big size to his advantage and creating havoc in front of the crease and around the net. Liam was very effective along the boards and wore down Blade players with his heightened intensity.

Scoring for the Eels Saturday evening was a s follows:

#41 Anthony Sozio (power play) (#37 Clement Espinasse, #54 Jake Court)
# Rajhan Munnings (even strength) (#77 Corey Altieri, #68 Mason DeMeyere)
#37 Clement Espinasse (even strength) (#41 Anthony Sozio

On Sunday’s match the scoring went as follows:

#77 Corey Altieri (even strength) (#97 Joe Arnold, #25 Jaymen Swygert)
#68 Mason DeMeyere (short handed) (#77 Corey Altieri

Corey Altieri accumulated 3 points with a goal and 2 assists continuing to be the Eels top performer in points.

POWER SKATING MONDAY NOON

22 OCT | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys
All Fl Eels Elite players who are NOT in high school MUST report to the rink for a power skating and skills session during Premier practice time.

If you are in High school you should NOT attend this session as you cannot afford to take time off.

If you have any questions feel free to call me
Coach Frank
941-400-9023

COME JOIN US AT GERMAIN ARENA THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

20 OCT | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Come join us at German Arena for exciting and explosive action between the Southwest Florida Rivals. The Florida Eels take on the Jr. Blades

These two clubs have one of theta rivalries in Junior hockey. Both clubs just arrived back from Chicago where they competed in 4 games apiece
vs. Midwest and Southeast teams. All 4 teams came back 2-2 at the showcase. They played some very good teams out there. The Eels Premier team took down two of the Midwest Powerhouses: The Minnesota Blue OX and the Dells Ducks. The Eels Elite team downed the Eugene Generals and the Potomac Patriots.

This is the first outing between the two organizations this season. All 4 games are at Germain Saturday and Sunday

Schedule as follows:
Saturday 12:15 pm Elite teams
Saturday 3:15 pm Premier teams
Sunday 10:15 am Elite teams
Sunday 1:15 pm Premier teams

Come on down and cheer us on……You will no doubt see the most exciting hockey in Southwest Florida. See the future college stars….Great seats loads of fun affordable ticket prices.

TOFEL Books and Materials

All foreign players must purchase the books listed on our web site
A photo of the books and the ISB numbers are listed
You can find these on Amazon or what ever site you wish
These 2 work books with test are set out on the Eels web www.floridaeelsjrhockey.com
I need you to confirm with me that you acquired these
If you elected to purchase another set of materials that is ok as well. But we want to make sure that every player is spending 2 hours per day working on his TOFEL test
This is not an easy exam and the exam is administered in April
Any questions from Parents or players please give me a call
Coach Frank

Suggested TOFEL Books

ISB number for TOFEL books

ISB numbers for TOFEL Books

COLLEGE TOUR: TARGETED SCHOOLS FOR VISITATION

19 OCT | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys thus far the response form the players has been quite strong.
I have received interest for us to visit the following schools. Obviously we cannot reach all of these schools. I ask all of you who are genuinely interested to come and see me to include a school you are interested in.
We will not be able to accommodate all of your request of course as we only there a few days.
Below I have listed 15 NCAA Division II and III colleges.
Please feel free to come and talk if your school is not listed.
Thank you
Coach Frank

1. U Mass Dartmouth
2. New England College (NH)
3. Johnson & Wales University (RI)
4. Framingham State Univ.
5. Wentworth Institute of Tech
6. Worcester State University
7. Nichols College
8. University of Southern Maine (ME)
9. Norwich (VT)
10. Bowdoin College
11. Tuffs University
12. Colby
13. Southern NH (NH)
14. Franklin Pierce College (NH)
15. Stonehill College

We have to get this down to about 6 colleges/universities.

THIS WEEKEND THE BIGGEST RIVALRY IN JUNIOR HOCKEY IS SET TO FACEOFF IN FORT MYERS: THE FLORIDA EELS VS. THE FLORIDA JR. BLADES
Come on down and support the Eels this weekend. The schedule is as follows:
Premier Teams: Saturday: 3:15 PM Sunday 1:15 pm (Both at Germain Arena)
Elite Teams: Saturday 12:15 PM Sunday 10:15 AM (Both at Germain Arena)

Florida Eels Announce College Tour For 2017-18 Season

College Tour

Off to College
This week we announced the plans for our College Tour while in Boston the week of January 8th – 11th 2018

For the January Showcase, we will leave Ft Myers Florida by bus early January 3rd 2018 and arrive Thursday in Marlboro MA Jan 4th 2018
That evening we will all have dinner and then teams will have practice at New England Sports Center Marlboro MA.

January 5th – 7th the Premier teams and Elite teams will play in the showcase games. Once the showcase is completed the majority of Elite and Premier players will return to Fort Myers, Florida and resume their normal daily schedules.

For 1997 Elite and Premier Players along with a select number of 1998 players we are offering the chance to remain with
Coach Frank to attend approximately 6 colleges during Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. During that time we will meet with admissions offices, college coaches, and when available attend some NCAA games.

This second phase is not part of the regular Eels program. The players will need to make plane reservations back to Fort Myers Florida late on Thursday Jan 11th. Please do not make these reservations right now ad we will suggest what flights will work best for us.

• Players will have to pay for own hotel rooms 4 players per room approx. $50 per night

• Players need to share cost of vans and gas $200 for the period.
• Pay for their own food Hopefully hotels will have breakfast
• College Showcase Fee of $250.00 per person

Please note that this trip is extremely popular and very worthwhile for the players who are planning on attending college in the fall of 2018. Players get to kick the tires if you will. They get to see the schools, dorms etc. However, it makes no sense for players to go who are not destined and targeted to attend college next fall. You have time and it would not be a wise allocation of funds. This is not a field trip. You will be also missing valuable practice time back in Florida.

Also, we fully understand and appreciate that funds are limited with all players and families. If you cannot afford to do this additional college tour do not panic. We can do the virtual tours on the web of colleges that many of the college web sites have. There is no doubt this has enormous upside.

Players need to get their college letters in as I instructed. They need to have written to admissions offices; letters to coaches; and gone to the college web sites and filled out recruiting profiles. They should have their high school transcripts sent to the colleges even if it is unofficial. They should have obtained 3 letters of recommendation. They help enormously. For schools they have a definite desire to attend they need and should fill out their college applications. Also by now you all should have compiled a Youtube of 12 + clips 15 seconds each segment. This should be of goals or assist for forwards and defenseman. You should also show good plays back check, fore-check, solid hits. For goalies: saves, saves etc.

If parents and players have any questions, please fell free to call me.
A non-refundable fee of $450.00 is due Nov. 15th
Look forward to hearing from you
Thanks
Frank Scarpaci
Florida Eels GM
941-400-9023

Florida Eels Getting Players Ready For College SAT ACT TOFEL Training and Scholarships

Folks

We are now scheduling appointments with players for colleges.

I have met with several folks up in Chicago and we have openings now. Please stop by to schedule your personal time. We need to target schools, college hockey programs, your admission letters, letters to coaches and get you started on creating U Tube videos of your games.

I also have the scholarship materials I have been sending out. Fastweb, Have you signed up for that?

Lastly, I have the College Board Scholarship Handbook that identifies 2,400 Programs offering Private, Federal and State Money.

Many of these scholarships need to be acted on now.

Please contact me,

Parents it is imperative that you speak with your son to take full advantage of what is available and be proactive in his search for colleges and filtering through the myriad of financial aide and scholarship moneys that are available.

Parents many of you come from many places across the USA. Your local chamber of commences often have much money for students and athletes. In fact we had several students who secured well in excess of $12,500 from their local chambers.

We have met with your son with his team and in groups and gave them a college package that took me quite a bit of time and no short dollars to put together. Make sure they have that package and that they place it in a safe place. There is invaluable information contained in there. The key here is they have to work at it. Each player must spend no less then 3 hours per week on this to do it right,

Lastly, the players need to be studying for their SA ACT and or Tofel. No exceptions really. The SAT ACT and Tofel is often a “Key” to college entrance. Grades are critical yes but many schools place emphasis on these test. I realize that many students do not perform well on the standardize test. But improvements can be made and with 10-15 hours of studying per week the scores can and will elevate. Bottom line every player can spend 3 hours per day on these. The higher the score the more money $$$$ from the colleges.

Some players have elected to attend Sylvan learning center. Other are taking on line courses. Others using the self study books available at Walden Book store Amazon etc. What ever your choice the players need to spend the time at it.

We do have private tutors available if players and parents

2017-18 SAT Administration Dates and DeadlinesSAT DateSAT Subject Tests

AvailableRegistration DeadlineLate Registration DeadlineDeadline for ChangesAugust 26, 2017See SAT Subject Tests available on this dateJuly 28, 2017

August 8, 2017 (for mailed registrations)

August 15, 2017 (for registrations made online or by phone)

August 15, 2017October 7, 2017See SAT Subject Tests available on this dateSeptember 8, 2017

September 19, 2017 (for mailed registrations)

September 27, 2017 (for registrations made online or by phone)

September 27, 2017November 4, 2017

RegisterSee SAT Subject Tests available on this dateOctober 5, 2017

October 17, 2017 (for mailed registrations)

October 25, 2017 (for registrations made online or by phone)

October 25, 2017December 2, 2017

RegisterSee SAT Subject Tests available on this dateNovember 2, 2017

November 14, 2017 (for mailed registrations)

November 21, 2017 (for registrations made online or by phone)

November 21, 2017March 10, 2018

RegisterSAT Subject Tests not offered on this dateFebruary 9, 2018

February 20, 2018 (for mailed registrations)

February 28, 2018 (for registrations made online or by phone)

February 28, 2018May 5, 2018

RegisterSee SAT Subject Tests available on this dateApril 6, 2018

April 17, 2018 (for mailed registrations)

April 25, 2018 (for registrations made online or by phone)

April 25, 2018June 2, 2018

RegisterSee SAT Subject Tests available on this dateMay 3, 2018

May 15, 2018 (for mailed registrations)

May 23, 2018 (for registrations made online or by phone)

May 23, 2018

2017-18 ACT Test Dates & Registration Deadlines

Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline Complete Score Release**

September 9, 2017 August 4, 2017 August 5-18, 2017 September 19, 2017

October 28, 2017 September 22, 2017 September 23-October 6, 2017 November 7, 2017

December 9, 2017 November 3, 2017 November 4-17, 2017 December 19, 2017

February 10, 2018* January 12, 2018 January 13-19, 2018 February 20, 2018

April 14, 2018 March 9, 2018 March 10-23, 2018 April 24, 2018

June 9, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 5-18, 2018 June 19, 2018

July 14, 2018* June 15, 2018 June 16-22, 2018 July 24, 2018

Test Centers and Dates for the revised TOEFL® Paper-delivered Test

• See a list of Test Locations and Dates or check the online registration system for the latest information.

• Not all test centers are open for every test date.

Test Dates and Deadlines

Test Dates Mail-in Registration Deadline Online Registration Deadline

14 Oct 2017 28 Aug 2017 15 Sep 2017

11 Nov 2017 25 Sep 2017 13 Oct 2017

7 Apr 2018 19 Feb 2018 9 Mar 2018

Score Reporting Dates

Test Dates Approximate Score Report Mailing Date

14 Oct 2017 1 Dec 2017*

11 Nov 2017 13 Dec 2017

7 Apr 2018 9 May 2018

Any questions please contact Frank Scarpaci General Manager

941-400-9023

#usphl @usphl

The Florida Eels Elite Team Splits Games On Saturday vs. Eugene Generals and the Richmond Generals.

The Eels Elite team went 2-2 for the weekend and played an extra Exhibition game totaling 5 games for the players. For most of these guys it was their first USPHL Showcase. These showcases are grueling as they are a 21-24 hour bus trip coupled with the anxiety of playing in front of scouts and so many multiple games. You also are playing so many teams out side your Florida Division and the Southern Conference. You have many games vs. the Midwest and Pacific.

The boys did very well having spit their first two games on Thursday 0-3 vs. the Carolina Eagles and Friday a win over the Potomac Patriots 3-1. Then we had 2 games Saturday and arguably our best game of the season thus far we defeated the Eugene Generals with a clear and convincing win 4-1. The team traveled over an hour to play the Richmond Generals and just couldn’t get things going. We lost 1-0 but no doubt the weariness set in. No excuses it is a learning curve for the younger guys.

We thank all the folks in the USPHL who helped organize the event and especially Jon Swartz, showcase director, who is the owner of the Dells Ducks, Chicago Cougars and the Wisconsin Riverkings This forum allowed our guys to garner valuable experience in playing in a high level showcase while getting the exposure and visibility in front of the college scouts. It will speak volumes towards their over all player development.

The Florida Eels Premier Team Come Up With a Pair Of Huge Wins On Saturday Over the Minnesota Blue Ox 5-4 and the Dells Ducks 7-1

The Eels had gone 0-2 in the first two games in Chicago with a lost to the Carolina Eagles and the Potomac patriots. The Eels were anxious to gain their first win here at the Midwest Showcase and it could not of brought on a more exciting game vs. the Blue Ox. The game was up and down with both teams leaving everything they had on the ice at the end of regulation the score was tied. The game went into OT and after 5 minutes of again highflying shifts the game remained tied. The rink was packed and crowd was all on their feet as with 1 minute to go in OT the Ox got a penalty and the Eels were now 4-3. Despite 6 shots by the Eels top line the OX held the Eels off.

The game into a sudden death Shootout and the Eels scored 2 times and captured the win. This was a huge win for the Eels as the OX were previously undefeated in the Midwest and we scouted them all weekend. They have some very big guys on that team and no doubt deep in talented players. We felt we had a good hand in how they played but there was no doubt this was amongst the top team in our entire premier Division. It was great to bring home this win.

The Eels had to face the Dells Ducks in their 2nd game on Saturday and traveled a bit to get there. No doubt the Eels were a bit weary and tired long bus ride up to Chicago, 4 games and 2 in one day. But the theme was constant and these boys are indeed very resilient. They knew coming away with just one win and only 2 points for the weekend showcase simply wasn’t acceptable. The players have been training now for well over 6 weeks went through the adversity of Hurricane IRMA and the aftermath.

The coaches and players were prepared for this game and they came out on fire. The Eels ignited for 7 goals and kept coming. They had quite a few fans there as ½ dozen players come from the surrounding area. The Eels won and made the 21 hour bus ride back to Florida much more enjoyable.

The Eels are now 7-2 for the season. The college coaches did speak heavily with GM Scarpaci and several of the players. All in all it was a very successful Showcase. We got to see and play against teams we normally never see during the season. Our league is the largest in the USA and there is no way we can play all or even a significant number of these out of region junior teams. It was our first time out there in 8 years and we want to thank the Host for putting on this event including Showcase director Jon Swartz who is the owner of the River Kings, Cougars and Ducks.

AN EXTRA GAME SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY FOR THE ELITE TEAM

12 OCT | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys the league has asked us to have our Elite team play an exhibition game vs the Eugene Generals Friday night
This is in addition to our league game Saturday morning.
I posted the information below

EXHIB Friday, October 13, 17 4:50 PM Florida Eels vs. Eugene Generals Canlan Ice Rink 3

*THE EELS ELITE TEAM AND EUGEN GENERALS WILL BE PLAYING ALSO ON SATURDAY AS PART OF THE REGULAR SHOWCASE GAMES.

Teams Are Up here in Chicago at the 2017 USPHL Midwest Showcase

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Elite and Premier Teams Are Up here in Chicago at the 2017 USPHL Midwest Showcase. This upcoming weekend will bring the first USPHL Showcase Series event of the season for the Florida Eels. The Eels teams will play four games in three days at the Showcase. The four-game stretch will be the first time this season that the Florida Eels Elite and Premier teams will take on USPHL opponents outside of Florida.

As you all know, both Eels teams are off to a great start 5-0 playing their first game vs. the Tampa Juniors and then 2 weekend double headers vs. the Daytona Racers. As tune up for the season, the Eels also had games vs. the USA Women’s National team, the Men’s college hockey preseason games vs. ACHA University of Florida Gators, and the ACHA Men’s University of South Florida Bulls.

A pair of venues will be tag-teaming the ice duties for the event as the Leafs Ice Centre and Canlan Ice Sports are the official host sites for the 2017 USPHL Chicago Showcase. Each facility is located approximately 45 minutes outside of Chicago with Leafs Ice Centre located to the northwest of the Windy City while Canlan Ice Sports is located to the southwest. It has been 7+ years since the Eels Junior were here in Chicago playing at a showcase. It is great to be back. There are so many good colleges out here and we are looking forward to getting our players under the radar of so many college recruiters, scouts and coaches.

Please check the web site for the correct days and times of the games.

Lets go Eels.

Florida Eels Premier Team Eclipsed The Daytona Racers 6-4

Well folks if you look up the definition of a “Nail Biter” you would read “a situation causing great anxiety or tension” or if you looked up a video definition you would. see HockeyTV’s video of the Eels Premier team vs. the Daytona Racers game just played. OMG Each team kept coming. Neither would quit right down to the final buzzer. The Eels were in fact down 4-2 in the 3rd period with a little over 10 minutes to go. Then Coach Frankie Scarpaci rallied in his troops and reminded them of their training and what they needed to do..

The skill is there they needed to stay within our structure. More importantly he echoed “what not to do… and that is panic. This was a great test for the team. It will allow our guys to build on this GM Scarpaci said. You need to learn and experience how to over come adversity even when your time is very limited.

Then one goal at a time they climbed back in to it. They drove hard and kept their pedal to the medal on the Racers. The Racers were getting worn down. They used their time out and you could tell the fatigue factor was creeping in. The Eels had a full bench and bench management and utilization of all his players became a numbers game. The Racers took a penalty that was the straw that broke the proverbial back. Eels coach called a time out – the pit stop so to speak. Outlined the play and then things turned around. The Racers pulled their goalie and the Eels capitalized on it as well.

Final 6-4 Eels

scoring for the Eels was a follows:

#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#15 Caden Tchop, #8 Ellesse Carini)

#3 Petr Staif (even strength) (#21 Brandon Rosario)

#5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #90 Dylan Robello

#23 Nikita Pinimyasov (even strength) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #15 Caden Thcop

#26 Colton Crabtree (power play) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #21 Brandon Rosario

#21 Brandon Rosario (even strength) (empty net) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #5 Hayden Haldane)

In net for the Eels was 40 Danick Francoeur 60:00 26 22 4 .846

Great game by both teams@usphl

The Florida Eels Elite Team Stalls the Racers with a 4-0 Shutout.

The Florida Eels Elite team stalls the Racers with a 4-0 shutout.

The Florida Eels Elite team again came out on fire in their rematch vs. the Daytona Racers. The Eels fore-check caused turn over after turn over and the Eels pounded the Racers Premier Goalie with 60 shots on net. Their goalie was exceptionally strong and his size gave the Eels difficulty no question. He was no doubt the best netminder we faced all year. But after all he was of Premier caliber. Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

• #37 Clement Espinasse (even strength) (#24 Remi Veilleux, #46 Francesco Autore)
• #37 Clement Espinasse (power play) (#49 Sean Doyle, #12 Gavin Medina
• #77 Corey Altieri (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere, #82 Jimmy Sturdivent
• #77 Corey Altieri (power play) (#49 Sean Doyle, #41 Anthony Sozio)

In net for the Eels who played flawless:
Viktor Wennberg
60:00 21 21 0 1.000

The Eels will play Daytona once again Sunday morning at 9:00 am. These teams definitely created a rivalry over these 4 series of games.

Daytona the city of NASCAR and the Daytona 500. Fort Myers the City of Palms, Red Sox Spring Training, Minnesota Twins Spring Training, a City rich in history – Edison and Ford estates, the City of Palms, and home to the Florida Eels Junior program. This weekend again back at home at the Fort Myers Skatium, the Eels square off against the Daytona Racers both Elite and Premier division teams. Last week both Eels teams swept the Racers in each of their pair of games. Despite those wins the Eels coaches and players wont be complacent. They wont take Daytona for granted. These are important wins as Daytona is in our Florida Division and each win is like a 4-point swing.

The Eels players are from all across the USA spanning from Florida to Vermont. Across the continent to Oregon down to California across to South Carolina. We have a number of Canadian players and many from Europe including France, Spain, Finland, Sweden Chez Republic, Russia, Switzerland and even as far west as Australia.

These are one of the most dedicated and determined group of guys we ever had in the organization. They are very focused and dedicated. All business with two missions; Win the League and get into college.

Guys please come on down to watch our games today and Sunday.

Saturday: 3:20 PM Elite Team

Saturday 9:10 PM Premier Team

Sunday 9:00 AM Elite Team

Sunday 11:30 AM Premier Team

This weekend games: Rematch Daytona Racers vs. The Florida Eels: The Rematch

This past weekend the Eels had their home openers vs. the Daytona Racers. No doubt the Eels came out by storm in both the Elite and Premier contest. In game one on Saturday the Elite team opened the Daytona Racers up by a score of 13-2. In fact the Eels pounded the Racers netminders for 80+ shots on net. The boys hadn’t played but one game and they were anxious and eager to show tell their skills and practices. The Hurricane thawed their games for weeks but the time off did not temper their drive.

On the Premier side we saw pretty much the same quantum of attack. The Eels Premier team was equally explosive, our defense was solid and goaltending outstanding.. The Racers witnessed a systematic and continuous 5th gear and over drive by the Eels Premier team. The fore-check was in sync and all cylinders were firing.

In game two for the Elite, despite a 8-3 score, Daytona really played much better. In fact in the 3rd period Daytona scored 2 goals to bring it closer but then the Eels full bench caught a 2nd wind and opened things up 4 more goals. But there was no question it was a different and more targeted and focused Racers group.

In game 2 for the Premier the Eels defeated the Racers 8-6. The Eels were taking it hard to Daytona once again and had been winning 8-3 at the end of the 2nd. But Daytona had up their game and came back with 3 goals in the 3rd. The Eels regained composure and shut things down to close out the game 8-6.

That was a valuable lesson for the Eels: “Don’t be complacent.” They have tremendous skill on this team, commented GM Scarpaci, but they cannot sit on their laurels. That is why we play the regular season. These are all training games and we learned not just at practice and during video and in the gym. You learn from your games. Trust me Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci and his assistant Alex Sanchez as well as the Elite coach Greg Sears and his assistant Joey Giambalvo had their teams breaking down every segment and second of their games. These guys are taskmasters and they approach their jobs as college coaches. They are pros and they have made adjustments and tweaks to ensure an even more effective Premier and Elite performances this weekend.

We know we have the showcase games next weekend. But we are not looking ahead. We take no team for granted. Our philosophy is to take one shift at a time. One period at a time. One game at a time.

All attention is on Daytona.

We had great support from our fans last weekend. On Saturday we had over 450 fans. Sunday we posted 480 in total. It is always great to play in front of a lively and spirited fan base. Please come out to support our players. We have some great apparel this year so come on down.

Saturday Game Time:

Elite Puck Drop 3:20 pm

Premier Puck Drop 9:15 pm

Sunday

Elite Puck Drop 9:00 am

Premier Puck Drop 11:30 am

Venue: Fort Myers Skatium

2250 Broadway

Fort Myers FL 33901

This weekend games: Rematch Daytona Racers vs. The Florida Eels: The Rematch

We know we have the showcase games next weekend. But we are not looking ahead. We take no team for granted. Our philosophy is to take one shift at a time. One period at a time. One game at a time.

All attention is on Daytona.

Saturday Game Time:

Elite Puck Drop 3:20 pm

Premier Puck Drop 9:15 pm

Sunday

Elite Puck Drop 9:00 am

Premier Puck Drop 11:30 am

Venue: Fort Myers Skatium

2250 Broadway

Fort Myers FL 33901

Tier 3 Junior Hockey Reports: "Both Eels Teams Remain Undefeated"

Undefeated Teams - Week 5 (10/2/17)
Multiple Games Played

Philadelphia Revolution
Boston Bandits
Lumberjacks
North Iowa Bulls
Jersey Hitmen
Minnesota Blue Ox
Granite City Lumberjacks
New York Aviators
Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings
Atlanta Capitals
Florida Eels
Florida Eels
Chicago Cougars
New Hampshire Jr Monarchs
Willmar WarHawks
Steamboat Wranglers

Tier 3 Junior Honors and A Write Up On Nikita Lopatin

Nikita Lopatin - Florida Eels Premier Forward Nikita Lopatin registered 8 points through 2 weekend games. A 1999, Lopatin is in his 2nd season with the Eels, advancing from their Elite squad in the 2016-17 season. The Russian native logged 3 goals and 3 assists in Sundays 8-6 victory over the Daytona Racers. Lopatin is one of 9 Tier 3 Junior Hockey skaters to register 6 or more points in a single game this season. Lopatin is one of 49 Tier 3 skaters to register a hat trick on the short season.

Important November and Christmas Holiday Dates

Thanksgiving
We play a series of games Sunday Nov 19h vs. the Florida Junior Blades
Players are free to go home on Monday Nov. 20th
All players must be back in Fort Myers Sunday Nov. 26th. We have regular practice on the 27th and we cannot afford to have players returning sometime of Monday the 27th.
Please adhere to these plans.

Christmas Holiday Break
We have our December Showcase
Our last games are December 17th Time TBD
Please nobody should book a flight on Dec 17th
It would be a conflict in the schedule. These are critical games for our teams and they are against the Southern conference teams.

Accordingly, Players and parents should plan on flights home on December 18th

Players should book their return flight December 31st. We practice Jan 1st and Jan 2nd and head out to Boston by bus. We need to have everyone here so we can get practice in on Jan 1st and an early morning practice on the 2nd. No exceptions

No players are not allowed to take their equipment home during the Christmas break. We experienced in the past players equipment not arriving back, players getting injured etc; the airlines are booked solid, travel is heavy airports congested and we can not risk this scenario.
It would be very selfish of a player to take their equipment home and risk hurting the team. One year a players equipment ended out in South America. One year we had 4 players without equipment at the Main College Showcase in Boston.

There are well over 100 college scouts in Boston that weekend. We cannot take any chances.

Guys you go home for the holiday to spend time with your family and close friends. It is a special time and you should do family things etc. It is not the time to practice and play games or scrimmages. Many situations in the past players getting hurt etc. So the resounding and unequivocal position is NO. Thanks you

I often say when the mail man goes on vacation he does not get up every morning and deliver the mail on his vacation days off.

Please share these dates with your parents. These are the same dates we repeatedly told you since August when you arrived during the orientation and meetings with the players.

Important Holiday Dates November and December

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Chicago Showcase Schedule, Hotel and Rinks

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Dear Parents:

We are very excited that our first showcase will take place next week in Chicago. For your convenience I have listed all games for both the Premier and the Elite teams for you as well as where the teams will be playing and which hotel we will be staying during our trip.

All players will be leaving on Tuesday, October 10, 2017. We have arranged for the bus to depart at 3:00 p.m. thus allowing the players to practice as well as attend school on Tuesday. We will be leaving Chicago to return to Fort Myers after our last game on Saturday evening to accommodate all players who will have to be in school on Monday.

Here is the schedule for you:

FLORIDA EELS JUNIOR HOCKEY
CHICAGO SHOWCASE
OCTOBER 12th – 14th, 2017

Leafs Ice Center Canlan Ice Sports Center
801 Wesemann Drive 1581 W. Normantown Rd
West Dundee, IL 60118 Romeoville, IL 60446

Hotel:
Hampton Inn & Suites
405 Airport Road
Elgin, IL 60123

Premier Schedule

Thursday, October 12th:
1:20 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Carolina Eagles Leafs Ice Center

Friday, October 13th
1:20 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Potomac Patriots Leafs Ice Center

Saturday, October 14th
11:10 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Minnesota Blue Ox Leafs Ice Center

Saturday, October 14th
5:50 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Dells Ducks Canlan Ice Sports Center

Elite Schedule

Thursday, October 12th:
11:00 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Carolina Eagles Leafs Ice Center

Friday, October 13th:
11:10 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Potomac Patriots Leafs Ice Center

Saturday, October 14th:
9:00 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Eugene Generals Leafs Ice Center

Saturday, October 14th:
3:40 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Richmond Generals Canlan Ice Sports Center

NCAA Division I

Universities	Conference
Air Force	Atlantic Hockey
Alabama-Huntsville	WCHA
Alaska-Anchorage	WCHA
Alaska-Fairbanks	WCHA
American International	Atlantic Hockey
Arizona State Univ.	Independent
Army	Atlantic Hockey
Bemidji	WCHA
Bentley	Atlantic Hockey
Boston College	Hockey East
Boston Univ.	Hockey East
Bowling Green	WCHA
Brown	ECAC
Canisus	Atlantic Hockey
Clarkson	ECAC
Colgate	ECAC
Colorado College	NCHC
Connecticut	Hockey East
Cornell	ECAC
Dartmouth	ECAC
Denver	NCHC
Ferris State	WCHA
Harvard	ECAC
Holy Cross	Atlantic Hockey
Lake Superior	WCHA
Maine	Hockey East
Umass-Amherst	Hockey East
Umass-Lowell	Hockey East
Mercyhurst	Atlantic Hockey
Merrimack	Hockey East
Univ. Miami-Ohio	NCHC
Michigan	Big Ten
Michigan State	Big Ten
Michigan Tech	WCHA
Minnesota	Big Ten
Minnesota-Duluth	NCHC
Minnesota State	WCHA
Nebraska-Omaha	NCHC
New Hampshire	Hockey East
Niagara	Atlantic Hockey
North Dakota	NCHC
Northeastern	Hockey East
Northern Michigan	WCHA
Notre Dame	Big Ten
Ohio State	Big Ten
Penn State	Big Ten
Princeton	ECAC
Providence	Hockey East
Qunnipiac	ECAC
Rensselaer Poly Tech	ECAC
Robert Morris	Atlantic Hockey
Rochester Int. Tech	Atlantic Hockey
Sacred Heart	Atlantic Hockey
St. Cloud State	NCHC
St. Lawrence	ECAC
Union	ECAC
Vermont	Hockey East
Western Michigan	NCHC
Wisconsin	Big Ten
Yale	ECAC

NCAA Div 2 Colleges

NCAA Div. 2 Schools Contacted

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

NCAA Div 2 schools are very few but they are an important source and venue for many players

There are different eligibility requirements so they must be considered

Here is the list and these coaches have been contacted

Assumption College
Franklin Pierce
Post Univ.
Southern New Hampshire Univ.
Stonehill Univ

NCAA D3 Colleges and Recruitment

NCAA Div. 3 Team Coaches Contacted
FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys we have been working over the past 3 days on reaching the college coaches and assistants.
I have had great discussions with many coaches
I will have some materials for you at the afternoon sessions
These efforts is what makes the benchmark for our college placements and advancements
Look forward to meeting with you all Wed afternoon

Division III Men’s Hockey Teams
School Nickname Location Conference
Adrian Bulldogs Adrian, MI NCHA
Amherst College Amherst, MA NESCAC
Augsburg Auggies Minneapolis, MN MIAC
Aurora Spartans Aurora, Ill. NCHA
Babson Beavers Babson Park, MA NEHC
Becker Hawks Leicester, MA CHC
Bethel Royals Arden Hills, MN MIAC
Bowdoin Polar Bears Brunswick, ME NESCAC
Brockport Golden Eagles Brockport, NY SUNYAC
Buffalo State Bengals Buffalo, NY SUNYAC
Castleton Spartans Castleton, VT NEHC
Colby White Mules Waterville, ME NESCAC
Concordia (Wis.) Falcons Mequon, WI NCHA
Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers Moorhead, MN MIAC
Connecticut College Camels New London, CT NESCAC
Cortland Red Dragons Cortland, NY SUNYAC
Curry Colonels Milton, MA ECACNE
Daniel Webster Eagles Nashua, N.H. IND
Elmira Soaring Eagles Elmira, NY UCHC
Finlandia Lions Hancock, MI NCHA
Fitchburg State Falcons Fitchburg, MA MASCAC
Framingham State Rams Framingham, MA MASCAC
Fredonia Blue Devils Fredonia, NY SUNYAC
Gustavus Adolphus Gusties St. Peter, MN MIAC
Hamilton Continentals Clinton, NY NESCAC
Hamline Pipers St. Paul, MN MIAC
Hobart Statesmen Geneva, NY NEHC
Johnson and Wales Wildcats Providence, RI CCC
Lake Forest Foresters Lake Forest, IL NCHA
Lawrence Vikings Appleton, Wis. NCHA
Manhattanville Valiants Purchase, N.Y. UCHC
Marian Sabres Fond du Lac, Wis. NCHA
Mass-Dartmouth Corsairs North Dartmouth, Mass. MASCAC
Middlebury Panthers Middlebury, Vt. NESCAC
Milwaukee Engineering Raiders Milwaukee, Wis. NCHA
Morrisville State Mustangs Morrisville, N.Y. CHC
Nazareth Golden Flyers Rochester, N.Y. UCHC
Neumann Knights Aston, Pa. UCHC
New England College Pilgrims Henniker, N.H. NEHC
Nichols Bison Dudley, Mass. ECACNE
Northland Lumberjacks Ashland, Wis. NCHA
Norwich Cadets Northfield, Vt. NEHC
Oswego State Lakers Oswego, N.Y. SUNYAC
Plattsburgh State Cardinals Plattsburgh, N.Y. SUNYAC
Plymouth State Panthers Plymouth, N.H. MASCAC
SUNY Geneseo Knights Geneseo, NY SUNYAC
SUNY Potsdam Bears Potsdam, N.Y. SUNYAC
Salem State Vikings Salem, Mass. MASCAC
Salve Regina Seahawks Newport, R.I. ECACNE
Skidmore Thoroughbreds Saratoga Springs, N.Y. ECACE
Southern Maine Huskies Gorham, Maine NEHC
St. Anselm Hawks Goffstown, N.H. NEHC
St. John’s Johnnies Collegeville, Minn. MIAC
St. Mary’s (Minn.) Cardinals Winona, Minn. MIAC
St. Michael’s Purple Knights Colchester, Vt. NEHC
St. Norbert Green Knights De Pere, Wis. NCHA
St. Olaf Oles Northfield, Minn. MIAC
St. Scholastica Saints Duluth, Minn. NCHA
St. Thomas Tommies St. Paul, Minn. MIAC
Suffolk Rams Boston, Mass. ECACNE
Trine Thunder Angola, Ind. NCHA
Trinity (Conn.) Bantams Hartford, Conn. NESCAC
Tufts Jumbos Medford, Mass. NESCAC
UMass Boston Beacons Boston, Mass. NEHC
UW-Eau Claire Blugolds Eau Claire, Wis. WIAC
UW-River Falls Falcons River Falls, Wis. WIAC
UW-Stevens Point Pointers Stevens Point, Wis. WIAC
UW-Stout Blue Devils Menomonie, Wis. WIAC
UW-Superior Yellowjackets Superior, Wis. WIAC
University of New England Nor’easters Biddeford, Maine NEHC
Utica Pioneers Utica, N.Y. UCHC
Wentworth Leopards Boston, Mass. ECACNE
Wesleyan Cardinals Middletown, Conn. NESCAC
Western New England Golden Bears Springfield, Mass. ECACNE
Westfield State Owls Westfield, Mass. MASCAC
Williams Ephs Williamstown, Mass. NESCAC
Worcester State Lancers Worcester, Mass. MASCAC

AND THE COLLEGE PROCESS IS OFF AND RUNNING

3 OCT | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Between yesterday and today i have written and spoken to over 62 NCAA Div 1 coaches and their staff. We have sent info out on our players and invites have been sent to watch HockeyTV and and our upcoming games in Chicago

This is the beginning of the process

I will be communicating the same with well over 200 NCAA Div. 2 and 3 coaches in the next few days.

As a reminder this week (Wed) we will be meeting with each of the teams and our players.

Now is the time you should be doing your own due diligence such as matching schools to your GPA, SAT and ACT scores. Check the college web sites to ensure the school has the academic programs you are interested in. example Business Sports Management, Engineering etc

THE COLLEGE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

COLLEGE RECRUITING PROCESS

COLLEGE RECRUITMENT WEEK

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys this is an important week ahead of us. I will be spending quite a bit of time with many of you going over the college recruiting process.

Many of you will be planning on attending college next fall while others a year or two away. But the process needs to start now.

MEETINGS:
• PREMIER TEAM WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4TH (AFTER PRACTICE) APPROXIMATLEY 1:45 PM MEETING ROOM
• ELITE TEAM WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4TH (AFTER PRACTICE) APPROIMATLEY 3:00 PM

We will discuss the following:

1. STEPS TO BE TAKEN FOR A HOCKEY RESUME
2. COLLEGE VS. CANDIAN JUNIORS
3. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
4. BUILDING BRAINS AND BRAWN
5. NCAA RECRUITING FACTS AND QUESTIONS
6. TEN NEED TO KNOW FACTS
7. ATHLETIC SCHOALSHIPS
8. ELIGIBLE STAY ELIGIBLE
9. FINACIAL AID
10 .BEING THE BEST HOCKEY PLAYER
11 . RECRUITING TIPS
12 WHAT COLLEGE RECRUITERS LOOK FOR
13 ACT AND SAT TIPS
AND MORE

You need to come with a notebook and a pen. Take notes.
Next week we will be heading to Chicago for our first showcase so in addition to practicing on the ice and off-ice workouts we need to prepare for our college recruitment process. I remind you that is why you came to the Eels. We are top in college advancement but you need to be a engaged and proactive in the process.

I look forward to seeing you guys there
Frank Scarpaci
Florida Eels GM

Our Hearts Go Out To the Victims and Families involved in the Las Vegas Shooting

My heart goes out to the victims and their families in this horrific and senseless shooting of innocent people attending the concert in Las Vegas. It is unimaginable how these people felt and the fear in them as they thought they were going to simply have a good time of country music.

This is another cowardly act of violence that must end and we as a society must be vigilant and careful to be ever watchful of these gutless individuals who prey on innocent and defenseless people. We all have eyes and ears and if there were ever a time to be more aware it is now….and let us do our part to help thaw and prevent these people from ever doing these things.

Let us all take a moment to say a prayer to God for the victims and families. I must say we thank the Las Vegas Police and Clark County Sheriffs for their courage and diligence who stopped this animal from harming another person. They are often under critical scrutiny for so many things but let us all remember it is times like these we all depend on them to be there and protect us. And that they did. Let I remind everyone if you put anything or anyone under a microscope you will find a flaw. Who here has no flaws. I thank the brave men and women in law enforcement because of them we are able to do the things we all do and enjoy in a safe society.

How Sweet it is.....

Says It All

The Florida Eels Elite team and Premier Teams Sweep The Daytona Racers in Weekend Home Openers.

After having their season staled due to Hurricane IRMA having only played one game each, the Eels teams came out on fire this weekend and ignited for a total of 39 goals. The Elite team won game one 13-2 and then 8-3 and their brothers on the Premier team opened up the Racers 10-2 and 8-6. The Eels had only played one game prior to this series vs. the Tampa Juniors and both teams came out victorious in that single series. The players had been training in full throttle 7 days per week 4-5 hours per day for 3 solid weeks and then came Hurricane IRMA. The training was placed on hiatus while many players evacuated and others were displaced with out power. The organization had to re-group and wait for 32 players to return and then wait for the rink to re-open as it was being used as a Hurricane Relief Center for food and water.

The Eels players bonded in the community helping neighbors and residents get their homes back in order, putting up shutters taking them down, placing sand bags and delivering food and water. Last week was in fact our first true week back to regularity and the boys settled right back in. But we were a bit nervous and anxious so to speak because of the major disruption to our routine. Three weeks ago we felt we were ready. So many of the other teams have played 5-7 games already so we were wary of the unknown.

Both teams came out on fire. From the drop of the puck Saturday right into Sunday. The boys maintained our structure systems and high-energy style of play. We have 35 new guys this year from across the USA, Canada and Europe and even Australia. We still have a lot of work to do and we are not November ready so to speak. But it was a very good weekend. The boys played with class and maintained our pressure and worked every second of every shift. We rotated quite a few players into the line up. In fact we played about 48 players between the 2 teams so we had a lot of looks.

Although a number of guys had multiple goals and multiple points this weekend the scoring was very balanced amongst the players on both teams. The power play percentages were very impressive (Premier 46%) (Elite 17%) as was the penalty kill (premier 86%) (Elite 90%) percentages.

The guys will know the learning curve is still needs its attention. In fact the Elite team has a double practice on Monday to work on a number of items to advance its players to where we want them. We are excited about the rematch vs. Daytona next week again at home for 2 games. A great healthy rivalry is formulating between these two clubs. That is what makes for great hockey games.

Eels Premier Team Down The Daytona Racers 10-2 in Pre Season Opener

To say the Eels Premier team came to play yesterday is an understatement of the year. The boys were anxious eager hungry and thirsty. A 8-9 day hiatus due to Hurricane IRMA set the boys a bit back after postponing 2 weekends of games and over a week of practice. The boys were set to go after 3 ½ weeks of intense practice 7 days per week 2 hours of daily ice and 2 hours of off ice and one hour of daily video. That is phenomenal training and unprecedented 5 hours per day unmatched in junior hockey.

The Eels were held thus far to only one game vs. the Tampa Juniors, which they won 7-3. Yesterday the Eels Elite team ignited 13 goals against the Daytona Elite squad. This effort included 90+ shots on net. Then the Premier team took the ice and also scored double digits with a 10-2 pounding on Daytona’s netminders. Scoring was very balanced here and the goal tending was equally solid.

Scoring for the Eels went as follows:

Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #44 Alec Parr Nikita Pinimyasov (even strength) (#15 Caden Tchop, #44 Alec Parr
13 Jean-Simon Robidoux (power play) (#4 Bryce Freel, #29 Nikita Lopatin)
10 Brian Kozek (power play) (#4 Bryce Freel, #29 Nikita Lopatin)
• #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux (even strength) (#21 Brandon Rosario, #26 Colton Crabtree)
• #5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#23 Nikita Pinimyasov, #16 Gabriel Hemstrom)
• #8 Ellesse Carini (even strength) (#47 Jared Figueroa, #15 Caden Tchop)
• #19 Aleksey Sukhomlin (even strength) (#8 Ellesse Carini, #92 Rajhan Munnings)
• #15 Caden Tchop (even strength) (#16 Gabriel Hemstrom, #23 Nikita Pinimyasov)
• #47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek)
• In net for the Eels was
40 Danick Francoeur
• who turned away 22 of 24 shots for a .917 save % The Premier team squares off vs. the Racers today at 11:30 am

Eels Elite Team Ignite For 13 Goals Over Daytona

The Florida Eels Elite team exploded for 13 goals against the Daytona Racers in their home opener Saturday afternoon at the Ft Myers Skatium. The boys were on fire from the drop of the puck. After weeks of delay due to Hurricane IRMA the Eels Elite team came out by storm. that is a 13-goal storm and made themselves notice. They had over 40 shots in period one and then replicated the shot count in period two and another double +20 in the 3rd with a game count of 93 for the Eels. On the receiving end the Eels gave up a stingy 2 goals holding the Racers to only 27 shots in the game.

Scoring for the Eels went as follows:

#37 Clement Espinasse (even strength) (#42 Cameron Carnes, #12 Gavin Medina

#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#94 Cade Swygert, #12 Gavin Medina)

#54 Jake Court (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere)

#12 Gavin Medina (even strength) (#42 Cameron Carnes, #37 Clement Espinasse)
#95 Lucyan Pawlowicz (even strength) (#42 Cameron Carnes, #68 Mason DeMeyere
89 Daniel Merida (even strength) (#77 Corey Altieri)
#57 Joe Arnold (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere, #42 Cameron Carnes)
82 Jimmy Sturdivent (even strength) (#12 Gavin Medina
#12 Gavin Medina (even strength) (#68 Mason DeMeyere, #24 Remi Veilleux)
89 Daniel Merida (even strength) (#94 Cade Swygert, #49 Sean Doyle)
93 AJ Giordano (even strength) (#39 Liam Ferris, #79 Allan Hernandez)
#93 AJ Giordano (even strength) (#39 Liam Ferris, #25 Jaymen Swygert)
#77 Corey Altieri (even strength) (#89 Daniel Merida, #54 Jake Court

IN NET FOR THE EELS WAS Viktor Wennberg

WHO HAD A .926 SAVE %

Eels Elite Team Out Gunned By USF ACHA Men's Ice Hockey Team

The Florida Eels Elite team traveled last evening to a late game vs. the USF Bulls Men's ACHA College Hockey team. There they faced a team with 19 veteran players 13 of which were seniors and juniors. A good number had played juniors up north with such teams as the Junior Bruins Jr Penguins, the Tampa Juniors and others from the USPHL, the EHL and NA3HL.

The intent of this game was to allow our Elite players to gain experience against stronger guys who are ostensibly men. There are no "kids" so to speak on those college rosters. Even though they are an ACHA team the boys witnessed first hand that they can play. In fact USF was ranked 8th over all last year in the South Region ACHA College rankings. Well above# 9 ranked Kennesaw State, #12 rank Florida, 13th ranked Florida State and 14th ranked Miami.

But they were well below #1 ranked FGCU, #2 ranked Univ. of Tampa and # 4 ranked Central Florida

The ACHA is made up of 100's of colleges across the USA. Some schools are classified Div. 1 2 and 3. There are over 140 D 3 ACHA schools. There are similar numbers in the ACHA Div. 2 and about 60 in ACHA Div. 1 Compare this to NCAA hockey where the numbers are about 180 schools in total.

So it is important to have players see first hand that there are other opportunities out there. All players strive to play NCAA men's hockey. In fact the Eels have advanced 200 players to that level. 140 have advanced to the NCAA level. So much depends on the players. How much they are determined and dedicated in their training. Guys have used these forums like last night as a wake up call. They need to accelerate their performances to get to the Next Level. We provide the forums and coaches but effort determination and sacrifices are all within their control.

Last night Bulls got the better of the Elite players 5-0. I trust that they all look back on the second or two each goal was scored and reflect what could they have done to deny that trigger or situation that led to the goal. Remember this weekend is our home openers and everything needs to be left on the ice.

As coach Greg Sears echoed it is like being in school you have trained (studied) and it is now time to take the exam (execute) the next two weekends and at our huge showcase in Chicago

Eels Gear Up For Home Openers

There are only a few days remaining for the Eels Premier and Elite teams to enjoy their home openers vs the Daytona Racers.

The Elite team plays at 3:20 Pm

The Premier Team plays at 9:10 pm

Both teams play Sunday

Elite at 9:00 am
Premier at 11;30 am

Be sure to come down and join us for our home openers. Meet the new and returning players to both teams. We look forward to having you. Thanks you for your continued support of our program.

Wishing The Women's National Team The Best

Last Saturday the Eels Premier team played the USA Women’s National Team. No doubt the Women’s team represents some of the best hockey players in the world. They are not simply the best women ice hockey players in the world they are truly amongst the most talented “hockey players” in the world. Many have played together for 4+ years. Most are NCAA Division 1 champions from their respective colleges and universities. These young women will become our Olympians at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The Eels Premier team got a first hand experience of how good these girls are. Their skating was explosive. Their scoring was precise and targeted. Their passing was razor sharp. Their vision of the ice surface was nothing short of phenomenal. As Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci commented, if there were ever a Gold Medal team to play for the USA in the Olympics, this is them. They are an incredibly talented team with such determination. You can see it in the way they play and train.

Well we thank them for coming. It was truly an honor to have played against them. We wish them the best at the Olympics games. These young ladies don’t play in a regular league. They need to play teams like the Eels to help advance their interest and again we are honored to be part of their route to the Olympics.

Eels lite Team Plays Men's College Hockey Team Wed USF's Bulls

Tomorrow Night September 27th (Wednesday) at 9:10 pm at the Florida Hospital Rink in Chapel Hill Florida the Eels Elite team squares off in its first scrimmage game against a ACHA college opponent: The University of South Florida Bulls (USF). The Elite team has its season home opener this Saturday and Sunday at the Fort Myers Skatium. This game vs. the USF ACHA men’s team ought to be an excellent forum for our Elite team to gain invaluable experience playing against some good talent. Many of these guys have played juniors up North and the Midwest so this will be a good opportunity for our guys to further hone in their skills and gain the experience of playing against older men.

The Elite team played one game thus far as they had to endure two weekends of postponed games due to Hurricane IRMA. Those games have been rescheduled for Jan 15th (vs. Tampa) and 27th (vs. Palm Beach) respectively. This weekend’s games are against the Daytona Racers who already have played 4 games. So they will be coming into their 5th and 6th divisional contest. No doubt Daytona has garnered valuable experience in playing those 4 previous games so this college game will help our players close the gap somewhat.

It is a midweek late one (9:10 pm) in Tampa but as we explained to the boys it is junior hockey and many of the Northern teams do this all the time. We don’t have many of these types of games so we need to overcome the obstacles. We also recognize many of you are still in school but the hard truth and reality is that when you are in college you are faced with this exact scenario every week. Guys for many of you are one or two years away from that.

The bus leaves at 5:00 pm sharp from the Fort Myers Skatium. Please bring and pack a sub for the ride. You need to eat before we get there. It is a good 2-½ hour ride. Also we will be returning very late so we will not have a chance to pick up anything for the ride back. Accordingly, please make sure you pack something for the bus ride back home.

Also it will be very late when we arrive back at the Skatium Close to 1:00 am. You need to have your ride present. Make sure you have your cell phone charged to be able to call your ride if necessary. The rink will be closed. So you will need to bring your equipment home.

Please bring your hockey bag to the rink for the trip

Coach Frank

Florida Eels Juniors Hope Openers This Saturday and Sunday vs. the Daytona Racers

This weekend the Eels Premier and Elite teams square off vs. their East Coast of Florida rivals the Daytona Racers in their Home Openers at the Fort Myers Skatium. These ought to be very lively and spirited games for both the Premier and Elite squads. The Eels teams have only played 1 official regular season game as opposed to the Racers, which have already played 4 games vs. the Palm Beach Hawks. The Eels have played a few scrimmage games vs. several Florida Colleges and the USA Women’s National team. They are great training games but the true feel of a regular season game is not just there in scrimmages.

Both of the Racers teams fell to the Hawks in their first 4 games. That has to be a bit frustrating. Each Eels team has a notch on their belt with their wins midweek last week in Tampa. The Eels coaches take nothing for granted. They never watch the standings or scoreboard. That would only be a recipe for disaster.

These two organizations always come out strong against one another. We can expect nothing less in the ensuing set of games. The Eels are very excited to get this set of games under their belt. Hurricane IRMA set back us 4 games and the boys are anxious to get going. The Eels and Daytona will in fact have back-to-back games weekends’ set of games here in Fort Myers. Indeed, we play them 4 games. It is almost like a playoff series. So you will get a different feel for the set of games. Especially after game 2 of this weekend. Think about it. The coaches and players of opposing squads will be extremely knowledgeable of each player. So you can expect some interesting match-ups and strategies in play.

The Eels are taking these games very serious. Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci games against divisional opponents are very meaningful A win over a divisional opponent is very critical in the point swing. The last several years 1 or 2 points decided our season’s standings. So we don’t treat anything as simply another game.

Last week’s scrimmage game vs. the Women’s National Team brought well over 250 fans to our game. It was very very exciting to have such a great crowd. The place was hoping and the spirit was effervescent We hope folks come out for our true home opener this weekend and get to meet the so many new faces on both teams. In fact ½ of the players on each team are brand new to the organization. We have had 4 weeks to develop the camaraderie and cohesiveness of the teams so please come on down and see for yourselves what this Eels program is like this season.Florida E

Eels Elite Edge Tampa Juniors In Tampa's Home Opener

The Florida Eels Elite team also had its season opener like the Premier team in Tampa. The boys were equally anxious. Having yet to play a real game this season. These young men have been working extremely hard day in and day out for 4 weeks and only to be trumped by Hurricane IRMA’s threat to Fort Myers. The guys learned first hand how the Hurricane affected the area not only in the ensuing storm but the preparation and post clean up. The boys really come together helping neighbors and people in need be it handing out water, food, hanging shutters, putting up plywood taking them down from houses and placing sand bags. This was a unique type of team bonding and we can see they learned how to over come the adversity.

Yesterday’s game we had many new faces. Indeed, sixteen new guys on the roster. GM Scarpaci had an extremely busy off-season as always and when you combine the Premier and Elite teams’ new comers you are well north of 30. This season will be equally challenging for the players as like their brothers on the Premier team they need time to adjust and learn to play with so many of the new ones.

Yesterday’s game was without doubt goaltenders dual. The Tampa goalie was sharp as a tack as he turned away 24 of 26 shots fir a .926%. Viktor Wennberg for the Eels was on his game as he let in a stingy 1 of 41 shots for an amazing .976 save%

Scoring for the Eels was:

#95 Lucyan Pawlowicz assisted by#47 Jared Figueroa (even strength) (#82 Jimmy Sturdivent)
#95 Lucyan Pawlowicz (power play) (#37 Clement Espinasse, #77 Corey Altieri

Coach Sears was pleased to garner the win but realizes he and his team have so much yet to learn. For many of his guys this is their first year playing juniors and the learning curve is large. But very optimistic. We look forward to next week’s games against the Daytona Racers at home.

Florida Eels Premier Team Crashes Tampa Juniors Opening Day Party With A Convincing 7-3 Win

The Florida Eels Premier team was chopping at the bits so to speak as they were extremely eager to play their first game of the season. The first 4 games of the season had been postponed due to Hurricane IRMA. It was frustrating as the boys had trained at their Preseason Training camp for 1 week and then 3 weeks of main camp only to have their first 2 weekends thawed with postponements due to the initial hurricane hitting Fort Myers directly and then the clean up.

We yesterday was the make up game for the Premier team and Elite teams at Tampa. It was their home opener and they had a party going on no doubt with the new rink and all. Well the Eels had a little different idea in mind and that was to unleash at full throttle a very aggressive for-check and a consistent attack on their net. We did not know what to expect comments head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. We have about 13 completely new guys to the Eels program and another 3 who played last season on the USP3 team. We needed to see how well they played together as a unit. In scrimmages you can never tell. The true intensity in those forums is not at the optimum in terms of compete level.

The boys were extremely excited to kick things off and they got on the score board right away to set things in motion. The scoring went as follows:

#15 Caden Tchop (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #21 Brandon Rosario)

#8 Ellesse Carini (even strength) (#19 Aleksey Sukhomlin, #16 Gabriel Hemstrom)

#5 Hayden Haldane (power play) (#4 Bryce Freel, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux)

#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux (power play) (#10 Brian Kozek, #26 Colton Crabtree)

#10 Brian Kozek (power play) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux, #26 Colton Crabtree)

#5 Hayden Haldane (even strength) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux, #26 Colton Crabtree

#26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux, #55 Blake Hoffman)

Kozek had 1 goal and a 3 point night

Haldane had a 2 goal night

Robidoux one goal and had a 5 point night

Crabtree one goal and had a 4 point night

Playing in net for the Eels was Jeremy Hamerquist who turned away 30 of 33 shots.

Coach Scarpaci said he was very pleased with the win. The first game of the season yes we will take a win. The guys came to play and they showed they bought into our system. We still have quite a bit to improve on however. He sees a few holes and they will be resolved. He also know that quite a few of the guys are closing in on the learning curve. No doubt this is a good team he has in front of him but his objective is to make this squad a great team, a dominate team and a team that will be the hungriest and most determined to win the National Title.

On Saturday his squad has an exhibition game vs. the USA Women’s National team right here in Ft Myers. Time of the game: 3:30 puck drop. Then next weekend we take on the Daytona Racers here at home. It will be our official home opener

Check Out The Great Action Shots on Facebook on The Season Opener vs Tampa

Guys go Facebook for a number of fantastic action shots of both the Eels Premier and Elite teams in their season opener in Tampa vs the Tampa Juniors.

This Saturday The Eels Premier Team Plays vs. the USA Women's National Team.

Saturday, September 23rd the Florida Eels will be competing against the USA Women’s National Ice Hockey Team at the Fort Myers Skatium Fort Myers Fl. The Eels are a junior hockey club that are young men ages 17-20 years who train and play right here in Fort Myers Fl. The Eels are a herald program that has placed and advanced over 200 young men to college hockey- many right from here from the Southwest Florida community. These boys train at the Fort Myers Skatium 2250 Broadway Ft Myers. They play 44 game schedule 12 home games here in Fort Myers and they travel to the Midwest and Northeast for many showcases. The Eels have the honor of having 4 of its players drafted to the NHL including one boy by the Florida Panthers and one boy by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This Saturday the Florida Eels plays host to the women’s National team which is the precursor to the USA Women’s’ Olympic team. This is huge for the Southwest Florida community having these women come to Fort Myers to play the hometown Florida Eels.

Head coach of the Florida Eels premier team, Frankie Scarpaci comments, “this is a huge opportunity for out boys, it will really help push them as many of the women’s national team have players who play in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), as well as players who play division I hockey at some big-time schools.” When looking at the women’s team a well-known name of course is Hilary Knight, a high caliber forward who posted 262 points in here NCAA hockey career at the University of Wisconsin. Hilary was part of the University of Wisconsin team that came to the Fort Myers Skatium several years ago to play UNH. The Skatium was packed. That was the year they won the NCAA Division 1 title.

Another notable player is their goalie, Alex Rigsby, who helped guide the 2016 women’s national team to a gold medal with a 1-0 shutout against Canada. Each of the players on the Women’s National team have player or currently playing on the top NCAA division one hockey programs within all of college hockey such as University of Wisconsin, Boston College, University of New Hampshire, and many more. Out of the last 10 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournaments the Women’s USA National team has won gold 8 times; and out of the last 3 Olympics they have won silver twice and bronze once. Overall the Women’s National Team is full of players who have put in a lot of blood, sweat, and work to play for their country.

The Eels will really have their hands full against these top Division 1 players, but are ready for the challenge! The Eels have players who come from all over the world. General manager noted that they have players from Russia, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain, France, Turks and the Caicos, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, and over course across the United States. The Eels have quite few returners from last year, a prominent player to their successful season last season would be veteran Nikita Lopatin, a power forward from Russia who had 52 points in 42 games last season. Coach Scarpaci said,” Lopatin was dominate player for us last season and looking to be our key player for this season as well. He really put in the time to hone his skills on and off the ice; he is really looking like a division one athlete.” A huge returner for the Eels this season is veteran Jean-Simon (JS) Robidoux, a second-year player from Montreal, Canada. JS was right up there for points with Lopatin, he finished his 2016 season with 48 points, 23 goals and 25 assists. Coach Scarpaci quoted, “We are extremely excited to have JS back with us for another season, he was a high-temp power house forward for us last year and really looking for another big season from him this year. The talent he brings to the table, by the end of this season he should definitely be talking to several division 1 schools; so we are expecting big things from him this season.” Another key player from the Eels success last season who is back for another season is Colton Crabtree, a second-year player from Brighton, Colorado. Crabtree had 10 goals, 15 assists last season, and was a solid grinder for the Eels. According to head scout and Eels ex-assistant coach Sean Price,” Crabtree is a rate type of player, he is one of those guys who might not put up a large amount of points, but he knows how to get the team hyped up. He is the kind of player who will do whatever he must do for his team; blocking shots, making big hits, or even trash talking opposing players to draw a penalty. Crabtree brings a lot of energy to our program and looking to really push the program to get to that next level. The Eels also have two of their top defenseman from last season back as well; Brian Kozek and Blake Hoffman. Kozek, from Chicago, Illinois really helped the team last season as he posted 20 points in 38 games. He was one of coach Scarpaci’s go to defenseman; Kozek was on the Eels first line power play and penalty kill. “Brian really is one of our most reliable defenseman. This is his fourth season with our program and amazes me how much he has developed not just as a player, but as a man as well. He is the definition of a born leader, and leave it all out on the line to make sure his team finishes to the best of their ability” General Manager Frank Scarpaci noted about Kozek. The other Eels Defenseman is Blake Hoffman, a second-year player from Denver, Colorado who was probably the Eels best stay at home defenseman last season. Hoffman, a 6’3’’ defenseman came to the Eels as a bubble player last season as it was his first year playing junior hockey, but ended up being one of their top defenseman at the end of the season. Coach Scarpaci quoted,” Blake came in and really surprised us last year; he is a big player with raw talent, but inexperience really showed at times. But as the year went on he really came out of his shell and proved he was a player we could rely on.” The Eels administration really put in their time this summer to scout out some of the top players from around the world who will help push the program deep into playoffs and hopefully end up in the national tournament in March. Their administration attended 12 different showcases over 3 months, as well as used many local recruiting sites to help make their program a national contender. There’s a reason the Eels are well known around the hockey world; they bring in some of the top players from around the world and help them get the exposure they need to move on to the next level whether its college hockey or even pro.

Some might see the match-up between the Women’s team and the Eels as a David and Goliath match up since the women’s team has the top caliber players in the United States. Don’t count the Eels out yet; they have some young players who really exudes NCAA division 1 potential. This game will be one of the top games in the state of Florida, one of the top Junior Hockey Programs in the Junior Hockey World against the top women’s team in the USA. The showdown starts Saturday, September 23rd, at 3:30pm at the Fort Myers Skatium.

Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels General Manager

941-400-9023

Florida Eels Season Opener This Thursday September 21st

Folks this Thursday the Eels will be traveling to the Florida Hospital Ice Center located at 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd. in Wesley Chapel, FL (33544) the Home of the Tampa Juniors. Yes mid week but they are make up games for the first week of games that were postponed. These two games are full games 3 periods 20 minutes plus OT if needed. The remaining 3 games are to be scheduled.

These two teams have a rich 10 year history as rivals often coming down to the last game of the season to determine playoff seeding between them. In fact over the past 5 seasons the two organizations battled it out in the top division in order to determine who advanced to next round and in each case it had been the Eels.

Be it regular season or playoff games these two clubs leave everything on the ice. They battle hard from the drop of the puck to the final buzzer. We expect no different this season and in particular this Thursday. The battle for West Coast of Florida Supremacy is not just between the top teams. Indeed, some of the best games ever played we between the old Empire and then the USP3 teams. One season it came down to 1 point. Moreover so many games were decided in OT.

The Eels have many new faces this season. Check out our web page. 14 new players on the Premier team and 15 new players on the Elite team. We have about 12 returners on each team. The players are working well together. We see it at practices, scrimmages and even during off ice conditioning. We recruited phenomenal young men with strong skill set and now they have to put it altogether as team.

We had 3 weeks of training camp only to be interrupted by Hurricane IRMA. This week in short order the boys are in over time mode kindling the fire so to speak. We are very much looking forward to getting the season started. We are not taking Tampa for granted. We know we have to out work them from the drop of the puck. The old saying hard work beats talent every day…. Here we know we instilled the Eels work ethic and we have talent as well. These ingredients out to bring about the fruits demanded by our coaching staff.

Game times: Premier 1:00 pm Drop of puck

Elite team 3:30 Drop of puck

Eels Getting Back On Track After Hurricane IRMA Delay

Guys practicing in OT to get ready for games this week

Guys In Full Swing After IRMA

Important Schedule Updates

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

All Players and Parents: Take Notice:

Today Eels Premier team practices at 3:00 pm – 4:20 pm
Today Eels Elite Team practices at 4:30 – 5:50 pm (please see if we can have all Elite team players at the rink around 4:00 pm to meet with GM Frank Scarpaci to go over a few matters)

Sunday September 17th Eels Premier team leaves at 7:00 am at the Fort Myers Skatium by bus for Tampa to play the University of Florida ACHA team@ 10:30 am scrimmage game

Sunday September 17th the Eels Elite team have practice in Fort Myers at the Skatium 9:30 am – 10:30 am

Sunday Sept 17th off ice Eels Elite team 11:00 am

The Eels Elite and Premier teams have Hurricane Make-Up games this Thursday September 21st in Tampa at the Florida Hospital Rink. These are official league games and not scrimmages. Bus leaves the Ft Myers Skatium at: 8:30 am
Premier game: Warm Up 12:30 am Drop of puck 1:00 am
Elite game: Warm Up 3:00 pm Puck drop 3:30 pm

Congratulations Coach Greg For the Birth of His Daughter Gracie Mae

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Well with all of the havoc Hurricane IRMA has been causing here in Florida and in the Carribean we have wonderful news: Coach Greg Sears and his wife Serena are so excited with the news of the birth of their daughter Gracie Mae Sears,
The baby is doing great as is the mommy!

Gracie Mae was born in at 6 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long.

Welcome Baby Grace

Look What Amazon Did To Help Folks In Hurricane Relief....OUCH!!!!!!!!

Eels Players Step Up With Hurricane Harvey Relief

Very proud of all of our coaches and our players for their unselfish work and efforts to assist in food and necessary items for the families in Texas who were tumbled by Hurricane Harvey @usphl

The Florida Eels teams are scheduled to play two ACHA College teams next week.

Next Tuesday September 5th at 9:45 pm the Premier team plays the University of Miami at the Pines Ice Arena in Pembroke Pines Weston Fl.

Next Saturday September 9th the Eels Elite team will be squaring off vs the University of Tampa at the Clearwater Ice Arena Clearwater, Florida. This will be the 7th straight year we play the University of Tampa in a pre season match up.

These games will be an excellent forum for our players to test their line ups and systems etc. The boys have been working extremely hard preparing over the last 3 weeks and they are indeed very anxious to get on the ice against opponents

At this point we do not know whether those preseason scrimmage games will be on FastHockey Hockey TV

Hurricane Harvey Relief

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys
Mrs Crowther is doing a can food drive for families and pets who are in need of help. We here in Southwest Florida are so fortunate that we were not a direct hit in the hurricane path. . So many of our fellow Americans have been stricken with the deviating flooding etc condition. Many have little or no food. Please help!!!!
I know it is short notice but we are asking all Eels Junior players to bring can goods to the rink Saturday morning after cycling around 10:00 am

Eels players always step up to many calls for help and many a causes. We have helped so many families before and it is your time to make a donation. Please bring can goods
Thanks in advance

→ view on teamapp.com

The Florida Eels welcomes newcomer ALEXEI SUKHOMLIN a 2000 from Russia has joined its Junior program. SUKHOMLIN is a second year junior veteran in the USA as he played last season for the Colorado Rampage in the RMJHL. He is 5’11” 170 pounds. Alexei has played 3 years in the USA. Prior to playing Juniors he played in the prestigious Tier I Elite league out west.

Our scouting staff was very impressed with SUKHOMLIN’s abilities as a player and regards him as a strong prospect as in 36 games last season he scored an impressive 26 goals and notched 12 assists for 38 points For an average of 1.06 points per game. As a tier I youth player he averaged .58 points per game. His experience in playing juniors and 2 years Tier I Elite at such a young age has enhanced his player development enormously. Moreover, he has already adapted to the American style of play being here for 3 seasons already. This truly separates him form so many players.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci who has been scouting and recruiting SUKHOMLIN for over a year is very impressed with this young man’s skills, character and level of development. He also has the commitment we are looking for in our players. Think about it. ALEXEI was so dedicated to being his game to the “Next Level” he left Russia at such an early age (3 years ago) and came and trained and played here in the USA to garner the experience he knew he had to garner to advance his abilities to once day play NCAA college hockey and hopefully one day pro hockey. Now that is being determined.

Eels Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci echoes that SUKHOMLIN has solid skill set. He echoes that he is a very good skater with quick acceleration. His explosive speed will allows us for a quick transition and zone entry creating lethal scoring opportunities. He has very good hands and a solid playermaker. He has a nose to score. SUKHOMLIN is a strong team player. He has solid skills and will be another major addition to the Eels.

GM Scarpaci concludes we are excited to see him join some of the other guys in the program. He is another high-end player and a key ingredient in our over all mosaic in building a top program in the USPHL and in North America.

Tonight Florida Eels Will Host Fight Night: Mayweather vs. McGregor

As a team bonding event the Florida Eels Organization will be hosting for its Junior players a Fight Night to watch the biggest boxing event in decades: Mayweather vs. McGregor. The players have been divided into two groups from training camp: Group 1 and Group 2. Mrs. Kozek and Mrs. Altieri have graciously opened up their homes as host of this event. The boys will have pizza and this will be a load of fun for the guys.

The Kozek house will be hosting Group I from training camp

The Altieri house will be hosting Group II from training camp

Lets have a ton of fun…..guys and the coaches will see all of you Sunday morning for workouts

Herald Australian forward Ellesse Carini arrived Thursday evening in Fort Myers to join the Florida Eel Junior program. Despite his 24 hour plane flight he will be ready to join us in the scrimmage Friday around 12:30 pm.

GM Frank Scarpaci scouted and recruited Ellesse over the Spring and Summer and he strongly believes that this young man will clearly become the face of the Eels in the next two years. He is a high level young man who has all the makings of a Tier I junior player. He is 6”0” 170 pounds from Sydney Australia.

He is another by-product of Dan D’Astoli of HPA Sports Management.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci scouted him at the HPA Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. He is one of 9 players with the Eels this season from HPA Sports.

GM Scarpaci reports that: Ellesse has explosive speed and acceleration. He is heavy with his stick making him very strong on the puck, He has a nice quick release with his shot. He plays with a high compete level and you can see the determination he brings every time he shoots the ice. He is not afraid to use his body. He battles very nicely along the boards and takes it to the bank; he will out work opposing defensemen in front of their crease. He triggers a good ½ dozen shots at the opposing goalies per game.

In addition to his strong skill set this young man has strong character. Indeed, he was unequivocally and emphatically endorsed by Dan D’Astoli He is Personable and respectful yet very humble. He is a dedicated and determined young man with the insatiable appetite to make himself better.”

Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci echoed, “We have followed Carini’s career in Australia and we were impressed with his leadership – captain of his team, his skill set and his accomplishments. This young man is an impact player. He has the fire in his belly and the will to win”

Welcome Ellesse to the Florida Eels….

New CCM Clothing Available for Sale

CCM has sent samples of many new apparel its. The boys have seen them over the past few days:

Items of interest :

Heavy Jacket Great for up north cold weather or when you are in a cold rink. Guys form the north and Russia Sweden really loves them.

Lightweight jacket great for every day wear travel while on the bus. Etc.

Lightweight tracksuit pants great for both heavy jacket and light jacket

Jogging Pants or often-called sweat pants

¼ neck zip shirt real classy

CCM Hats

Other custom design hats.

Prices for these items are in and will be posted at the rink

Orders will be placed Monday

CCM 1/4 Zip

Light weight

Very Warm Jacket

CCM

The Florida Eels Again Showcasing Its Player Development Model with the Signing Of 2nd Year Forward Anthony Sozio To The Eels Junior Program.

Anthony Sozio 1999 from Buffalo NY actually started with the Eels as a Squirt player. He later played Peewee Bantam Midget and High School Hockey for the Eels. He is a perfect example of how true player development works. He played his entire travel hockey with the Florida Eels. Youth program. He defines loyalty to a program. It is funny. You all know in youth hockey, some years you are amongst the top and other years you are in the middle or at the bottom of the standings.. For Anthony Sozio it did not matter. Sure he wanted to win. You can see it all over his face the drive and determination . But he never abandoned the Eels. He never jumped organizations like so many players unfortunately do. They simply don’t get it says GM Scarpaci ….It is all part of building a program. It shows enormous character in this young man says GM Scarpaci. He has the love and passion for this game and the team he plays for.. He leaves nothing on the ice.

As a youth player Sozio was one of the top goal scorers in the Tier II AA Florida League. He systematically and continuously drove hard to the net. He always would get into the “dirty areas” so to speak. He was not a perimeter player. He would sacrifice himself at the expense of being hit and beat up in front of the opposing goalie’s net. Last season Anthony was a rookie in the Eels USP3 team. It was a huge year for him in terms of his personal player development - as he had to make adjustments to the game. The speed the hitting the intensity and much stronger goalies. The talent level was nothing like he saw or experienced in youth hockey. Coach Frankie Scarpaci who has been a champion of Sozio over the years expects this will be Anthony’s break out year. This year Anthony knows what to expect and he will be destined to “deliver “ so to speak. This kid has the ability to ignite his team. We trust he will ripen into the goal scorer and playmaker we know he can be. Nobody has the insatiable appetite to score like Sozio .

Coach Sears not knowing Sozio from before, readily sees from Pre Season Camp that Sozio has a key ingredient to the success of the team this season. This kid is fearless against guys much bigger than him. He sees what GM Scarpaci echoes when he says Sozio plays with that edge. He is a consummate competitor.

Welcome back Anthony Lets go for the goal…

Eels Are Proud to Announce the Signing Of French Canadian Defenseman Francesco Autore

The Eels are thrilled with the signing of its newest defenseman Francesco Autore – from Montreal Canada. Autore is a 2000, at 5’9” 187 pounds. General Manager Frank Scarpaci scouted Autore at the HPA Junior Combine in Indiana. The Eels were extremely impressed with a number of players from the HPA Combine. In fact Autore is one of 8 players who joined the Eels from that venue.

Autore is a member of HPA Sports Management headed by one of the Premier Leaders in developing hockey players to college – Dan D’Astoli. The Eels have been doing business with Dan D’Astoli and HPA for 20 years. He is one of the most respected men in the business. He has a great eye for talent and always has players who possess the highest character and moral fiber. That is what we want here in the Eels organization. Scarpaci stresses that players from HPA are amongst the most dedicated and determined players. They are focused and willing to make the sacrifice and put in the enormous energies needed to advance to the next level. We knew from the ought set we wanted Autore with us.

Francesco in fact joined the Eels at the Summer Pro Am Sr. Chowder Cup. He impressed the Eels coaching staff as he played very well against some extremely talented young men. We not only saw the skill set in him and the belief he can make the transition to play Juniors but we also got to know him as a person over the 4 day event. Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci got to experience his character and fortitude. He commented, I saw right away the tangible and intangible qualities of this young man that GM Scarpaci captured at the HPA Combine.

Eels Elite coach Greg Sears loved that way he played. He noted that despite him being a young 2000 he did not get rattled when very talented opponents exposed and accelerated with all deliberate speed as attacked the zone. Francesco was poised and took charge. He was relentless along the boards and shut down and helped close the crease.

GM Scarpaci liked what he also saw at the HPA Combine and again eclipsed at the Sr. Chowder Cup was his nice heavy shot form the point. His shots get to the net and that creates offensive scoring chances and that is what we want.

Both Coach Scarpaci and Sears have witnessed a very hard working young man at the Pre Season Training Camp over the past two weeks. He has been attending two ice sessions and off ice training tabulation over 5 hours of daily training. The Eels are looking to develop Autore into a major player. He is young as a 2000 and he has the eye the hunger the thirst and that equals not only the will to win but also the willingness to do all the things to make that will a reality.

Welcome To the Eels

The Eels Court Family Legacy Continues With the Signing Of Jake Court To The Florida Eels Junior Program

We all know the pride and accomplishments of last year’s Elite Team Captain Jordan Court boasted with the Eels Junior Program over the last 4 seasons. He was a herald and seasoned veteran player who played every shift, every period and every game with the intensity and heart of a lion. He was a homegrown Eel from his beginnings as a peewee, bantam, and U16 and U 18 midget, as a Junior player in the Empire & USP3 Divisions and ultimately in the top team - the Elite Division. Jordan was truly an Eel and now has reached his dream as he advanced this year to play NCAA Division 3 men’s college hockey at Neumann University.

Following in his younger brother’s footsteps is Jake Court. Jake too has been an Eel his entire life. In fact General Manager Frank Scarpaci was his first coach when Jake put on his first set of hockey skates in “learn to play” on Saturday mornings many years ago. He was there when Jake mature and develop also through the Eels youth program from Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget and High School Hockey. Funny thing about Jake he was always the number 1 or 2nd leading scorer on the team.

Premier Head coach Frankie Scarpaci knows both Court boys very well having coached Jordan for 4+ years and he echoes, “with Jake we will see an entirely different player. He is more finesse player. He is a smother skater. And has great hands. During Pre Season training camp you can see Jake really uses his speed to his advantage. He is a bit lighter than Jordan but that does not stop him from going into the corners and impressively he wins the lose puck battles along the boards and always seems to come up with the puck.

Elite Coach Greg Sears commented, “he loves Jake’s acceleration and explosive speed. He loves to drive to the net. He has that insatiable appetite to score and you can see it as he is constantly shooting at the net. He has great vision and you need those intangibles and skill set combined if you are going to be a goal scorer in this league,”

GM Scarpaci concludes that it is amazing how much Jake has already caught on to the speed and toughness in Juniors. He is a shifty player and has a high hockey IQ. He knows that Jake, like his brother, bleed Eels and he will leave everything on the ice. More than many of the guys coming in, Jake already knows and appreciates the competitive landscape of the teams in our division and conference. He appreciates what it to be an Eel. He has to. After all is there a more die hard Eel than his dad. Jason Court? Or as he is known as “Mr. Court” Jake has the motivation, drive, determination and dedication to make his own “Court Mark” in the USPHL and on the Eels program. We are thrilled that he joined us this season.

Hometown Fort Myers Sean Doyle Joins the Florida Eels Junior Program

The Eels are so excited that local hometown guy Sean Doyle has joined the Eels Juniors. Sean has played most of his youth hockey for the Eels youth hockey. He has been a staple in the youth program. So many people and folks in Fort Myers Cape Coral and Estero love this kid. He will be a fan favorite on the Eels Juniors.

As a 6’2” 185 pound 1997 defensemen he brings great size and streghth to the program. GM Scarpaci echoes, Sean knows this is his year to get ready for college. That is his goal. He is ready to lay it all on the line. His willingness to sacrifice everything. He knows full well that is what it takes to advance him to the next level of play. But words wont do it he said. GM Scarpaci knows Sean better than anyone else in the program. He coached him for many years as a Bantam and Midget. He echoed he never seen Sean as determined as he is now. You see the fire in his eyes. And Sean has already shown us he is willing to put in the time and effort.

Indeed, this entire Spring and Summer, Sean has been working with Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci at World Gym 5 days per week and then an additional 3 days per week on the ice plus 3 weeks of intense summer ice hockey camp specifically for our Junior players. Coach Frankie noted, Sean has seen so many of the Eels alumni make it while he was a youth player. He wants this for himself.

Doyle is a natural defensemen; He plays a hard nose tough defensive style. He is extremely tough to play against. He owns the crease and will make opponents pay dearly if they try to take his territory. He can move the puck out of the zone as well. Has very good mobility. He has a nice heavy shot on the blueline so his offensive abilities will prove strong this season.

The Eels are thrilled to have this quality of player in its ranks this season and are even more excited being that he is a homegrown Florida Eel

The Florida Eels welcome rookie forward Marc-Aleixandre Quintal from the State of Washington

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels welcome rookie forward Marc-Aleixandre Quintal from the State of Washington

The Eels sign its second player in franchise history from the State of Washington: Marc-Aleixandre Quintal He joins fellow veteran Eel teammate Alec Parr who was also from Washington. The Eels first scouted Quintal at the USA Hockey High School All Stars at the Americas Cup in Pittsburgh two seasons ago and then the Eels coaching staff followed Quintal and his high school and midget teams’ accomplishments where they were extremely successful at the USA Hockey Nationals. This year Aleixandre joined the Eels in post season play showcases including the USPHL Showcase and the Pro Am Sr. Chowder Cup.

Eels Elite Coach Greg Sears commented that he liked the way Quintal played at the Sr. Chowder Cup.. His work in the corners and his battle in all three zones. He did this in the face of some very talented players in tough competition many who were freshman in college. In the lockeroom Coach Frankie said he was very positive. His attitude fits right in with the Eels passion.

Quintal delivers this intensity on and off the ice. GM Scarpaci liked his winning attitude. He obviously has played on winning teams and we want that kind of mentality on our squad. It is funny comments GM Scarpaci. Every player has the “Will To Win” After all nobody goes out to play hockey without that. But it is the guy who has the willingness to make the sacrifices, and take all necessary steps to put in hours of effort to make it happen is not so common. We think Marc-Aleixandre has this intangible asset. That is why we brought him in to our program. He has been training all week at the Eels first week of Pre Season Training camp and has been like a sponge. Taking everything in and we readily see he is very coachable concludes Coach Scarpaci. We know he will do quite well and will play a key role in our program this season. Concludes Coach Sears. Welcome to the Eels

Florida Eels Players and Programs Highlighted in Major Media Outlets Across the USA

The Florida Eels Captures Headlines in the main USPHL website and social media as well as the major Junior Hockey media outlets such as Juniorhockey.com, the juniorhockeynews.com and USA Junior Hockey Magazine. It is great that our player signings and player accomplishments are garnering so much ink. Virtually all of our veteran players who are eligible to play juniors have now signed. The new players are equally in place. They span the entire USA, Canada, Europe including Russia, Sweden, France Spain Czech Republic, Germany and as far west as Australia. AS General Manager I make sure that our players are getting the media exposure and we know that the colleges are tuned in to these media markets.

The high light of the Spring/Summer was the front-page cover story of the USA Junior Hockey Magazine. The editor wrote a major piece on the Florida Eels 200 players, which the Eels advanced to college, and the players targeted to come in this season. They spent considerable time on the intensity and breath of the Eels typical training which exceeds 4 hours per day 5 days per week 40 weeks of the season.

It is so exciting to see the players capturing the attention of media forums and we will see far more in the weeks and months ahead.

First Weekend Of Pre Season Training Camp

Eels opened this week with their preseason training camp. Yes over 43 players from across the USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Australia, France, Spain and even Turks and Cacao’s. Thus far we have undergone three days of extremely intense training. The players are training each day on the ice, doing strength and conditioning training in their fitness center at World Gym, and doing core and conditioning training at the Fort Myers Skatium’s Sports Court. The practices have all been high tempo and all in over speed. Our players train a good 4+ hours per day. We have an extremely unique program that provides our players with 28 days of training prior to the start of their first league game. This allows our players to be properly trained and November ready in September.

We love the heart and determination these young men have brought to the ice and fitness centers. We have such a strong camaraderie already amongst the returning veterans and new comers to the Eels. We have welcome so many new players and they all love the program. So many parents have come in as well. After all it is Florida. So many of the players have come in with their folks who also planned a mini vacation in bringing their son’s to the program while also getting to enjoy the beaches and pools. The parents also got to get a first hand opportunity to watch the ice sessions and got to personally meet and visit their new billet families and their homes.

Eels Announce the Signing of 6’3” second year forward Daniel Merida

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Eels Announce the Signing of 6’3” second year forward Daniel Merida Daniel Merida Re-Joins the Eels Junior program for the 2017-18 season. Daniel is a 6”3” 175 pound forward from Fort Myers Florida. He was a rookie last season for the Eels USP3 team. He played the previous season for the Eels U16 Midget team. Daniel had one year of juniors, garnering invaluable experience learning the hitting, speed of the game, the decision-making and overall elevation between Juniors and midgets. This isn’t easy for most players and indeed most are not able to make this transition. Instead of shying away and yielding, Daniel sought more. There is a huge learning curve and Daniel knew that if he wanted to excel and move on to play college hockey he had to take that quantum leap forward.

This past summer like so many of the local Eel junior players. He trained each week with Frankie Scarpaci Eels Premier Head coach. He trained both on the ice 3 days per week and another 4 days per week strength and conditioning training. Merida is a native of Fort Myers and has seen so many of the Eels Alumni advance on to college and play college hockey. He saw first hand so many of these guys work tirelessly and do the extra things necessary to make their dreams a reality. Indeed, over the summer he worked along side of Eels alumni Joey Colatraci was at Coach Scarpaci’s summer training. Colatarci played last season for NCAA Division 3 Adrian College. He saw the hours Joey was putting in just to be ready and better prepared for this season coming up.

Merida is hungry for his chance to prove himself this season. He knows, as a 1999 he is no longer the young guy. He has to make things happen now. He has to take personal responsibility for his future. Sure he has a few more years of juniors but he needs to take this time this very valuable time to advance him to the next level. Coach Frankie Scarpaci says he has size height 6’3” and has been working in the gym to put on some weight and develop body mass. Daniel has the nose to drive the net. No doubt he showed it as youth player his ability to score. Now he has to bring that offensive abilities to the junior forum. He definitely has size and will need to use that to his advantage in driving to the net. Daniel does have a good shot and he has been working on it over the summer to gravitate it to the junior level. Coach Scarpaci concluded that it is great to see a young man like Daniel take ownership in his future.

GM Scarpaci sees a very enthusiastic young man who wants it. We have provided a venue for him to shoot every day about 100-150 pucks a day. With his good skill set coupled with his solid speed he can develop his abilities as shooter and garner very good scoring opportunities. We know he wants it. That is half the battle with so many guys. Daniel has the fortitude and desire so this year we should see significant gains in his game. Welcome back Daniel.

Florida Eels Signs Defensemen Jaime Moreno From Spain

The Florida Eels new Elite coach Greg Sears first recruit was Jaime Moreno. To say he had a long reach is the understatement of the year being that he is from Spain. Jamie is a right hand shot, 6’0” 170 pound defensemen from Spain. Talk about a non-traditional market. Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci commented, despite this, he plays like he is from Quebec, Massachusetts, or Minnesota. Nothing is foreign about Moreno’s game.

Well we all know the Eels could care less where a player is from. We have players from all across the USA including some very non-traditional markets such as Florida California Colorado South Carolina etc. as well as the hockey hot beds in the north and Northeast. We have players from Canada, Russia, and now this year Australia, France, Turks and Cacaos and now Spain.

Coach Sears scouted Moreno last season when Jamie played for a USA midget team in Alaska. Coach Sears really liked his skill set and the way he played the game; and in the many conversations he had with him Coach Sears was convinced Moreno was a young man of high character. Before playing in the USA Jamie played for a club National team in Spain.

With the signing of Moreno, the Eels measurably added strong depth to the Eels defense. In the first 3 days of training camp, echoed GM Frank Scarpaci, my coaches readily got to see Jamie worked extremely hard and they could see that Jamie was quite determined to make himself better constantly. This kid is young and has the tools to become a top player in our league commented Coach Sears. He is very coachable and you can tell how much he loves the game. The passion exudes from every inch of ice he takes and every play he executes concluded Coach Scarpaci.

GM Scarpaci stated, it is a real pleasure having this young man play for us. Being that he is from Spain is even more attractive. The Eels have players from so many countries this season but Moreno is the 2nd player we had who came from Spain. We look forward to seeing his personal development as a player and a person. No doubt he and his teammates will make this season and incredible one for the Eels organization. Welcome to the Eels.

All Players WE Need To Take Your Photos For League and Team Web Site: This Thursday

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Reminder Player Photos Will Be Taken on Thursday
Group I after Practice 1:45PM- 2:30 pm
Group II 1 hour prior to practice (Noon)- 1:00 pm
Players please bring a shirt and tie. Photos will be taken with an Eels away Jersey over shirt and tie.

CCM Stick Order Wed Before Practice

CCM Stick Order Wed.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys
If you want to place your stick order see Coach Frankie and Coach Greg on Wed. for order form
You can see this year it is a lot easier
you contact Bill McKay direct
You can see coach Frankie before the first session of ice
You can see coach Greg also before the first session of ice
All payments are made directly to store
Coach Frank

→ view on teamapp.com

Eels Player Development At Work as It Signs Rookie Defensemen CJ Mills From Its Own Midget Program.

The Florida Eels are pleased to announce that CJ Mills has signed with the Florida Eels program for the 2017-18 season. CJ played for the Eels youth program for the last 5-6 seasons. He originally moved here from Michigan. CJ last season played on the Southwest Florida High School Program and joined the Eels junior program as a practice player. He worked very hard last season and over the summer to be able to crack a tough Eels lineup this year.

Mills is now well over 6 feet tall and in good shape. CJ has played defense his entire career as a hockey player. As a youth player, comments Assistant Coach Joey Giambalvo, who was his previous bantam and midget head coach, CJ was always very steady and reliable. He keeps things simple and does not take unnecessary risk. That is what makes him so attractive as a junior player. At the Juniors the game is so much faster, the speed of the players, puck and the over all game is enhanced 5 fold so when you have a player who is reliable as CJ it is a coaches dream. He has good skill set and will undeniably add depth to the Eels junior program.

GM Scarpaci says CJ is a extremely smart young man as well boasting over 4.3 GPA. Now we all know that opens a plethora of doors in college admissions. Now it is up to CJ how far he wants to take his college hockey opportunity. This young man has enormous work ethic. He worked 55 hours per week over the summer while also training in the gym to make himself ready for the junior season. I know he will bring this same dedication and determination to our program this season says Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci. We are glad to see one of our own being part of our Eels Junior program.

Czech Rep.Standout Defensemen Petr Staif Signs With Florida Eels

General Manager Frank Scarpaci has set out on a mission this season to put together a first class program with both his Elite and Premier teams and with the signing of Petr Staif you can see the he has gone clear across the Atlantic to the help solidify this mission. Staif is a 5’11” 175 pound extremely mobile defensemen from Czech Rep.. GM Scarpaci scouted STAIF over the summer and loved what he saw in his skill set and work ethic. He is a machine. He keeps going a top speed and is tiredness right to the end.

Eel’s Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci says we see from his first days at the Eels Pre Season training camp he is an excellent skater and has great stick handling and scoring abilities. He agrees the young man has a phenomenal work ethic. You can see it in his face he has the will to win. Everyttime he hits the ice he wants to get better. He already has bought into our program and he is only here a few days.

What is so phenomenal about STAIF is his age. He is a 1999. This young man shows great pose and vision on the ice thus far, and when you combine this with his untiring efforts we can say he is “legit” in the hockey sense. Petr has been skating both sessions each day and then is at World Gym for another 1-½ hours. You can tell he loves it.

GM Scarpaci is not foreign in the garnering of imports to his Eels program. In fact he has been well know in the USPHL for his successes in bringing over dozens of Canadians, Russians, Swedish, Latvian, German and English players but it has been 5 years since we had a player from the Czech Rep.. We are so glad he joined us concludes Coach Scarpaci. He will be a major continuator to the Eels blueline this season.

An Extremely Determined 2nd Year Man - Corey Altieri Signs Back With The Eels

Corey joined the Eels last season after playing one year with the Eels Midget team. He is a native of Buffalo New York where he got his “seasoning” in travel hockey. Assistant Coach Joey Giambalvo was his head coach while Corey played midgets for the Eels. Joey echoed how “determined Corey was. He had good skills and probably our most talented midget on that team”

He has a knack for driving to the net and shooting. You can see his appetite to score by the willingness to do what ever it took to get to the net. Coach Giambalvo was very high on bringing Corey up to the Juniors last year to get him the high level of training and experience he would need to get to the “Next Level” Corey joined Coach Frankie Scarpaci at the USPHL Spring Showcase last year and then joined GM Scarpaci at the Pro AM Sr. Chowder Cup. These forums and last season’s experience is what ignited the fire in Corey Altieri’s heart.

He told GM Scarpaci he was ready to make an even more commitment this season. He set out on a path this past Spring and Summer to put his mission and goals into play. He attended all of Coach Scarpaci’s training sessions and hockey camps. He spent the time in the gym when others may have taken time off. This work ethic is not something you start it is engrained in your upbringing. You either have it or you don’t. Coach Scarpaci commented “ever see some guys just give you that much more….give you everything and then some…..We see it in players all the time….Hard work beats talent all day long”

Keep in mind Corey did all this while maintaining an extremely high GPA. He is amongst the top in his class and for pursuing his goals of playing NCAA college hockey that is a must. Some kids fail to realize the operative word in College Hockey is COLLEGE echoes GM Scarpaci. Corey knows and relishes this. He comers from a family of very good hockey players – his brothers who played in New York. But academics were paramount for them and his supportive parents.

We expect this to be Altieri’s break out year on the ice. We saw what he could as a midget in putting the puck in the net and we trust his insatiable appetite and ability to score will ripen now that he has one year of juniors under his proverbial belt. Welcome back Corey

Florida Eels Add Power Up Front with the signing of Swedish Veteran GABRIEL HEMSTRÖM

HEMSTRÖM at 6’3” 193 pounds brings size and experience to the Eels forward lineup. GABRIEL comes with 3 years of junior experience. GM Scarpaci has been very selective in signing his players this season. He was looking for a highly skilled young man that possesses the style of work ethic that is a Hallmark of the Eels program.

GM Scarpaci scouted HEMSTRÖM for quite some time. We love his passion and his intensity. “He trained extremely hard every day,” say his Swedish coaches. “He is first to be at practice. Last to leave. He sets his own “barometer” very high. He works to perfection. Extremely coachable.” They also echoed his character and leadership qualities were impeccable. Bringing in GABRIEL HEMSTRÖM was a no brainer.

Head Coach of the Eels Premier Team, Frankie Scarpaci, commented: “We also saw in games he played (in very strong leagues in Sweden) he averaged ½ point per game. That is pretty impressive. Coach Scarpaci said this kid has the “Will To Win” and it shows in games, practices and over all character. We are so pleased that he joined us this year. He is new to the America and of course Florida. All of the guys are looking forward to him fitting right in and helping him and the so many other new Eel players to enjoy their entire experience here while being an impact players in our program.

Energy Guy - Mason DeMeyere Re-Signs With The Florida Eels Juniors

Last season rookie, Mason DeMeyere, has been fueling his development over the entire Spring and Summer working tirelessly with Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci. He hardly took a few weeks off at the end of last year’s playoffs and he was right back at it. He was on the ice with special training with the junior coaches and in the gym and off – ice conditioning 5 days peer week. Coach Frankie commented on how hard Mason had been working. He joined a number of veteran players with every intent to get the training necessary to elevate his game. He was taking ownership to his personal development.

Mason DeMeyere has seen first hand so many of the Eels alumni have advanced on to college. He set his goals to do just that. But most importantly Mason DeMeyere realized that having a goal and a mission is not enough. He had to execute a plan and - what better architect in diagraming that step is coach Frankie. Mason was religious in his efforts. Be it at 6:00 am ice or 8 am off ice conditioning or late evening at World Gym. You can see it all over his eyes. The determination and dedication he put into it.

Mason also demonstrated his maturity in helping the new guys who joined us early in the “Pre-Pre-Season” training. As GM I am so thrilled that Mason has made has stepped up to the plate. He is our future. When he is on the ice he always mixes things up. First on the puck, battles extremely hard along the boards, and is relentless in his fore-check and back checking. At 5’10” he plays like he is 6”3” He never quits. He is one of the hungriest players on the ice. Mason has the will to win and that is the quality of player we want. Another key ingredient here is his character. He comes from a great supportive family that supports him 100% and impressively does not take that for granted.

All these qualities are empathically what we look for in our program says GM Scarpaci. We are thrilled to have him back…..

Massachusetts Native Cameron Carnes Joins The Florida Eels

Eels Announce the Signing Of Rookie 6’1” forward Cameron Carnes from Taunton Mass. Cameron played for the Eels at the Pro Am Sr. Chowder Cup in Boston Mass over the Summer. The Eels coaching staff really liked what they saw in this young man. Elite coach Greg Sears commented that Carnes at 6’1” has some size and was very effective battling in the corners and won the loose puck battles against some very big boys in Boston. He knows how to effectively use his body to his advantage. These players we played against were very seasoned junior and freshman college players and Cameron performed very well against them.

Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci said he liked the way Cameron drove to the net. He seems to relish getting the puck to the net. Shooting is so much part of the game. So many players simply turn up scoring opportunities by failing to shoot. It was nice to see he is willing to step up and do what is needed. This kid can be a difference maker and with the right training he will improve his game many fold.

GM Scarpaci said he likes this young man’s attitude. He possesses the character traits that the Eels are always looking for in building their program. He appears to have the determination and willing to give the unwavering dedication and effort that makes a player a college player. It takes hard work and effort. It requires 100% of his time every day at practice. Each time he hits the ice. Every shift of every period. This is what we expect from him.

Cameron wants to advance to the Next Level and that is college. He is putting everything on the line here. His family is 100% supporting his dreams. They know however, that dreams are not enough. He needs to take that dream and goal and turn it into reality. We are thrilled he elected to join the Eels. We know he will train with the heart and intensity that we expect from all of our players

The Florida Eels Embark on An Unprecedented 28-Day Pre Season Training Camp Starts August 14th at the Fort Myers Skatium

This season the Eels will be hosting a 28-day pre season training camp for its Premier and Elite players. In years past the Eels had set the benchmark with an envious 21-day Pre Season session. But GM Frank Scarpaci has raised the bar this year as he wants to get his players and teams “November ready” when the season starts. Twenty-Eight days is what you would find at the Tier I and Tier II level. Frankie Scarpaci Eels Premier coach is a firm believer in training. He wanted to ensure that his players are receiving rich quality time to develop and enhance their skill set. He notes, “All to often in Junior hockey teams have very limited time to prepare their players for the season. With 28 days we can afford to spend significant time working on the little things that make the difference.”

For the first 2 weeks the players will have up to 3+ hours of ice each day to accomplish these ends. Additionally the players will be doing hockey specific strength and conditioning training at their world-class facility - World Gym. The team will also be conducting a number of scrimmages to help set the teams amongst its players. In fact, 15 of the Eels players have already been training over the Spring and Summer as a “Pre Pre Season” session. It is incredible the commitment and determination be echoed and presented by his junior players comments Coach Scarpaci.

GM Scarpaci notes that our recruits include top players from many outstanding midget programs as well as many veterans from across the USA Canada and Europe who are looking to take advantage of the Eels very successful placement of its players into college. We have several players from Canada Europe and as far west as Australia. Moreover, this year we have 7 players who came from very prestigious prep schools and academies. Indeed, we are very excited about the upcoming season and can’t wait for all of them to arrive.

Florida Eels Announce the Return of Sophomore Defensemen Jimmy Sturdivent

Jimmy Sturdivent 6’0” 185 pound defensemen returns this season more focused and determined as ever. He is entering his second season as an Eels junior player. He also played one year with the Eels midget team. Jimmy had an opportunity last season to experience a whole new game.: the overall speed of the players; the required quickness in his decision-making; the bigger players; the skill and talent level of his teammates and opposing players; the entire atmosphere and euphoria of playing juniors; the first hand experience witnessing the scouting; the gruel and grind of practice 1 ½ hours on ice every day 5 days per week 40 weeks of the regular season; then the intense off ice strength and conditioning another 1-½ hours per day; the 3 hour video sessions; the 24 hour bus trips to New England and Virginia.

Jimmy also took full advantage over the past several seasons to join the Eels coaches and teammates to travel to Boston and compete in some of the most prestigious post-season showcases such as the Spring and Summer USPHL College Showcases as well as the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft and the Sr and Junior Chowder Cups. These forums provided enormous visibility and exposure for him while proving equally phenomenal experience in playing with and against some of the top players from the USA Canada and Europe. This was a lot for anyone to take in and he did it as a 2000. Indeed there was an immense learning curve. But Jimmy witnessed first hand so many of the Eels players advance to college. That is why he came to the Eels 3 seasons ago. He wanted to capture that same opportunity. There is no doubt in this young man’s heart he too wants to be part of the 199 Eels alumni who moved on to play college hockey.

Jimmy also recognized last Spring that if he wanted to advance his skill set and future opportunities he had to propel his training to the Next Level. He understood from working with Coach Frankie Scarpaci, that having a goal and dream is not enough. You have to have more than a mission. There is a clear parallel of players who train intensely in the off-season and those that successfully advance to play college hockey. He asked himself “where do you want to be?”

Jimmy took last season’s experience with the Eels to heart and in April he went to task. He joined in the Eels Junior team’s Spring and Summer training program which included 6:00 am ice sessions three times per week and Eels intensive Off Ice training at World Gym 4 times per week. He also attended three weeks of Eels summer camp and competed in the USPHL Spring Showcase and Pro AM NHL Pre Draft in Boston. He was determined to get ready for the upcoming season. He realizes that this year will be a watershed year in terms of his player development. As a 2000 he knows that so much of his future and destiny is in his hands and needs to take ownership in that. He knows that this year, he is no longer a rookie and needs to be more serious, day in and out and this past spring and summer is only a precursor of what he needs to do this junior season. He knows that his desire, dedication, hunger and commitment will need to be heightened if he wants to reach the goals he is setting for himself. GM Scarpaci echoes that “we are proud of Jimmy and we looking forward to seeing him lay it all on the line this season.” Welcome back Jimmy.

Veteran Eels Goalie Nick Kotz Returns And Ready To Make His Mark.

Florida Eels goalie Nick Kotz has been training all summer in preparation for his last year as a junior player. He is a 1997 veteran. His hometown is Chicago, IL. He is a very determined young man with all eyes on his NCAA destination for the following year. You can see it all over his face – the fire is already burning and the official season has not even started.

Nick had an outstanding year the last several seasons on the USP3 team. He backstopped the team to many impressive performances and is looking to make this season his best ever with the Eels. He is looking forward to showcasing his goaltending at the Eels inaugural season in the Premier Division.

He knows it is up to him and how he performs as a “key” to college entrance. At this level you cannot take any game for granted. That means he has to sacrifice everything to reach his mission. He knows what Coach Frankie Scarpaci expects. Extraordinary training and dedication.

Nick has seen so many outstanding goalies play for the Eels. Our exceptional netminders has been our Hallmark over the last 8-9 years. He has witnessed so many advance on to NCAA college programs. Indeed, our goalies not only move on to NCAA college teams – they are the starting goalies!

Nick has been with us for three seasons. He has matured enormously over the years. In addition his outstanding skills he is mentally tough and very hungry. We are very excited to have him back to help backstop his team to the top. Welcome back Nick.

Things Are Coming Together Real Nicely as the Eels Announce the Return of Eels Veteran Rajhan Munnings

Hockey players come in all shapes and sizes. We see in the USA players are developing not only from the traditional markets such as Massachusetts New England Michigan Minnesota and Illinois. We see first hand how Florida has developed some every talented young player as well as the other non-traditional areas such as California Texas Colorado and all across the USA. Moreover we have seen the development of players from Europe and this year the Eels have 2 boys from Austria. But who would have ever though we would see a player from Turks and Cacaos. Yes did you read this right? Turks and Cacaos. Yes Rajhan Munnings. He has been with the Eels for 3 years. One as a midget and two as a junior player. This season will be Rajen’s 3rd season as an Eel junior player.

In all fairness GM Scarpaci comments it was Dan D’Astoli of HPA Sports who first scouted Munnings. I recall receiving the call from Dan several years ago and I said: “What?” Dan then told me about the Rajhan’s heart. He is an athlete Dan said and if anyone can make him into a player you can Frank…..”So we accepted the challenge. It took us a bit and well I can say without equivocation the time and effort has paid off. Rajhan worked 4 hours each day 40 weeks of training endlessly and tirelessly for 3 years. To say he has a tremendous work ethic in the understatement of the year! He also has a great personality. Very lively. A teammate in the best way. He is one of the most determined young men and phenomenal motivator in the locker-room. He knows how to lighten things up when the atmosphere is too tense. You can say he is a comedian. He has an incredible personality.

He was team assistant Captain last season. Showed great leadership skills. He also works 20-30 hours per week and is attending college part time. Now that shows the kind of individual he is. He does not take what his parents have done for him for granted. He is a high character young man and appreciates everything everyone does for him

He is a winner says Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci who coached him for 3 seasons. He plays with a high tenpo. Has the insatiable appetite to win. He loves to drive to the net and score. He only knows one speed. Overspeed. Despite his offensive thirst, he is very smart not to take unnecessary low percentage chances He is a two-way player and last season made the conversion to a defensemen. His forward skills allows for a quick transition out of the zone. He is smart and wont take needless risk. This all comes from his veteran experience playing for Coach Frankie. He brings veteran experience this year. That is always a huge plus to the team. The team has a goal this season and Rajhan is in sync. Welcome back Rahjan Munnings.

EEls Announce the Signing of Veteran Defensemen Jaymen Swygert and Rookie Forward Cade Swygert

Good Things Come in Pairs: The Eels are elated to announce the signings of the Swygert brothers from South Carolina. Jaymen Jaymen Swygert is a 1998 experienced defensemen who played juniors last season and his younger brother a 2000 forward Cade Swygert have joined the Eels this season.

Jaymen is 6’2” 185 pounds. He is a strong hard nose mobile defensemen who is a consummate warrior in his own zone. He will outwork opposing forwards in front of his net - denying opposition the landscape. That is his house and you will not take it. He has very good vision and is mobile. He has a Good heavy shot on the blueline. He is looking to hone in his skills and ripen into a top player, as his mission is to play NCAA college hockey. We have had the pleasure to have Jaymen on our Sr Chowder Cup team and saw immediately his character and maturity. We are very excited that he will be joining us in the Fall.

His younger brother Cade is 5’11’” 175 pounds and has impressed the Eels with his ability to score and his nice swift and clever playmaking. Cade has quick feet and explosive speed and drives hard to the net. We love his positive attitude and determination.

We can see that both brothers understand the commitment necessary to advance to the “Next Level” They have bought into what the Eels are all about. Training training and training. Outwork the opponents. Never quit. Always exude confidence and maintain respect. They already developed the camaraderie amongst several of the Eels players and we are looking forward to their arrival.

The Florida Eels are thrilled to announce the signing of Veteran Defenseman Bryce Freel.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels are thrilled to announce the signing of Veteran Defenseman Bryce Freel. Bryce is a 2-year veteran from Chicago and brings so many intangibles and tangibles to the Eels lineup. He has great size at 6’3” 190 pounds. GM Scarpaci and Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci scouted Freel at 4 showcases this Spring and Summer. He also played for the Eels at the Spring USPHL Showcase, the Pro AM NHL Pre Draft in May, and the Sr. Chowder Cup Junior A Division this month in Boston.

There is no doubt this is a high character young man. We love his attitude and the way he presents himself on and off the ice. He does not get rattled when he plays against strong players. He brings 2 years of junior experience. Coming as a seasoned veteran defenseman is phenomenal. Bryce plays a nice hybrid style as he willing to jump in on the offensive play and throttle the attack. He has a very hard and controlled shot form the point. Another arsenal on the Eels power play. His in zone defensive play is smart and steady. He is overpowering in outworking opponents in front of his net and relentless along the wall and keen on his gaps.

Freel is a very determined young man and joins in with the Eels missions and goals. He is focused and hungry. He is a college bound young man and that is why he unwaveringly committed to the Eels program. Welcome Bryce to our program.

Last Week of Summer Ice Hockey Camp Special Session for Junior Players

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Join Us at the Fort Myers Skatium The Coolest Place in Town This Week For the Most Affordable Ice Hockey Camp in Florida Location:  Fort Myers Skatium  2250 Broadway Fort Myers Fl 33901

Dates: July 31st – August 4th

Ice times and Off – Ice: TBD Juniors Done by noon  SPECIAL PRICING FOR JUNIOR PLAYERS
Cost:  $100.00

This is a “Pre Pre Season Camp”
Take Your Game to The Next Level  Sharpen Your Competitive Edge

• Power Skating and Technique

• Creative Stick Handling

• Passing…Delivery One-Touch and Receipt

• Shooting with Speed and Accuracy

• Puck Control and the Art of Deception

• Individual Skill and Team Concepts

• Goaltending Training Technique and Style

Coaches: Florida Eels Junior Coaches Frankie Scarpaci Premier Team. Greg Sears Elite Team and several members of the Eels Junior Teams

To enroll and register:  Complete Flyer at the rink or Contact: Frank Scarpaci Hockey Director 941-400-9023

Eels Announce The Return of High Energy Forward Colton Crabtree

A Hat Trick in Ice Hockey is when a player scores 3 goals in one game. A natural Hat Trick is when a player scores 3 goals in one period. This is a rare indeed. The Florida Eels scored a Hat Trick today of its own sort albeit even before the season starts! The Eels Team Hat Trick is referred to as when a team signs 3 top returning veteran players in one day. That is precisely what the Eels announced today as they report that highflying extremely energized Colton Crabtree is returning this season to the Eels Premier team. Today the Eels also signed Caden Tchop and NIKITA LOPATIN

Colton was one of the most charismatic players on the Eels Elite team last season. Colton is a native of Brighton, CO. He is 5’9” 170 pounds. Last year was his rookie year in Junior Hockey. In 42 games last season for the Eels he scored 9 goals and tallied 15 assists for 24 points. He brought so much electricity to the team. On the ice he was the team’s spark plug. First in the corners. Never backing down from any player despite giving away size and weight. He was relentless in all 3 zones. He battled so well along the boards winning loose puck scums. He did anything he could to protect his zone including block shots and wearing down opponents’ offensive attacks.

You could hear his enthusiasm clearly across the rink echoes GM Frank Scarpaci. He was an in your face kind of guy. The guy every team hates to play against. His determination and team spirit was loudly heard as well in his locker-room. He was always positive and got the guys pumped up says Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci. He is truly one of the most self and team motivating kind of player you ever coached.

He was fearless as well in his line drives. You will often see him penetrating the crease and paying the price for such aggressive attacks. “That is his job he echoes and if I get mauled and beat up so be it I am here to do what it takes and if it means getting bruised and banged up every night- well so be it. You have to be hard nosed to play this game the right way.” He was often teamed up with some of our extremely talented goal scorers and Colton knew his role. Head man it drive to the net and open up scoring options. He is a selfless type of player never looking for credit on assists. He emphatically bought into our system. He knew with the Eels it was all about the team and not individual accolades.

This kid shows tremendous maturity for a 1998 DOB. He has tremendous character and possesses a high level of civic responsibility at such an early age.

GM Scarpaci is thrilled to have him return this year. We know he is very focused and determined to advance to college and realize his dreams not only to play NCAA College hockey but also to become someone and make a real impact in society.

Coach Frankie Scarpaci is equally thrilled to have Colton back. He is a player with very good skill set and extremely willing to improve every time he hits the ice. His work ethic parallels his energies. He comes back every day and shoots 150 pucks. This unwavering dedication and commitment is indeed contagious and that is the type and quality of players we at the Eels demand comments Coach Scarpaci. Like so many of my guys he is a winner and has every intent make that happen this year. We all know our goal and Colton is 100% committed to the Eels mission. Welcome back Colton

The Florida Eels Announce The Return of Veteran NIKITA LOPATIN

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Eels are extremely thrilled to announce that Russian star player NIKITA LOPATIN has returned to the Florida Eels this season. Nikita came to the Eels last season as a rookie junior player. He played in Canada for the Ontario Hockey Academy acquiring good seasoning. While at the OHA he amassed a total of 42 goals and 42 assists. Impressively, while in Russia in 32 games he scored 23 goals and 16 assists for 39 points. For the Eels in his rookie year in 42 games he cannoned 26 goals and notched equally in 26 assists for a total of 52 points. We saw quite readily this kid is a natural goal scorer.

NIKITA made the adjustment to juniors probably easier than any player I have ever had in my program says GM Frank Scarpaci. As a 1999, he played with tremendous maturity and poise. He clearly stands far above anyone else in his age category. He has an extremely high hockey IQ and his has the skill set of a 1996 player says Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. He is an excellent skater, possess great hands and makes crisp accurate razor like passes. But there is no doubt anyone ever scouting this young man will tell you his strongest attribute is his big league shot. He has that “Pro” shot that terrorizes goalies. His slap shot is not only canon like….but it reaches the net. That is a key to his arsenal. So many players develop their shot but the puck hardly reaches the net. We have often heard the phase “Russian Rocket” well folks this kid has it says GM Scarpaci. He is so exciting to watch….

With Nikita the puck finds its way on net. It comes with such force and velocity. Equally threatening is NIKITA’s snap shot and wrist shots. They are equally pointed and piercing. Coach Frankie Scarpaci echoed, “One thing for sure one of 3 things will happen when he takes a shot. He will score, create a scoring opportunity by a rebound or garner us a face off. That is the hallmark of his game.

Coach Scarpaci also opined that NIKITA is a great leader as well. His maturity speaks volumes on and off the ice. At 6’1” 190 pounds he is in excellent shape and demands the same unwavering commitment from his teammates. Everyday not only does he practice 1 ½ hours on the ice and another 1 ½ hours strength and conditioning at World Gym, he comes back religiously 5 days per week and shots 150-200 pucks a day. Funny thing he does not need this extra shooting practice, but my heavens that is what makes his shots so deadly. An example of his commitment and dedication to the Eels this season is his precise presence here in Florida. He came back 3 weeks before training camp even started to get working with Premier head coach Frankie Scarpaci to get ready for Pre Season training camp. Now that says it all. He is thousands of miles away from home but he is empathically committed to his Eels team and his coach.

Coach Scarpaci concludes, NIKITA has the insatiable appetite to win. He comes to the rink every day with that fire in his eyes. The determination and dedication is written all over his face. On game day he excludes nothing less.

GM Scarpaci notes, “We expect him to advance to the highest levels in this sport. No question he is a top NCAA player. How far he advances…. just keep watching him. The college coaches have already targeted him on their radar and we are unequivocally excited about his presence and contributions this season. Welcome back Nita.”

Veteran Eels Forward CADEN TCHOP. Announces His Return To The Florida Eels

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels continue to bolster their line up with the announcement of returning Eels veteran CADEN TCHOP. Caden came to the Eels last season originating from his high school and midget programs in Superior Wisconsin. We scouted him the previous season and liked what we saw in his skill set, his enthusiasm and the extra step in his game. Caden was always first on the puck; he drove to the net with a degree of abandonment….. We liked that edge. The fearless in him. We call this heart, says Eels Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci.

When he arrived with the Eels last Fall, he initially was placed on the USP3 team. Clearly after 8 games we saw he was the best player on that squad and earned a chance to be brought up to the Elite team. GM Frank Scarpaci echoed, he just played that much harder. He had leadership and brought the intangibles to the team. But we knew he should be brought up and we never looked back.

In 36 games on the Eels’ Elite squad he scored 6 goals and 10 assists. Coach Frankie Scarpaci noted, “Caden brought so much energy to his line. His aggressive fore-check caused opponents to turn over the puck and created puck possession for us. He frustrated the hell out of opposing players and coaches. His tenacious back-checking was equally critical for us as it shut down forwards on the line rushes and shut down sustainable attacks to our goalies…. the key to so many wins night in and night out. “

Moreover, one stat that is not shown is Caden’s statistical database was his “plus minus” contribution. GM Frank Scarpaci says he was amongst the top in the league in that department.

Caden had many options this year but he wanted to come back to complete his goals. First win a national title. That is fore most on his mind. He believes in his coach and knows he is 100 committed to help charter the team to that end. Second, He believes in his teammates. These guys are a special group of players and the camaraderie is unparalleled. Third, Caden is hell bent on sharpening his skill set to elevate him to the Next Level and that is NCAA College hockey. Caden like so many of the players we have in the program is very determined and dedicated. He tirelessly works at his game spends 4+ hours each day practicing on and off the ice and shooting 100+ pucks each day to enhance his scoring skills.

It is players like Caden with unqualified strong character, who not only have the skill set, but possess the intangibles such as heart and will win and the commitment to take us to the Next Level that makes the Eels such a unique program. We are more than excited to proudly announce his return to the Eels.

Press Release Major Signings To Be Announced This Weekend. Also a reminder of the Eels last week of its Summer Ice Hockey Camps

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Folks the Eels are thrilled to announce the signings of a number of key returning veteran players in addition to some key additions from the pat 3 months of intense recruitment,

Head Coach of the Florida Eels Premier team Frankie Scarpaci echoes that he is very excited about this year’s guys. The talent level, the speed, the size, the skill set, the character of our players is exactly what we were looking for in our scouting and recruiting this past spring and summer

GM Frank Scarpaci will be unveiling some of the names in the next few days.

Already a number of the guys have arrived for “Pre Pre Season” training. It is unreal seeing the enthusiasm and excitement resonating amongst the guys. Training camp starts August 13th.

Folks if you are around feel free to stop by and meet the Eels new Elite Head Coach Greg Sears. He has been working with coach Frankie with the local guys and some of the “early Arrivals” and the coaches will be in full swing this week coming up as the Eels will be hosting its Annual Summer Camp. If you are a local player make sure you try to join us this coming week. It is an excellent way to get yourself ready for the season. 3+ hours of training Monday – Friday next week.
Call Coach Frank for details.
941-400-9023

Eels Preparing For Pre Season Training Camp

The Florida Eels prepare for 3 weeks of pre-season training camp. The Eels kick off their season August 13th with their orientation and then October 14th the players and their coaches will hit the ice and fitness training at full speed. The Eels have players truly from across the entire USA including the traditional markets of Mass, New Hampshire, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, as well as from the non-traditional hockey markets of Colorado, Florida, North and South Carolina, California, Washington State, Virginia, Texas and many more areas spanning across the USA. This year we are also hosting players from all across Europe including Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, France, Spain and Australia. We also will have very talented players from Montreal, Toronto and the British of Columbia.

No doubt, this will make for a very special training camp. A truly international junior program comments GM Frank Scarpaci. The camp will consist of approximately 50% returning Eels ‘veterans from last year’s extremely successful teams. The Eels staff has also recruited very seasoned and tested veteran players for another 40% of its recruits. The remaining 10% are new players who have emanated and advanced from high-level midget Tier I AAA programs.

This year’s players come with an even more quickness in their step. Our players are bigger stronger and faster than before. We expect a continued aggressive fore-check Eels’ style from this years Premier and Elite squads. As customary, despite the Eels explosive offense, the Eels will continue to harness its tough defense thus bringing an extraordinary high level of play from its players. Our hallmark is player advancement and college placement. 199 to date. We expect to once again advance 15 players to college next season.

Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci says he loves the fact that he not only has ½ of his returning veteran players, he relishes the fact that 90% of his new players are seasoned veteran players albeit from Junior teams and or top Prep Schools form the Northeast. We spent hundreds of hours vetting our players and we are elated in the character of the young men joining us. This season we also debut Eels new Elite coach Greg Sears. Coach Sears has already reported to Florida where he and coach Frankie Scarpaci have been running several weeks’ pre season pre camp. Indeed, about 12 players have shown up in mid July to get a jump on the season. In fact we expect another 10 or so guys to arrive here on the first of August to join these special sessions.

Payments For Summer Ice session and Sr Chowder Cup To Be collected at Rink Friday morning

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Guys if you have not paid for the summer ice session that started July 5th, Clare and I will be at the rink Friday morning to collect.

You must bring a check or credit card with you at that time.

Next week we head to the Sr. Chowder Cup we also need everyone to bring a check for the showcase as well.

Thank you
Coach Frank

Host Families Needed For Florida Eels Junior Players

Are You Interested In Taking In a Junior Player From August 13th thru March 2018?

The Florida Eels are in need of a few more Billet Families to host some really great athletes this season.

I am asking all of our fans past and present in the Fort Myers Cape Coral Area to consider becoming a host family for these young athletes ages 16-20 years old. Some come as far as Australia, France, Sweden, Canada, Russia & all over the United States. For many hockey parents, when their son joins a junior team, it marks the first time... that he has left home. I want to assure them they will be in a positive warm family environment. We have a variation of host families that have opened their homes up and hosted these players. Our program is successful due to our Eels host families that take in these players. Please truly consider becoming a Host Family. If you or if you know of someone that would be perfect for this please contact me.

For more details contact:

Samantha Youd

Florida Eels Junior Hockey

Billet Coordinator

239-994-2285

slyoud1982@gmail.com

New Ice Session Starts Wed, July 5th Payment Due Now For 2nd Session of Summer Ice Training FLORIDA EELS

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

New Ice Session Starts Wed, July 5th
Payment Due Now For 2nd Session of Summer Ice Training
FLORIDA EELS

The second session of the summer ice session starts next Wednesday.

This is July’s On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players. June’s Training was absolutely phenomenal for the guys who participated. They prepared very hard for the upcoming junior season. We urge all players to join in these sessions. They are scheduled to accommodate your work schedule.

On Ice 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays
Specialized in individual skills
• including power skating, explosive speed, edge work
• Creative stickhandling, puck control and puck protection
• Shooting and scoring
Positional Coaching
Battle techniques

Off Ice “Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training, Agility and Dry Land Skills
3-4 days per week
Two sessions of Dry Land will be available. Morning and Afternoon to accommodate work schedules for many junior players
Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

Cost: $300.00 per month. No proration

Contact Clare Scarpaci to register
941-400-0712 flelitehockey@aol.com

Beat The Brutal Summer Heat With The Eels Summer Ice Hockey Camp 2017

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Join Us at the Fort Myers Skatium The Coolest Place in Town This Summer For the Most Affordable Ice Hockey Camp in Florida Location:  Fort Myers Skatium  2250 Broadway Fort Myers Fl 33901

Dates: July 17th – 21st

July 31 thru August 4th Camp drop off is at 9:00 am 

Ice times and Off – Ice: TBD

Mites – Bantams stay from 9:00 am – 4 :00 pm  Pick Up time is at 4:00 pm sharp

Midgets and Juniors Done by noon  Cost:  225.00 for all players

Take Your Game to The Next Level Sharpen Your Competitive Edge

• Power Skating and Technique

• Creative Stick Handling

• Passing…Delivery One-Touch and Receipt

• Shooting with Speed and Accuracy

• Puck Control and the Art of Deception

• Individual Skill and Team Concepts

• Goaltending Training Technique and Style

To enroll and register:  Complete Flyer at the rink or Contact: Frank Scarpaci Hockey Director 941-400-9023

The Florida Eels Announce the Hiring Of Coach Greg Sears as Head Coach of the Florida Eels Elite Team.

The Florida Eels Announce the Hiring Of Coach Greg Sears as Head Coach of the Florida Eels Elite Team.

Greg is a Webster, Wisconsin native, Greg Sears brings over twelve years of coaching experience to the Eels program. Last season Sears served as the Assistant hockey coach for the Yellowstone Quake of the NA3HL. The Quake posted a 40-4-3 record in the regular season and reached the National Semifinals of the Silver cup before falling to the Metro Jets.

Prior to his time in with the Quake, Sears spent the two seasons with the Atlanta Fire as Assistant Hockey Director and Head Coach of the U18 AAA club. During the 2013-14 season, Sears spent time as an Assistant Coach for the Coulee Region Chill of the North American Hockey League.

Along with experience in the NAHL, Sears has spent eight years as a Head Prep hockey coach in Wisconsin, spending four years at both Webster High School, and La Crosse Central High School. In addition Coach Sears has worked with Top Dog Hockey program out of Minneapolis, Minnesota for twelve years, and scouted for numerous junior teams.

Coach Sears played junior hockey for the Northwest Wisconsin Knights previously of the SIJHL and MNJHL, and followed that up by playing ACHA hockey at the University of Minnesota

Greg will be arriving in Fort Myers on July 10th and will be heading to Boston to coach the College Open Team for the Eels Sr. Chowder Cup Team July 13th – 16th 2017. He will be returning to Fort Myers for his coaching duties on the 16th to help Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci for the July 17th Summer Camp and Training and his full time preparation for the upcoming junior season.

THE FLORIDA EELS JUNIORS HEADING TO THE PRO AM SR. AND JUNIOR CHOWDER CUP SHOWCASES IN BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS.

29 JUN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels Juniors Heading to The Pro Am Sr. and Junior Chowder Cup Showcases in Boston Massachusetts.

The Eels will be fielding two teams at the Pro Am Sr. Chowder Cup July 13-16th 2017. The games are being played at several different venues. The Eels will also be competing in the 2001 Junior Chowder Cup Division July 20th- 23rd 2017. In all, the Eels will be hosting approximately 50 players between the three teams. It is a very exciting opportunity for the players involved. GM Frank Scarpaci has recruited players from the dozen or so Spring and Summer Showcases he and his coaching staff have attended during the off-season recruiting season. In the Spring the Eels hosted 2 teams at the USPHL Spring Showcase and another 2 teams at the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft getting a first hand opportunity to coach and be with 80 players during the showcase forums.

The Chowder Cup players will be playing with and against some of the top players from the USA Canada and Europe. Many of the boys will also be using this forum as an opportunity to showcase their skills for the Eels Junior coaches as key prospects for next year’s Premier and Elite Eels teams. At the Sr. Chowder Cup, the Eels will also be presenting some of its returning Eels veterans and their new signees.

The Eels coaching staff is eager to get a snap shot at the players attending. We not only get to see them play, but the players get to experience the high level of competition and equally garner phenomenal exposure and visibility before so many NCAA College coaches.

The Eels will be fielding two teams at the Pro Am Sr. Chowder Cup July 13-16th 2017. The games are being played at several different venues. The Eels will also be competing in the 2001 Junior Chowder Cup Division July 20th- 23rd 2017. In all, the Eels will be hosting approximately 50 players between the three teams. It is a very exciting opportunity for the players involved. GM Frank Scarpaci has recruited players from the dozen or so Spring and Summer Showcases he and his coaching staff have attended during the off-season recruiting season. In the Spring the Eels hosted 2 teams at the USPHL Spring Showcase and another 2 teams at the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft getting a first hand opportunity to coach and be with 80 players during the showcase forums.

The Chowder Cup players will be playing with and against some of the top players from the USA Canada and Europe. Many of the boys will also be using this forum as an opportunity to showcase their skills for the Eels Junior coaches as key prospects for next year’s Premier and Elite Eels teams. At the Sr. Chowder Cup, the Eels will also be presenting some of its returning Eels veterans and their new signees.

The Eels coaching staff is eager to get a snap shot at the players attending. We not only get to see them play, but the players get to experience the high level of competition and equally garner phenomenal exposure and visibility before so many NCAA College coaches.

July Summer Ice Training Starts Next Week.

PAYMENT DUE NOW FOR 2ND SESSION OF SUMMER ICE TRAINING

29 JUN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Payment Due Now For 2nd Session of Summer Ice Training
FLORIDA EELS

The second session of the summer ice session starts next Wednesday.

This is July’s On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players. June’s Training was absolutely phenomenal for the guys who participated. They prepared very hard for the upcoming junior season. We urge all players to join in these sessions. They are scheduled to accommodate your work schedule.

On Ice 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays
Specialized in individual skills
• including power skating, explosive speed, edge work
• Creative stickhandling, puck control and puck protection
• Shooting and scoring
Positional Coaching
Battle techniques

Off Ice “Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training, Agility and Dry Land Skills
3-4 days per week
Two sessions of Dry Land will be available. Morning and Afternoon to accommodate work schedules for many junior players
Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

Cost: $300.00 per month. No proration

Contact Clare Scarpaci to register
941-400-0712 flelitehockey@aol.com

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HAVING YOUR COMPANY LOGO AS A SPONSOR ON THE EELS GAME PUCKS?

29 JUN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys this year we are going to have game pucks with our Eels logo on one side. We are offering the opportunity to anyone who who like to have their company logo on the other side of the puck as a team sponsor. The cost for the sponsor logo is $300 per each case. 100 pucks per case. Minimum order is 2 cases.
The order has to be placed in the next week so please let us know immediately if you want to do this. We need a very clear logo to make this happen. Details Contact:
Frank Scarpaci
941-400-9023
eelshockeycoach@aol.com

The Eels Are At The NHL Awards Ceremony

What a great time in Vegas watching the awards show. Hockey players and their families. These are such young guys. What a nice time.

The Florida Eels are extremely excited to announce the signing of Clement Espinasse. He is from Montpellier, FRA. He is 6’0” 175 pounds forward.

General Manager, Frank Scarpaci scouted Clement several weeks ago at the HPA Junior Hockey Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. This Combine was truly an eye opener. There were so many extremely talented junior hockey prospects at this one venue. GM Scarpaci attends virtually every Showcase in North America and the key to HPA Sports Combine is that the level of talent is very high across the board. There is one level and the bar set by HPA is very high and this is exactly what the Eels program looks for in its recruit: This standard is the pinnacle of what HPA Sports Management delivers to its scouts and players. Sean is the 2nd player signed from the HPA Combine.

Clement immediately came under GM Scarpaci’s scouting radar. He had good size at 6’0” size and outstanding good skill set to go with it. Looking at his pedigree he had outstanding development at his previous team the OHA where he scored 24 goals and 21 assists. Looking at the way he played it was no doubt he has the potential of being a major goal scorer. His speed is explosive handles the puck well makes clear-cut tape to tape passes and drives hard to the net. You can readily discern he has a high hockey IQ with the insatiable appetite to score. I loved his compete level

GM Scarpaci knew with the training offered by the Eels of 3 hours per day 5 days per week we could ripen Clement into a major impact player in juniors and ultimately in college. The USPHL raised the standards this year for the Elite and Premier divisions and Clement is exactly what we are looking for on our teams and in our program in general. The Eels and the USPHL are all about player development and with the high level coaching we deliver the sky is the limit here for Clement. This young man has the emphatic determination desire to get better and he is ever mindful of the opportunities and the Eels NCDC Affiliation. This is the hunger and desire we want commented GM Scarpaci.

What garnered continued attention throughout the HPA Combine, GM Scarpaci saw that Clement used his size to his advantage. He skated hard and battled very hard in all three zones. He owned 1 on 1 battles and he took ownership of the crease. It was like he was granted a deed to that territory. He has a very heavy shot at 6’0” 175 pounds and with the Eels program requiring its players to shoot 100 pucks per day GM Scarpaci could foresee this man’s future.

GM Scarpaci could tell from several off ice conversations with Clement he was good mannered and a strong character young man. This kid has the will to win. Think about it – he has sacrificed so much traveling to North America from France at such an early age to follow his dream and passion. You don’t see this determination and dedication in many players today. When we couple Clement with some of the top players we have been recruiting for the Eels Elite team and have him teamed with many of the returning Eels players, GM Scarpaci is very excited about the Elite team for next season. Clement and his dad both flew here from France to visit our facilities and meet with the coach’s staff and billet families. What is phenomenal family to be so dedicated to make the sacrifices to bring their son to the Next Level.

Clement comes to us in a long line of outstanding players developed by HPA Sports Management. GM Scarpaci has been doing business with Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli for 20 years. Clement is the 6th player of many that will join us from HPA Sports this season. Over the years we have garnered some of our top Elite and USP players from HPA Sports management, including last season Jean-Simon Robidoux who scored 24 goals 28 assists in 44 games. HPA continue to prove itself as one of the Premier Hockey Advisor agencies in North America helping hundreds of families from over 30 countries to find the right academic and hockey environment for their particular needs in North America. He has recruited and helped develop student/athletes from all over the world and has helped place them in various North American Prep Schools, Sports Academies, Colleges and Universities. We are honored that HPA had recommended Sean to join the Eels program this season. We look forward to an outstanding tenure with the Eels and helping Clement eventually advance to the Eels Premier team and ultimately realize his dreams of advancing to college.

Florida Eels Announce the Signing Of Veteran Forward AJ Giordano of Broomfield Colorado.

The Eels are thrilled to announce the return of last year veteran forward AJ Giordano from Broomfield Colorado AJ is s 1997 DOB. AJ comes back to his 3rd season as an Eel. Last season his players selected him as assistant captain to the USP3 team. G M Frank Scarpaci stated AJ was like the coaches’ right hand guy. There to help prepare for practices, pre and post game responsibilities and all video sessions. He plans to go into coaching so the extra things he does provides him with invaluable experiences to that end. AJ does so much for the team; his presence is felt by all of the players.

Head Coach of the Premier team Frankie Scarpaci noted that AJ is truly one of the hardest working guys we have. He is very dedicated and determined to do any thing for the Eels program. Talk about loyalty and commitment. This is a kid who

Re-watches every single game on video and breaks it down player by player and does critique. He helps break down every opponent past or future assisting coaches and each of the teammates to prepare for the games.

He is following in the footsteps of his dad who is a national recognized baseball coach who does essentially what the Eels do but for baseball.

AJ has his eyes set on attending college and playing hockey the following season. He knows from so many of his colleagues the Eels are the pathways for getting that secured. He is a very high character young man says GM Scarpaci. Probably one of the most honest and forthright young men we ever had in our program. We are so happy he is returning for his last year to play. AJ like so many others knows he has many options but he like all of the Eels’ returning players and new guys realize the Eels are the organization that advances players to college. 199 and moving upward. You just don’t go to college because you want to. If you want to play at the Next Level – College Hockey - it is years of hard work, dedication, determination, preparation and sacrifice and that is what AJ did. He trains 4 hours a day shoots 150 pucks each day to make his dreams a reality. And he plans to eclipse this determination this year and head off to college the following season.

Returning with the same passion and fire as he did as a player, Assistant Coach Joey Giambalvo returns this season to help the team so dear and near to his heart: The Florida Eels Elite team.

Coach Joey was the assistant coach last season of the Eels USP3 team and for the two prior seasons he was head coach of the Eels midget U16 AA squad. Coach Giambalvo pretty much has been an Eel most of his life, having played Midget and Bantams Tier I AAA for the Eels and subsequently advanced to the Eels top junior squad where he played 3 seasons.

Coach Joey held the All Time scoring title for the Eels for quite some time until recently being eclipsed by Eels recent alumni and fellow assistant coach Alex Sanchez and alumni scoring machine Zac Boyle. He played with enormous tenacity heart and determination. Despite his size, he was first in the corners, battled with the best of them in front of opposing defenseman and drove to the net with unwavering abandon heart. Although he is only 5’6” 150 pounds, he played like he was 6’ 2” 190 pounds of muscle. He loved playing juniors for the Eels and showed it every day at practice. His dedication was illustrated with his daily routine as he arrived at the rink 2 hours prior to the ice time and often remained one or two hours later just to get extra shooting in.

Joey was Team Captain in his last year with the Eels and assistant captain the prior season. This was a no brainer commented Eels General Manager who was then Coach Joey’s head coach. He led by example. He had the work ethic coaches dreamed about.

When Coach Joey joined the coaching staff as a bantam and midget coach a few years ago he brought the same energies and dedication as he had as a player. The players saw it. He brought his high skill set and coupled it with his fortitude and efforts in teaching that had an immediate positive impact on the players. GM Scarpaci coined it well when he stated that some folks would often utter that as a player, Joey had the “heart of a lion…this simply does not describe this kids intestinal fortitude….the truth is a lion has the heart of Joey”

Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci asked Giambalvo to join his coaching staff last season on the Eels Junior teams. Coach Frankie recognized that the intangibles brought to the team by Coach Joey cannot be easily replicated. He worked tirelessly last season to improve each player. He spent pain staking hours on video with each player to illustrate where improvements could be realized. He joined us at the USPHL Spring and Summer Showcases and the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft and Sr. Chowder Cups in our recruitment of players. His dedication even as a coach is so impressive as we must remember he is the owner of not one but two bagel stores in Cape Coral which requires that he go to work every morning at 2:00 am and the responsibilities and enormous but he finds the time to give back to the sport and the organization he loves so much.

Once again Coach Joey is back and he is bringing with him more vigor and enthusiasm as ever. A warm welcome back to assistant coach Joey Giambalvo .

The Florida Eels are pleased to announce the hiring of Alex Sanchez from Colorado to our coaching staff.

The Florida Eels are pleased to announce the hiring of Alex Sanchez from Colorado to our coaching staff. He is amongst the top all time scoring leaders for the Eels program In 153 games he scored 39 goals and 98 assists for a total of 139 points tied with Zac Boyle for the overall top in scoring. He is 4th in over all goals and 2nd in assists. He holds the franchise record for games played. He is 2nd for the All time top in points for a single season with 67. He is also 2nd in All time assists per season with 51. Alex served as team Captain in his final season and was named assistant captain the previous year.

Sanchez played for the Eels for 4 seasons. He attended Pivot Charter School in Fort Myers. He is considered the ultimate Eel. He was a consummate competitor. Extremely hard working young man. He came to the Eels as a young player and worked very hard to make the Elite team in his first year. This was truly remarkable when you look back to see the players who made that team and also look at the players who were on the Empire squad that year. Jonathan Carlson, Josh Delezenne and Brian Dennerlein, WOW! Sanchez showed enormous heart and tenacity. He was one of our most determined and dedicated players of all time. He set the bar for so many players to follow. So many of the guys use Sanchez as a barometer in measuring their work ethic. He is no doubt one of our most effective Captains.

Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci says Alex will be an enormous help with the development of our players. He will not only be an inspiration to players on the Premier and Elite teams, but he will be a tremendous asset in the assistance of teaching players strong skills and player development. His valuable experience will boast well in the assistance of coach Frankie on the bench.

The Florida Eels Unveil It’s Plans to Attend an Unprecedented 3 In Season Showcases, Playoff Showcase and 4 Post Season Showcases For 2017-18

The Florida Eels Unveil It’s Plans to Attend an Unprecedented 3 In Season Showcases, Playoff Showcase and 4 Post Season Showcases For 2017-18

There is no doubt one of the hallmarks of the Florida Eels is its showcase centric formula for player development and maximum exposure for its players. The 2017-18 season will be no different. General Manager Scarpaci underscores that it is his steadfast belief that his players garner invaluable experience in the competing in these quality showcases that position his players against some of the best players in the world. The experience is rich and speaks volumes in their player development. Moreover, the showcases offer the visibility needed for his players to be recruited by college coaches. It seems obvious and simple and it is amazing how so many teams do not understand and appreciate the value that these in season and post season showcase forums offer to their players. Think about it says General Manager Scarpaci, you if you are not seen you can’t be scouted. If you are not scouted then how can you be actually recruited?

This Fall both of his Florida Eels teams – Elite and Premier will travel to the USPHL Midwest footprint and compete in the USPHL Midwest Showcase in October. The Eels have not competed in a Chicago Showcase in 5 years. We are really looking forward to this opportunity echoes Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci. We had traditionally traveled out to Chicago and Detroit annually in years past and we are looking forward to our return to these venues as part of our regular plans. The fact that we will be playing in these forums will open up and expand even further college opportunities for our players. There are so many schools in the Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota and Michigan markets. These sets of games will offer a plethora of more options for our players. The Eels have been one of the more successful Southeast and Eastern conference teams to place players out west including Michigan State University, St Mary’s College, Adrian College, Bethel University, Concordia University of Wisconsin, MSOE, Lake Forrest, Lawrence University, Finlandia, Northland College, the University of Wisconsin, Aurora University, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Northern Michigan and Grand Valley State University to name a few. We hope that with this new showcase in Chicago we can further develop and expand our Eels advancement of its players even deeper into this region.

The 2nd showcase will occur in Fort Myers Florida at the USPHL Southern Showcase. This showcase has been a staple for the USPHL. All the Southern Conference Elite and Premier Teams all travel to Florida annually to play inter conference games casting the Florida Division teams vs. the Mid South teams. This showcase is extremely well attended by over 30+ NCAA Division 1 and 3 college coaches. It is one of the highlights of the USPHL Southern Conferences teams as the college coaches get to see our Southern teams exclusively. The focus is on us echoes Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci. Sure it is great to compete and participate in the so many other showcase forums but in this event the exclusive scouting and recruiting is directed at our players. They garner the attention they deserve.

The 3rd in-season showcase in the main USPHL Showcase in January. It is held at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro Massachusetts. There are well over 100 USPHL teams at this supper site. Moreover there are in excess of 100+ NCAA Div. 1 and 3 scouts there to watch scout and recruit the USPHL teams and players. This is a key event for the Eels. It gives another snap shot for college scouts who may have attended the Fall Showcase in October and the December Showcase in Florida another chance to look at our players. More importantly, it gives those college coaches who had not already seen our players in person a first hand look at them in high-level showcase games. The NCDC teams will be there as well and there is no doubt these teams will often anchor and drive the attendance of many NCAA College coaches’ attendance. From that our players get scouted and recruited in mass.

The playoffs offer another invaluable opportunity to be scouted be it in person and often my Hockey TV for the Eels. In deed, as in the last 10 years the playoffs have opened many a doors for the Eels players looking to secure college commitments to play in the upcoming ensuing seasons.

The Eels take the showcase formula well beyond the regular season in its embodiment of securing visibility exposure and recruiting options for its players. In fact the Eels offer to all of its players and hundreds of recruits the option of playing in the USPHL Spring and summer showcases with 4 teams competing in these events. Additionally, the Eels offer ancillary opportunities at the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft and the Pro Am SR. Chowder Cup and Jr. Chowder Cups as well.

Again, the Eels embark on these plentiful showcase venues to advance its players forward. These endeavors comes at a significant investment by the Eels owners but it is one we think it emphatically and unequivocally needed if you are intending to advance and place your players into college. Sure very few teams take these steps but that is why we have advanced 199 players to college.

Inside Look: What Separates NCDC Camp from 'Traditional' Camps

06/12/2017, 2:15pm EDT

By Eels Staff

Well folks many of you know I am Frank Scarpaci General Manager of the Florida Eels organization. Our team’s Premier and Elite coach along with several regional scouts and myself cover every showcase in the spring and summer in quest for players to join the Florida Eels Elite or Premier teams in the fall. We are relentless in our search and we are successful in our travels attending 95% of the key showcases in North America. In fact between the seven of us we hit over 12 showcases and at these venues we counted over 3,000 players we scouted. Then we all caucus and discuss candidates and prospects ripe for the Eels. We look for high caliber players with strong chanter.

Sure in our endeavors we often hear the echo: I am attending NAHL, BCHL and USHL main camps. This year we also hear we have been invited to a NCDC Camp. There is no question every player aspires to play at the “Next Level” This is for many reasons. 1. There are more scouts who watch them, 2 higher-level training 3. They play with higher talented players. 4. More scouts 5. It is non-pay to play.

Well we all know the “Myths and Fallacies” of so many of these so called invites. My heavens they send emails suggesting it Is their “Pre Draft, or Main Camp, or what ever the jargon being propagated. But the reality for so many of the NAHL camps is nothing more than invitations to any player breathing and if you look at the numbers 100-140 players in attendance and do a simple multiplier you will readily discern the true reason why these are bing had. These camps generate north of $25,000 in revue. Most teams have a East and west Pre Draft camp. Then they a re-invite to their Main camp Guess what check the numbers again. Have you seen their goalie count? 18+ My heavens do anyone really thinks true evaluations can be done with such ridiculous numbers in attendance? No that is why they re-invite you once twice etc. and the money keeps mounting. The sad reality is so many buy into this and drink the Kool-Aid. They do an excellent job selling hopes

Then the truth sets in some time around August that the teams are full. Well in reality the teams are full sometime in June. Think about it. It is a number’s game: The teams have returning rosters of 16 players+-. Then they have 6 draft picks another 6+- tenders that is 16 + 12 = 28. Their max roster is 23. Well something says they are already over the limit. Ok so they are looking for top 3-4 players to crack maybe their existing team and top their scouts from the draft and or the tender list. Well how does that justify the hundreds asked to attend? It does not. It is a moneymaker. That is it. Not so nice as the families cost is not simply the $250-300 to attend but it is air fare hotels rental care for parents as well totaling well over $3,000 for the invites and think about it some players go to not one of these but I heard some players go to as many as 3-5. OMG how disheartening

Well it is not at a complete loss. The players will be given a NA3HL offer. Geeze that is a pay to play and hardly amounts to the items listed above – the 5 reasons why players gravitate to these tryouts. Well many players are then scrambling and looking for spots on the good USPHL Primer and Elite teams but the timing is all off. It is now Late August. Many rosters are filled so these players’ true options are very curtailed.

Now this weekend I had the pleasure of scouting at the Islanders Hockey Club NCDC Tryout in Merrimac College. I have to say for a GM who has been at dozens of NAHL camps I was amazed. Unlike the NAHL, the IHC NCDC club had only 4 teams of top players. There weren’t any players who should not have been there. The goalies, forwards defenseman was all amongst the best of the best. Each one of these young men could make a first line anywhere in the NCDC NAHL BCHL and for many of them the USHL. Oh yes, this is and was a true gathering of the top talent in the USA. For a player he could readily discern, yes as one of the players said, I am amongst the best and this is a true test of my abilities at this venue.

It was so refreshing to be here and be able to scout the talent presented at the IHC NCDC Camp. I can say head Coach and GM Sean Tremblay, did an outstanding job as the architect of this tryout. From my vantage point as a GM looking for players sure there were not as many players that would be available for Premier and Elite teams. You know… The “extras. ” But that is not the purpose these tryouts at the IHC NCDC. And Tremblay stayed the course and was true to his mission. It was a true forum for the best of the best. If I want players I know where I have to look: At the dozen showcases across the USA Canada and my European scouts. You see this is the fallacy that is out there. The NAHl pretends their camp is to offer players hope of joining a NAHL team. But in truth they have no spots really open. At the NCDC IHC the truth is this will happen. The Head Coaches did a remarkable job of vetting out only the crème of the crème. Why? Because that is what you should do…. That is the right thing. Sure they may have missed someone but presumably their scouts will find them

I am an Affiliate of the IHC and I am very thrilled that I can rest assured that when I send my 3+ players to them during the year they will be amongst the top in North America. If my player(s) are at that level they will get the treatment and attention they deserve. This is the way it should be. The NCDC was built on solid ground. The USPHL. We have a 70-team infrastructure that will allow our best players a true chance and opportunity to advance upward. The USPHL is not built on smokes and mirrors.

This was an eye opener for the Eels organization. We feel really good about our program and players we are recruiting. We have a 50% return of players and we are bringing in some very talented young men. Many already signed and anxious to be with us. They should be. Look at our performance or report card: 199 players from the Eels advanced to college. Now that is something to be proud of.!!!!! They come from all across the USA Canada Europe and even Australia. We expect to be right where we always are each year. But now we have an additional piece of the puzzle. For players who are truly our best they can advance to the NCDC Islanders - it is a true reality and not a hollow promise.

Tag(s): News NCDC Premier NCDC Florida Florida Eels Islanders Hockey Club

Florida Eels Re-Sign Veteran Forward Kellen Crowther from Fort Myers Florida.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Re-Sign Veteran Forward Kellen Crowther from Fort Myers Florida. Kellen is 5’7” 150 pounds. He plays Center/winger He will be a 3rd year veteran for the Eels. Last season in 44 games he had 18 goals and 14 assists with the Eels USP3 team. Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci comments, Kellen is a solid special teams player – he was a very strong penalty killer and an effective power play wingman. He has good speed and acceleration and loves to drive hard to the net. He is a consummate battler and out works his opponents along the boards and in front of their net. He has a real hard work ethic. A consummate Eel

He served as USP3 Eels Assistant Captain last season. He spent ½ dozen games with the Eels Elite team last season as well. He has a strong hockey IQ. He is a tenacious fore-checker and forces many a turnovers on opposing attackers. He is equally relentless on the back-check realizing the importance of being a two-way player.

Eels GM Frank Scarpaci says Crowther is a strong character young man. Great values. Comes from one of the leading and respectable families in the greater Fort Myers area. Kellen is mature for his age. He is always willing to do what ever it needs to be done on and off the ice. That is the key reason his teammates voted him as assistant Captain last season. With several years under his belt he will bring enormous experience to the program this year. He is a team player and never looking for individual accolades. He has developed from within the Eels program for the 5 years playing midget U16, high school hockey and juniors.

Kellen is looking to play college hockey up north in 2018-19 like so many of his former teammates who played for the Eels. Hence, this year will be his time and opportunity to perfect his skills and conditioning to get prepared for his college future. We are thrilled he will be back once again and look forward to him having a strong year for us this season.

This Weekend Double Header In Eels Junior Recruitment

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

At the Fort Myers Skatium the Eels Tryouts took place for many local guys. It gives many of the local players as well as those players from outside of Florida who were not able to attend the USPHL Spring or Pro Am NHL Pre Draft Showcases in May to get to tryout for the Eels next season.

Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci and new Eels Elite Coach Butch Kowalka were able to work with many of the local guys early in the week as well.. Summer ice training is under way for players looking to play Juniors in the fall.

GM Scarpaci is up in Boston at the NCDC Tryout recruiting players who may not make the NCDC team.

The coaching staff is very encouraged by this season’s recruiting, best from the 7 showcases gone here to date, by the local tryouts and the NCDC tryouts.

We still have the Global Showcase out in Vegas and the Sr Chowder Cup in Mass as well as the Midwest Showcase in Chicago

→ view on teamapp.com

A Day In A Life Attending A NCDC Camp: The Islanders Hockey Club

Summer Ice Training Starts Wednesday

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Junior Hockey Summer Training Starts Tomorrow

Two Months Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players Commencing the week of June 7th d 2 months of Ice and Off Ice Junior Hockey/College Skills Training

Monthly Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players destined to play Junior or college hockey in the Fall 2017.

On Ice 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays
Specialized in individual skills
• Including power skating, explosive speed, edge work
• Creative stickhandling, puck control and puck protection
• Shooting and scoring
Positional Coaching
Battle techniques

Off Ice “Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training, Agility and Dry Land Skills
3-4 days per week
Two sessions of Dry Land will be available. Morning and Afternoon to accommodate work schedules for many junior players
Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

Cost: $300.00 per month. No proration

Contact Clare Scarpaci to register
941-400-0712 flelitehockey@aol.com

Eels Welcome Ellesse Carini To Its Premier Team He is the 5th Player from HPA Sports Management

The Florida Eels are so excited to announce the signing of forward Ellesse Carini. This young man will clearly become the face of the Eels in the next two years. He is a high level young man who has all the makings of a Tier I junior player. He is 6”0” 170 pounds from Sydney Australia. He is another by product of Dan D’Astoli of HPA Sports Management. General Manager Frank Scarpaci scouted him at the HPA Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. Ellesse has explosive speed and acceleration. Very strong on the puck and has a nice quick release with his shot. He plays with a high compete level and you can see the determination he brings every time he shoots the ice. He is not afraid to use his body. He battles very nicely along the boards and take it to the bank he will out work opposing defensemen in front of their crease. He ignites a good ½ dozen shots at the opposing goalies per game.

In addition to his strong skill set this young man has strong character. You can tell by talking with him between games and in the meeting rooms. He is personal able respectful and very humble. You can quite readily discern that he is a dedicated young man with the insatiable appite to make himself better. He is very coachable and is looking forward to joining the Eels. He wants to be an Eel and wants to be very much part of our rich legacy. He is looking for us his player development so he too can garner the fruits of our player development system and advancement to college

Ellesse comes to us in a long line of outstanding players developed by HPA Sports Management. GM Scarpaci has been doing business with Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli for 20 years. Sean is the 5th player of many that will join us from HPA Sports this season. Over the years we have garnered some of our top Elite and USP players from HPA Sports management, including last season Jean-Simon Robidoux who scored 24 goals 28 assists in 44 games. HPA continue to prove itself as one of the Premier Hockey Advisor agencies in North America helping hundreds of families from over 30 countries to find the right academic and hockey environment for their particular needs in North America. He has recruited and helped develop student/athletes from all over the world and has helped place them in various North American Prep Schools, Sports Academies, Colleges and Universities. We are honored that HPA had recommended Ellesse to join the Eels program this season. We look forward to an outstanding tenure with the Eels and helping Ellesse eventually advance to the Eels Premier team and ultimately realize his dreams of advancing to college.

The Florida Eels Welcome Ellesse Carini To Its Premier Team. He is the 5th Player Signed this Spring From HPA Sports Management

Ellesse comes to us in a long line of outstanding players developed by HPA Sports Management. GM Scarpaci has been doing business with Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli for 20 years. Sean is the 5th player of many that will join us from HPA Sports this season. Over the years we have garnered some of our top Elite and USP players from HPA Sports management, including last season Jean-Simon Robidoux who scored 24 goals 28 assists in 44 games. HPA continue to prove itself as one of the Premier Hockey Advisor agencies in North America helping hundreds of families from over 30 countries to find the right academic and hockey environment for their particular needs in North America. He has recruited and helped develop student/athletes from all over the world and has helped place them in various North American Prep Schools, Sports Academies, Colleges and Universities. We are honored that HPA had recommended Sean to join the Eels program this season. We look forward to an outstanding tenure with the Eels and helping Ellesse eventually advance to the Eels Premier team and ultimately realize his dreams of advancing to college.

Florida Eels Ice Cap: Showcases and This Weekend's Tryouts

The Eels General Manager and Coaches had an extremely busy 2 weeks out west as they attended the CCM Showcase in Denver and then the Global Showcase in Chicago. Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci says he has seen north of 500 players at CCM whereas GM Scarpaci has see over 700 players having also attended the Global Showcase in Chicago. We have attended already 5 other events and in total have scouted over 1,500 players. There are so many players out there and it is our job to find not only players with high skill set and talent but to also discern if the players fit into our chemistry and character requirements. This is critical, as we well know. The Eels advance over 199 players to college and college coaches rely heavily upon our recommendations. Therefore it is critical that we bring in the high-end guys and that means character as well as talent.

We are very encouraged by our signings to date. We have some strong returning players and they will be so excited to see the new players joining us this season. We have quite a few Canadians and Europeans coming our way along with some very strong players from throughout the USA.

This week the GM Scarpaci heads to Boston for the Islanders Hockey Club NCDC Tryout. Meanwhile the Premier and Elite coaches will be hosting the Eels local Tryouts.

Eels Should Capture Strong Prospects From Global Showcase in Chicago

The Florida Eels take another hard look at players from the Chicago area this weekend with intense scouting at the Global Showcase. Eels General Manager is off again for several days of watching over 8 teams of 20 players compete in a forum as top prospects in the Chicago area looking to move their game to the next level.

GM Scarpaci was assisted through out the weekend with current Eel's veteran goalie Nick Kotz

Nick had a keen eye on the 24 goalies present at Global. GM Scarpaci was very impressed with the level of talent at Global Chicago. He is very much encouraged that in a few shorts days he will be announcing the signing of several of the top players from this camp.

Global also presented several panels for players and parents, which Coach Scarpaci participated in. These include over 18 NCAA Div. 1 and 3 coaches and a ½ dozen coaches from the USHL NAHL BCHL and us at the USPHL. This gave us a unique opportunity to address so many questions from parents and players. Guys we are building our teams every day and we can rest assure we will have a strong showing this fall and winter.

Press Release: Veteran Defenseman Alec Parr Returns to The Eels for 2017-18

Press Release: Veteran Defenseman Alec Parr Returns to The Eels for 2017-18

The Florida Eels announce the return of Alec Parr. Parr was last year’s USP3 Captain. A 6’4” 185 pounds from the State of Washington. He is a 3rd year veteran of the Eels. Has ripened into a solid defensive defenseman. Has tremendous heart and determination. Solid work ethic. He battles very hard in front of his own net. Equally strong along the boards. Developing a nice hard shot from the blueline. Very good on the penalty kill. Has learned from some of our Premier defenseman in the Eels. He has spent time on the Eels Empire USP3 and Elite teams. Continues on his player development path to advance to college hockey. Arguably one of Eels most improved players over the years. Always the first guy at practice. Attends every post-season showcase to garner a solid foundation against the top players in North America with his experiences at the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft and Sr. Chowder Cups and USPHL Showcases. He is CONTINUOUSLY STRIVING TO GET BETTER. As a veteran Eels he has suited up for over 100 games for the Eels. That is very impressive.

Gennello and Figueroa in Top 10 Goals in 2017 Spring Showcase

Liam Ferris A Northwood Prep School Grad Signs With The Eels Premier Team

Liam Ferris the 2nd Player from the prestigious Northwood Prep School to sign with the Eels for Next Season and the 4th player from the HPA Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. Liam had spent two years at Northwood first year playing midgets and his 2nd playing for the Prep School. He will be joined by fellow teammate from Northwood Prep Jean-Philippe Montmarquette who also signed with the Eels this month. Liam will be joining our Eels Premier team this fall. He is 6’ 1” 175 pounds centerman. We love the way he plays commented General Manager Frank Scarpaci. He is a smooth skater and controls the puck well. A very nice playmaker as well.

Liam was also present at the HPA Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. Another strong player presented by HPA Sports Management. Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli, of HPA Sports Management again showcased another fantastic prospect in Liam at the Combine and it was a no brainer that the Eels wanted him. In fact, the Eels had already came to terms with Liam as he visited Fort Myers and met with Eels Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci and GM Scarpaci. Toured the rink and the training center at World Gym.

Liam is a high character young man and fit precisely what we were looking for: A strong skilled individual, with strong grades, high test scores, great character and a very dedicated, determined and committed athlete to train and out work his opponents. This is a kid who has a high compete level and wants to win.

We look forward to Liam joining us in August and being part of our continuing developing program.

Press Release: The Florida Eels Announce A Huge Signing of 6’5” Sean McLean Forward to Its Elite Team

Press Release:

The Florida Eels Announce A Huge Signing of 6’5” Sean McLean Forward to Its Elite Team

Sean McLean is a big power forward 6’5” 195 pounds from Scarborough, Australia

He played last season at the Prestigious Bridgton Academy in Maine.

The previous season Sean played Varsity for CIHA Voyageurs

which is a Canadian International Ice Hockey Academy.

Prior to coming to North America Sean played for the Perth Sharks

which is an Australian junior ice hockey team based in Perth,

Western Australia, in the Australian Junior Ice Hockey League.  

General Manager, Frank Scarpaci scouted Sean several weeks ago at the HPA Junior Hockey Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. This Combine was truly an eye opener. There were so many extremely talented junior hockey prospects at this one venue. GM Scarpaci attends virtually every Showcase in North America and the key to HPA Sports Combine is that the level of talent is very high across the board. There is one level and the bar set by HPA is very high and this is exactly what the Eels program looks for in its recruit: This standard is the pinnacle of what HPA Sports Management delivers to its scouts and players. Sean is the 2nd player signed from the HPA Combine.

Sean immediately came under GM Scarpaci’s scouting radar. He had tremendous size and good skill set. GM Scarpaci knew with the training offered by the Eels of 3 hours per day 5 days per week we could ripen Sean into a major impact player. The USPHL raised the standards this year for the Elite division and Sean is exactly what we are looking for on our Elite team and in our program in general. The Eels and the USPHL are all about player development and with the high level coaching we deliver the sky is the limit here for Sean. This young man has the insatiable desire to get better and he is ever mindful of the Premier team opportunities and the Eels NCDC Affiliation. This is the hunger and desire we want commented GM Scarpaci.

What garnered continued attention throughout the HPA Combine, GM Scarpaci saw that Sean used his size to his advantage. He skated hard and battled very hard in all three zones. He owned 1 on 1 battles and he took ownership of the crease. It was like he was granted a deed to that territory. He has a very heavy shot at 6’5’ 196 pounds and with the Eels program requiring its players to shoot 100 pucks per day GM Scarpaci could foresee this man’s future.

GM Scarpaci could tell from several off ice conversations with Sean he was good mannered and a strong character young man. Think about it - he has sacrificed so much traveling to North America from Australia at such an early age to follow his dream and passion. You don’t see this determination and dedication in many players today. When we couple Sean with some of the top players we have been recruiting for the Eels Elite team and have him teamed with many of the returning Eels players, GM Scarpaci is very excited about the Elite team for next season.

Sean comes to us in a long line of outstanding players developed by HPA Sports Management. GM Scarpaci has been doing business with Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli for 20 years. Sean is the 2nd player of many that will join us from HPA Sports this season. Over the years we have garnered some of our top Elite and USP players from HPA Sports management, including last season Jean-Simon Robidoux who scored 24 goals 28 assists in 44 games. HPA continue to prove itself as one of the Premier Hockey Advisor agencies in North America helping hundreds of families from over 30 countries to find the right academic and hockey environment for their particular needs in North America. He has recruited and helped develop student/athletes from all over the world and has helped place them in various North American Prep Schools, Sports Academies, Colleges and Universities. We are honored that HPA had recommended Sean to join the Eels program this season. We look forward to an outstanding tenure with the Eels and helping Sean eventually advance to the Eels Premier team and ultimately realize his dreams of advancing to college.

Press Release: The Florida Eels Strike It High With The Signing of its 2nd Defensemen to its Premier Team: Remi Veilleux

Press Release:

The Florida Eels Strike It High With The Signing of its 2nd Defensemen to its Premier Team: Remi Veilleux

The Eels welcome veteran Defenseman Remi Veilleux. He has very good size at 6’2” 180 pounds. He comes from Gatineau, QC, and CAN. This past season he played for the prestigious Bridgton Academy in Maine. Previously he played for a premier development program Ontario Hockey Academy where last year’s Eels top rookie forward NIKITA LOPATIN played for 3 seasons.

Remi is the second player this season that came out of Bridgton Academy. Bridgton is the same prep school where Eels top forward JEAN-SIMON ROBIDOUX played. The Eels have had very good luck with these young men last season so it is no surprise that this year our recruiting efforts have targeted these quality programs as fertile areas for strong skilled players who have high character traits as well.

Remi no doubt fits this mold. Remi is another product of HPA Sports Management under the guidance of Dan D’Astoli, Executive Director and Senior Advisor of HPA Sports Management Group.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci scouted Remi several weeks ago at the HPA Junior Hockey Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana. General Manager Frank Scarpaci travels across the USA in search for players and attends no less than 10 showcases. This Combine was no doubt one of the most impressive showcases he has seen in years. The players were truly high-end guys. They were grounded and had a strong appreciation of where they were going. This no doubt is a tribute to the guidance of Dan D’Astoli and his professional advising staff. There were so many extremely talented junior hockey prospects at this one venue. HPA sets a high bar for their players to meet and this is precisely in line with what the Eels staff is looking for. This standard is the pinnacle of what HPA Sports Management delivers to its scouts and players.

GM Scarpaci comments that after watching Remi Veilleux he saw he had a player with a high compete level. This young man did not simply go through the motions. “He got it so to speak.” He knew that the purpose of him attending the combine was to showcase his wares and skill set and that is exactly what he did. He was often paired up with Eels new Premier Committed Defensemen Jean-Philippe Montmarquette . Wow imagined GM Scarpaci, these two young men were the top two defenseman at the Combine. He was very excited at the prospect of having both join his Premier team.

Remi had a very strong skill set and hockey intelligence. His veteran background shows here and with the Eels training 3 hours each day you can only imagine where he will be in a year.

At the Combine, he made smart first outlet passes in the defensive zone and that is key for college coaches. He won the key battles in front of his goalies denying scoring opportunities and boxed out the zone. He had excellent gap control. He had good control on the offensive blue line and used his size and strength to get pucks to the net. His shot is very hard and accurate and reaches the net. He plays a lot like Veteran Eels defenseman Brian Kozak.

There is no doubt that Remi will be a strong addition to the Eels Premier team’s solid veteran Defensive core of Nick Diaz, Brian Kozak and Blake Hoffman and with the addition of new defensemen Jean-Philippe Montmarquette the Eels may have the top defensive core in the league.

The Florida Eels is thrilled to announce the return of Dylan Robello to its program.

The Florida Eels is thrilled to announce the return of Dylan Robello to its program. Dylan is from 5’ 6” 150 pounds from Salida, CA. A rookie centerman. He was one of the Eels best face off guys last season. He also captured a spot on the Eels first line power play as he was relentless establishing his territory in front of the opposing goalies, often creating blinding screens, with his gritty performance. He simply drove these opposing goalies crazy and battled very hard vs. their defenseman, which often created havoc in front of their netminders.

He managed 3 goals and 15 assists this season and was largely responsible for a number of other goals for his linemates with his relentless fore-check that created many a turnovers for opposing forwards. He loved to battle in along the boards and used his hard nose efforts to come out with the puck.

No doubt, says GM Frank Scarpaci, Dylan was one of our most improved players. Despite his size he played like he was 6’0” 180 pounds. He played with tremendous heart. A complete team player. Coach Frankie Scarpaci said he is thrilled when he heard Dylan was returning. He is selfless and determined to win and simply does whatever the coaches’ want. He is an extremely dedicated player with a strong work ethic who came to practices at least 2 hours prior to hitting the ice and often shooting an extra 100 pucks a day to improve his shot. We expect him to be a major contributor this season having a year under his belt learning to play at this high level.

The Florida Eels are excited to announce the signing of Defensemen Jean-Philippe Montmarquette to the Eels USPHL Premier team.

The Florida Eels are excited to announce the signing of Defensemen Jean-Philippe Montmarquette to the Eels USPHL Premier team. Jean-Philippe is a native of St-Therese, QC, Canada. Jean-Philippe is a veteran defenseman 1998 5’11” 170 pound. . He played the past two seasons for the prestigious Northwood Prep School in Lake Placid, New York. He is a product of HPA Sports Management under the guidance of Dan D’Astoli Executive Director and Senior Advisor of HPA Sports Management Group.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci scouted Jean-Philippe several weeks ago at the HPA Junior Hockey Combine in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This Combine was truly an eye opener. There were so many extremely talented junior hockey prospects at this one venue. GM Scarpaci attends virtually every Showcase in North America and the key to HPA Sports Combine is that the level of talent is very high across the board. There is one level and the bar set by HPA is very high and this is exactly what the Eels program looks for in its recruit: This standard is the pinnacle of what HPA Sports Management delivers to its scouts and players.

GM Scarpaci comments that after watching Jean-Philippe in the first game he knew he wanted him for his Eels USPHL Premier team. He played like a seasoned veteran defenseman. As the showcase continued and GM got to watch the remaining games including the All Star game where Jean-Philippe’s skill set and hockey IQ began to unfold. He made smart first outlet passes in the defensive zone, battles very hard in front of his own net protecting “his house” like it is where his mom lives. Jean-Philippe was equally tough along the boards denying opposing players any sustained penetration to his net.

Jean-Philippe had excellent gap control with one on one zone entries as the opposition attempted line rushes. He was smart and drove them wide. GM Scarpaci was very happy to discover that Jean-Philippe was equally strong and effective on the offensive blue line. He made sure he kept the puck in the zone as he frustrated the opposition breakouts. He had a very accurate and heavy shot that gets on net. GM Scarpaci described him as that modern two-way defenseman. Clearly Jean-Philippe will be a strong addition to the Eels Premier team’s solid veteran Defensive core of Nick Diaz, Brian Kozak and Blake Hoffman.

GM Scarpaci got to spend some “off-Ice” time with Jean-Philippe and his family. This is important to make sure he will fit the chemistry of our program There was no doubt that Jean-Philippe is a high character young man. You can tell he comes from a very supportive family. He is a quality young man, with maturity, integrity, passion and determination. Yes this is the kind of player we want!

Jean-Philippe comes to us in a long line of outstanding players developed by HPA Sports Management. GM Scarpaci has been doing business with Executive Director, Dan D’Astoli for 20 years. Over the years we have garnered some of our top Elite and USP players from HPA Sports management. HPA is one of the Premier Hockey Advisor agencies in North America helping hundreds of families from over 30 countries to find the right academic and hockey environment for their particular needs in North America. He has recruited and helped develop student/athletes from all over the world and has helped place them in various North American Prep Schools, Sports Academies, Colleges and Universities. We are honored that HPA had recommended Jean-Philippe to join the Eels this season. We look forward to an outstanding tenure with the Eels and helping Jean-Philippe realize his dreams of advancing to college.

Press Release: The Florida Eels Announce The Return of Veteran Defenseman Brian Kozek.

Brian has been an extremely steady defensemen for the Eels over the past 3 seasons. He plays more as a defensive defenseman absolutely dominant in the D Zone. He is without question the go to guy when the score is close or in the final minutes of any period or in the game. He has a very high hockey IQ. He will definitely be on the radar of many NCAA coaches this season. He is a 1997 so he will be going into his final season as a junior player.

Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci has had Brian as part of his team for all 3 seasons, dating back to when Brian joined the Eels on the Empire team, then the USP3 team and last year on the Elite team. Brian will be moving up to this year’s Premier squad. He has played in 105 regular season games as an Eel. Although Brian is known for his defensive abilities last season he did showed some offensive talents with 6 goals and 14 assists in 41 games. He plays a textbook style of play. Solid first pass out to wingers. He is unbeatable in front of his own net as he defends the crease with poise deliverance and confidence. He has a very hard and accurate shot from the offensive blueline posing a threat on opposing goalies. Brian has laid a claim on the Penalty Kill and has earned power play time as he uniquely established himself in front of the opposing goalies creating a multitude of scoring opportunities.

Brian has been one of the Eels best Captains ever to wear a C or A for the Eels. He has enormous respect from his peers. He personifies the definition of leadership. He is a high character young man and we look forward to another tremendous year under his leadership.

The Eels coaching staff and General Manager Frank Scarpaci have been incredibly busy combing the USA, Canada and by and with its scouts Europe looking for the best talent for next season’s team. We are thrilled to report we have been signing some very talented forwards and defenseman. The staff is thrilled with the new players joining our veterans like Kozek who will in concert propel the Eels to the heights we all are expecting of us this season.

Press Release: Florida Eels Sign Hayden Haldane to The USPHL Premier Team.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels announces a major signing of Hayden Haldane of Clifton Park, New York to its USPHL Premier team. Hayden is a forward 5’9” 180 pounds. Hayden played high school hockey for Shenendehowa High where he amassed an impressive 24 goals and 15 assists. Hayden also played part of last season with the Junior Bruins Elite team in the USPHL. Hayden joined us several weeks ago at both the Pro Am NHL Pre Draft and the USPHL Spring showcases. At the New England Showcases he continued to impress the Eels Premier Head Coach, Frankie Scarpaci as he scored several key goals and assisted on 4 others. Coach Scarpaci commented, he plays a lot like Eels former captain Jordan Court.

General Manager, Frank Scarpaci had targeted Hayden last year as Eels scout and former Head Coach of the Eels USP3 team, Sean Price, scouted Hayden at the Five Hole Junior Prospects Showcase in Indianapolis, Indiana. We knew he was a guy we wanted this season. He plays an Eels style of play. He is a hard nose high tempo player. Like Jordan Court he brings enormous energies and intensity to the game. GM Scarpaci says he also reminds me a lot like another alumni and former captain Alex Sanchez. He plays with heart, determination and grit. You can see Hayden has the “will to win” and it is that type of determination that builds national championship teams. During the showcase Coach Scarpaci echoed, you can see Hayden plays with that edge and it is that ingredient that helps spark his fellow teammates.

The Eels are extremely happy with Hayden joining our Premier team for next season. There are new standards set for the Elite and Premier teams established across the board by the league and this young man fits the recipe.

David Stonebraker Commits to NCAA Division III Kings College Men’s Ice Hockey Program For the 2017-18 Season

David Stonebraker Commits to NCAA Division III Kings College Men’s Ice Hockey Program For the 2017-18 Season

This is number 6 For the Florida Eels in terms of College Commitments thus far for 2017 academic year and this one is for # 7 for the Eels Elite team: David Stonebraker. A huge congratulation goes out to David as he commits to Kings College men’s NCAA Division III ice hockey program. Kings College is located in Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania. Kings College will play in the plays in the Middle Atlantic Conference.

David had several college options and was looking for a program that allowed him the opportunity to immediately step in and become an impact for the team. GM Scarpaci echoes, Stonebraker is a very good two-way player working very hard in all 3 zones. He is tenacious on the fore-check and more importantly equally strong in his back checking responsibilities. This is very important to any coach but particularly in college hockey. There is no room for complacency or halfhearted efforts and this is what makes David so attractive to college coaches.

Coach Frankie Scarpaci provides the following scouting report on David:
DOB: 9/26/96 HOMETOWN: PITTSBURG, PA HEIGHT: 6’0" WEIGHT: 180lbs SHOT: RIGHT
Stonebreaker posses a stealthy shot that has an incredibly quick release. He understands his greatest asset is his shot, and shoots often especially when in the middle of the ice. A real strong competitor bellow the hash marks and knows how to get open at the right times, and right places. A quick skater, with powerful bursts of acceleration. He is a hard nose grinding forward with great work ethic.

Coach Scarpaci concluded that David would be a solid player for Kings College. He has the determination and desire and heart to play NCAA Div. III hockey. Not every player can and will reach that plateau. It is not surprising to any of us that he was scouted and recruited by Kings College. Coach Scarpaci echoed that David was taught as an Eel that to take nothing for granted. He needs to work every shift and out work his opponents every time he is on the ice. Never be complacent no matter what the score is.

He has worked hard over the past two seasons playing juniors. He comes from a very supportive family that has allowed him with enormous sacrifices to reach and realize his dreams of playing NCAA College hockey. Stonebraker is a kid with a strong character. He was a consummate team player. Selfless. We were glad he played his last year of juniors for the Eels concluded GM Scarpaci. We all wish David the best.

FLORIDA EELS JUNIOR TRYOUTS

Attention All Existing Florida Eels Players

You must attend the Florida Eels Try Outs Friday June 9th , Saturday June 10th and Sunday June 11th 2017.

This will be an important sessions as players will get to meet the Eels new Elite coach Harold Kowalka. We have been scouting across the USA Canada and Europe and we want to see the local guys for the first time since last February.

Tryouts are to be held at the Fort Myers Skatium and Off ice will be conducted at World Gym. If you have any questions please speak with Premier Coach Frankie Scarpaci 239-728 1223

Cost for the Tryout is $75.00

Note all players must go on USPHL.com and register and bring proof of registration at time of tryout. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SIGN UP OR REGISTER WITH USA HOCKEY.

Testimonials From Players and Parents Their Experience Playing For The Eels

"What It Is Like To Be Part Of The Eels Family"

I have worn an Eels jersey my entire hockey career spanning over 15 years. The Florida Eels Junior Hockey Program is a great place to play if you are serious about playing college hockey. GM Frank Scarpaci is one of the leaders in junior hockey when it comes to promoting his players to the next level. His college placement is one of the best in the nation. Gm Frank Scarpaci and Coach Frankie Scarpaci take great pride in seeing their players develop.

The Florida Eels have two teams that have been very successful. Success at the junior hockey level is not measured by wins alone. Junior hockey players play to get ready for the next step, which is college hockey. Any program that fails to promote it's players is not doing what it is supposed to do. The Eels do it the right way and are leaders in promoting players.

The Eels organization gives it's players every advantage. Good recruiting, good coaching, 3-4 hours of practice every day, membership to World Gym, and home cooked meals after every road game. The Eels teams also attend five showcases each season, where as most other teams only attend four. These are the things that separate the Eels program from others, and have helped almost 200 players move on to college hockey and beyond.

My commitment to play at D3 Neumann University is just another success story from a hockey program rich in college placement. I have loved every minute I've spent wearing an Eels uniform, and I will miss it. If you are looking for a place to play junior hockey, and are serious about taking the next step in your career, choose the Florida Eels. Team Captain 2016-17

Jordan Court

The Florida Eels was by far the best three years of my hockey career. Making the decision to spend my Junior hockey career was a big one, but the player development model that Mr. Scarpaci and the Eels organization had made it easy. Coming to the Eels, I had played U16 AAA and one year of Juniors in a different league. I went to a showcase with the Eels the summer before signing, and I knew that they were the best choice to further my development. The entire mission of the organization is to move players to college; if they happen to win a championship while doing so, even better. I knew right away that the staff was willing to do whatever it took to develop me into a college hockey player and a man.

From the start of training camp in August to exit meetings in March, the Florida Eels put their players first. Every day we would train on-ice for 1.5 hours and off-ice for another 1.5 hours. 3 hours a day of intense, high energy work everyday for 8 months plus the knowledgeable and dedicated staff of the Eels organization is the best way to prepare for college hockey. Also, playing a 40 game schedule really allows for development as a player. The coaching staff breaks down game film and has meetings with individual players at the beginning and end of every week to get ready for the upcoming games and talk about what to change.

The showcase aspect of the USPHL is the best in the country. The Eels organization goes to as many of these as possible during the season because they know that it is the best way to market their players to the levels they want to go. These showcases have scouts from the NHL, ECHL, Division 1,2, and 3 colleges, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 Junior leagues from across North America. The Eels staff is constantly walking around marketing their players to these scouts and coaches. They are confident that the practice, workouts, and other off-ice work that the players have been doing all season will help any team in the future. They are 100% correct.

While the team is on the road at these showcases, they stay in the best hotels in the area. The team almost always stays in suite-style rooms with plenty of space and amenities. While in the hotel, home cooked lunches and dinners are prepared everyday by Mrs. Scarpaci. She works tireless hours to prepare pre-game and post-game meals for all of the Eels players on the trip.

As a former player for the Eels organization, I have seen first-hand what the staff goes through to make players feel at home and excel on the ice. The coaches are always on the phone with coaches and admissions from colleges. They help with the application process to whatever schools you think would be a good fit for you as a student. Of course, they are also always pushing you on the ice to become the best player you can be. Between the skill and system practices, the designed off-ice training, and all of the behind scenes work that management did for me as a player, the Florida Eels organization is the reason I reached my dream and am playing NCAA hockey.

John Drummond

Alex played college hockey at Aurora University, Aurora, IL where he achieved the Dean’s List

and played Forward for the AU Spartans, a NCAA, Div 3 team in the NCHA Conference.

He was recruited to Aurora from the Florida Eels Junior Elite team where he played for the

previous 4 seasons and served as team Captain for 2015-2016.

While with the Eels he became the all-time career points leader with 132 points; all-time career

assists leader with 91; leader of points in season with 67 and leader of assists in season with 51

Alex was the USPHL Elite Division League leading scorer for the 2015-16 season and was

nominated the Elite Forward Player of the Week numerous times.

He was a member of the USPHL All Star team and was a Southern Conference Star.

He was nominated USPHL MVP for 2016.

Alex helped lead the Elite Eels to win the 2016 USPHL Southern Division Championship

and advance to the USPHL Finals where the Eels placed second.

Prior to Junior hockey Alex played AAA hockey in Colorado, his native state, where he served

as Asst Captain and Captain in his High School years.

Alex Sanchez's mom

Throughout the last three years, my experience with the Florida Eels has been tremendous. I am happy to have played all my years of junior hockey under the coaching of Frankie Scarpaci jr. The Florida Eels are a first class organization from top to bottom. The players are treated very well and are given every opportunity to further their development. The billet family I was placed with really made me feel at home, as if I were a member of the family. Can't thank the Eels enough for all their help into developing me into a better person and player.

Nolan Greene Goalie

My son went to play for the Florida Eels his senior year and the following two years. His goal was to play college hockey and the Florida Eels have an amazing track record on moving on their players. Every aspect of the program from top to bottom is first class. Not only did my son become a better, smarter player year after year, he became a solid, confident young man because of the Scarpaci Family.

The Florida Eels Junior Hockey program has been a wonderful stepping stone for our son Brian whose goal is to play college hockey. He has developed his hockey skills in his two years with the Eels more than we could have ever imagined. And, not only has he grown as a player, but he has also matured greatly off the ice as well. The Eels coaching staff strives to develop each player to his maximum potential. They teach and expect the players to act professionally and respectfully on and off the ice. The Florida Eels program prepares its players for college and beyond; both from a hockey standpoint as well as a maturity standpoint. Florida Eel players are prepared to be productive members of society once they leave the program. There is no doubt the Florida Eels organization has been the best choice for our son.

Lisa Drummond (John's Mom)

The Eels program is a hockey development program that really follows through on what is advertised. The Eels staff goes to great lengths to put its players in a position to succeed and advance to college hockey. They work tirelessly to promote their players to the colleges. They have worked with our son to develop and advance his hockey skills since starting with them 3 years ago. Plus they have helped him grow as an individual gaining in self confidence and responsibility. They make the boys part of their family and love them as they do their own children. We are very pleased to have them as part of our family.

Ann Kozek (Brian's Mom)

My son Clayton and my nephews Danny and Ryan have been a part of the Florida Eels organization for many years. It has been wonderful watching these young boys grow into young adults. The Eels coaches have been instrumental in player development, community involvement, team building and ensuring the students are obtaining a good education as well. The players are provided with several hours of gym training as well as on ice training every day. The coaches ensure every player has the opportunity to gain exposure, and in that end they attended numerous in-state and out of state hockey showcases. The coaches constantly strive to move the players through the program with the ultimate goal to enter the collegiate hockey arena.

The Florida Eels organization is like a family. The coaches, players, billet families and parents all look out for one another and support the endeavors of the team. The players learn that there is no “I” in “Team”…….in order to be successful they MUST work together. The boys become responsible for their own destinies, given the building blocks that were established in the Eels program. The character that is built in these young boys so they become accomplished, strong, determined young men. I wish to thank the Coaches and the whole organization for all that they do for our boys!

Lee Ann Boyd (Clayton Boyd’ mom)

Our 16-year-old son just finished his rookie year as a Florida Eels Junior player and what a positive experience it was! Frank Scarpaci and his coaching staff place a high emphasis on individual player development that is absolutely second to none! We were very impressed with the knowledge and attention to detail that the coaching staff demonstrated each and every day at on ice practice, off Ice conditioning and weight training. It benefited my son greatly and it was evident in his play each time he stepped onto the ice. He, as well as his teammates, were well-prepared to not only compete at the high-level that is expected of a junior player, but to excel at that le
vel!! The players are taught a team first mentality and it showed in the camaraderie and respect they gave to each other and to their coaches. As a parent I was very pleased they chose Embassy suites and Marriott to stay in as they traveled. The homemade dinners that Claire made for the team as they traveled looked like a five-star restaurant complete with dessert! Thank you to Frank and the Florida Eels coaching staff for a great season!

Missy Altieri (Corey's mom))

Considering Playing Junior Hockey Next Season? THERE ARE 197+ REASONS TO CHOOSE THE FLORIDA EELS

Play for an Organization That Focuses 100% on Player Development. The Proof is Black and White:

197+ Alumni Went On to Play College Hockey. Don’t you want to be part of this winning tradition?

Average of 15+ Players from per season Florida Eels Junior Teams

Advancing to Play College Hockey. Don’t you want to be to be part of this development program?

Opportunities To Advance to The USPHL NCDC Affiliate: The Islanders Hockey Club During Training Camp & During The Season

100% Placement into College Hockey Programs for the

Past Five Seasons

Four Alumni Drafted into the NHL Entry Draft

Two Florida Eels Alumni Played for the NTPD – One Team Captain

Eels Teams Attend 3 College Showcases: One In Boston 100+ College Scouts In Attendance, One in Chicago and One in Florida We Fly in 25 College Coaches

Florida Eels Players Have Priority PRO AM NHL Pre Draft Showcase and Sir, Chowder Cup All Star Teams in Boston Ma.

Four Hours of Practices and Training Each Day % Days Per Week.40 Weeks of the Season 800+ hours in Total

For More Info Contact: Frank Scarpaci General Manager 941-400-9023 www.eelshockeycoach@aol.com

Eels Nationwide Recruitment

The Florida Eels General Manager Frank Scarpaci is a frequent flyer for sure as he crosses the USA from coast to coast in search for talent for his 2017-18 Premier and Elite squads. This year he and his coaching staff have already attended the USA Hockey Nationals for High School All Stars – The Americas Showcase in Pittsburgh. Wow over 500 players there representing their respective stats and regions across the USA.

GM Scarpaci also attended the HPA Combine in Fort Wayne Indiana and it was indeed one of the most impressive showcases he has been to in years. There were some very strong junior prospects from the NCDC Premier and Elite level. The HPA group did an extremely professional job at this event. The HPA staff spent much time talking to players and junior coaches trying to make the right fit for the players. I have never before seen such a coordinated effort in attending to the needs of the players. The nice thing I found at this showcase was the professionalism of all the Junior coaches in dealing with players as well as amongst each other. Sure they were competitive and trying to see their programs but the “extremes” simply was not there. I do think this was a tribute to HPA and their staff. Thanks very much for all you have done. Here at HPA our USPHL teams were well represented.

General Manager Scarpaci also headed out to LA at the Cali Prospects Showcase. It was the first time we ventured out west and it was well worth it. Seeing some of the west coast players was fantastic. We never get to get a hard look at these guys and it was great. My word what phenomenal talent indeed. There too the Showcase directors did an absolute incredible job making sure that the players who participated were of the highest caliber. All of these young men would be excellent prospects in the USPHL. There were some very high-end NCDC prospects as well as some very talented Premier level guys and a number of Elite level players.

The USPHL had a ½ dozen teams out there and it is was a good representation of our league. We all did a nice job selling the league first and then our league. This is the way it should be.

Eels Coaches and GM Head to USA Hockey High School Nationals High School All Star Showcase - Americas Cup and off to the Cali Prospects Showcase in LA

The Eels Premier coach Frankie Scarpaci heads to Pittsburgh PA this Thursday – Monday for the USA Hockey High School All Star Nationals – the Americas Cup. The Eels have been scouting and recruiting at the Americas Cup for over a decade. We have brought in over 30 of players over this period. The showcase format selects high school all-stars from various regions and places them on respective teams. For example, there is a team from Massachusetts, New England, New York, New Jersey, 2 from Missouri, Pittsburgh, Illinois, Indiana, 2 from Florida, Texas, 2 from California, Oregon, Pacific Coast, Arizona, Washington State, Washington DC, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, North Dakota, Montana, Utah, and a ½ dozen others.

In all, there are over 550 players annually. Competing at this event. The Eels will have Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci along with his Northern Scout there working this venue. We have already spoken with several players and are very encouraged by the opportunities presented at the America’s showcase.

GM Frank Scarpaci is also on the road and in the air as he heads out to the prestigious Cali Prospects Showcase in LA California. This too is a phenomenal showcase hosting over 350 players. He will be in good company with Scouts from the NHL, 8 NCAA Division I colleges, 4 Major Junior Canadian teams, 28 USHL/NAHL teams and 10 BCHL teams and 10 USHL and EHL teams. This is the Eels first time attending the Cali Showcase and we are very excited about embarking on this venture as we get to see new players and new faces at a new forum.

USPHL Press Release on Nolan Greene

Zac Boyle Marks Eels 5th College Commitment for 2017

The Florida Eels Announce its 5th College Commitment Congrats to Zac Boyle As He Commits To Neumann University

Congratulation goes out to Zac Boyle as he commits to Neumann University in Pennsylvania. He is a 4-year veteran of the Eels program. Zac is from Wichita, KS, A forward. D/O/B: 09/16/96 He is 6” 2” ” 200 lbs., Shoots Left.

This season he was one of top league-leading scorer in the USPHL Elite Division scoring 35 goals and notching 34 assists.

In fact, Zac broke the All Time Scoring records toping most goals as an Eel and most points. In 4 seasons he tallied 75 goals and 96 assists.

Eels Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci comments

“Zac is a hard working forward, who is always first in on the fore-check and back check. Zac scores hard working goals and assists consistently. He blocks shots on the penalty kill. A hulking power forward at 6’2”, Zac truly is a force on the ice. He holds such a heavy shot, goalies tend to think they have the angle on him, but it powers its way into the back of the net. Has great two-way reads, both offensively and defensively. Has a real active stick defensively that allows him to strip the puck from opponents. The other teams nightmare when he has it because he can score in so many ways. An absolute beast on the puck, nearly impossible to knock him off it.”

General Manager Scarpaci noticed while scouting Boyle 4 years ago he immediately noticed, Zac was a high-energy player who loved the high tempo game even at that young age. He developed very well under our system. He drives to the net, has a good hard accurate shot. Boyle is known for winning those loose puck battles along the boards and in front of the net. In talking with College coaches, they echoed they love his two-way play, as he is ever mindful of his defensive zone responsibilities. College Scouts always commented on his high competes level.

Coach Scarpaci concludes…. Boyle has the insatiable appetite to win and that is the way Eels’ play. He is an impact player and will make his mark at Neumann University.

Boyle had a plethora of interest from about a dozen NCAA men’s Division 3 schools. In fact we had six solid commitment offers from coaches. But Boyle loved everything about Neumann University. He said the feel was right. He could see himself attending Neumann is extremely excited about playing for head coach Matt Tendler. .

Zac commented that he looks forward to playing in the ECAC West conference. He feels it is very competitive. He is very excited to be able to compete against Hobart Utica Manhattanville Nazareth Elmira and other top schools. He will miss it here in Florida but he has worked so hard over the last four years to make it to college and is so excited that his dreams are finally being realized.

Zac is a true leader on and off the ice as evidenced by him being selected team as assistant captain this season. This is a very character young man with unwavering integrity. He comes from a very supportive family who have made enormous sacrifices for Zac to reach and realize his dreams and goals of playing college hockey.

Press Release: The Florida Eels are proud to announce their 4th College Commitment with Nolan Greene Committing to Framingham State University.

Press Release:

The Florida Eels are proud to announce their 4th College Commitment with Nolan Greene Committing to Framingham State University.

Florida Eels Elite team goaltender Nolan Greene makes NCAA commitment to play at Framingham State University for 2017-18 academic year.

Nolan Greene was one of the top goalies for the past 3 seasons in the USPHL. The league coaches have voted him as a league all star three straight seasons. He has been selected numerous times by the league as player of the week; over the past 3 seasons Greene’s save percentages and GAA have been outstanding. He backstopped the Eels Empire, USP3 and Elite teams to winning seasons, winning Florida Division titles and advancing to league playoffs in each of his seasons including league finalist last season in the championship series.

Nolan had a number of strong NCAA Division III college coaches recruit him throughout the season. However, there was no question Framingham State was his first choice. Greene is a Quincy Massachusetts native. He and his family are looking forward to having him play in front of his family after being away for 3 years.

Nolan looks forward to playing for Head Coach Guy Angers and his Assistant Coach Mike Bailey. They are building this team to emerge as a contender in the tough and highly competitive NCAA Division III MASCAC conference. It includes solid programs such as Plymouth State, Salem State, and UMass Dartmouth amongst others. Nolan wants to be part of Coach Angers’ Framingham State University Owls rebuilding program. Nolan is a very confident young man. He knows about training hard as he is accustomed to training 4 hours a day. He is a very determined athlete with an untiring work ethic. Nolan’s dedication will propel him to work equally hard all summer to make himself ready for the upcoming year.

The following is Premier Head Coach, Frankie Scarpaci’s scouting report:

“Greene is a hybrid goaltender. He is large and mobile, Has tremendous anticipation skills. His speed and ability to read the game are his two biggest assets. His ability to read the game allows him to shutdown odd man rushes and penalty situations. His positioning plays allow him to track pucks to his body making it easier to control rebounds. His compete level is very high which allows him to steal games for his team. He has great vision to see and track the puck. He communicates very well with his defenseman. Great leadership on and off the ice. Greene’s consistently been one of the top netminders in the USPHL over the last several years.”

General Manager Frank Scarpaci says, " Nolan is a top notch player and an even better person. He is a top character young man. He comes from a phenomenally supportive and loving family. They have made enormous sacrifices to help him realize his dreams.

We know he will do well at FSU. Nolan is very focused and mentally driven to succeed at anything he chooses. He is not only a solid goaltender but also an extremely bright young man with a tremendous future in whatever career path he chooses.” We are very proud of Nolan and wish him the best at Framingham State University.

Jason Posner Commits to Boston College

A huge congratulation goes out to Jason Posner as he notches the Florida Eels 3rd college commitment this season. This is especially impressive as Jason is only a 1997 DOB. He is no doubt one of the Florida Eels top academic students and was accepted by some of the top schools in the USA: Boston College. Now that says something. He was accepted to some of the leading colleges and universities in the USA but Boston College was where his heart is. He will be studying physics and what better academic school for that than Boston College. As a student of advanced science he will have a full load on the academic side so he intelligently and prudently decided to marshal his time and selected a solid ACHA Hockey program to accommodate the demands of his studies.

Jason is now one of three Eels alumni who went on to study and play ice hockey at Boston College. The first was Malcolm Lyles who played for BC’s NCAA Division 1 college hockey team for two years 2008-09 and 2009-10 before transferring over the NCAA U Mass Lowell. The 2nd Eels alumni was in Max Mastrella who like Jason had a tough academic load and played for Boston College ACHA College club team.

Jason is a very talented young Goalie says GM Frank Scarpaci. He has tremendous passion and is a very most dedicated and determined young man. He would come to practice early each day by one hour or better to work on his game. He has great vision on the ice. He plays a hybrid style. He tracks the puck and shooters very well. He is an aggressive goalie who Attacks shooters. He has outstanding rebound control. He has an extremely quick glove that frustrates so many shooters. He is calm and never gets rattled or shaken up. Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci said Jason played phenomenal in net for the Eels USP3 team this past season. He earned 3 shutouts during the regular season. He and fellow netminder, Nick Kotz, backboned their team into the playoffs says Premier Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. This was a huge accomplishment as the Eels USP3 team had 18 rookies and Jason always came up with those saves to give his team a chance to win. We trust he will also rise to the top at Boston College’s ACHA team. The quality of players in that league is phenomenal. He will thrive there.

Jason is a high character young man. He will fit so well at Boston College and their excellence in their tradition. Jason comes from an incredible family that has supported him in every aspect of his life including hockey. Despite playing in Florida, his parents made many games and were there on all of the away showcases. They are now must be elated at seeing their son Jason realize his dreams. The Eels are honored that Jason was with us last year. Moreover we are very proud to have helped him reach his goals. That is what we do. Advance our players to college. Jason marks 197 players the Eels advanced to college.

We wish the best of luck to Jason. There is no doubt that he will make us all proud in his endeavors and studies at Boston College.

Eels Elite Captain Jordan Court Commits To NCAA Div. 3 Neumann University

The Florida Eels Elite Captain Jordan Court Commits to NCAA Division III Neumann University men’s ice hockey program for the fall 2017. Congratulations are clearly in order. Jordan had quite a few schools recruiting him but Neumann University and playing for head coach, Matt Tendler was always his first choice.

Jordan was the most senior Eel playing within the organization. When General Manager, Frank Scarpaci brought the Eels organization to Fort Myers 11-12 years ago, Jordan was just a peewee. Since joining the Eels he has been very loyal to the Eels, never journeying at any other program whether at juniors or in youth hockey. Jordan bleeds Eels colors.

Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci provides the following scouting report:

Jordan Court as the Eels’ Captain is a winner in every sense of the term. Court plays in all situations, and does it effectively. He is one of the better two-way players in the league as he doesn’t sacrifice defense for offense. His shot has an extremely quick release that has the puck rise quickly on goalies. Despite his size, Court likes to initiate contact and be the aggressor. He battles very hard along the boards and in front of the opposing goalie.

Good on face-offs and dependable along the boards, Court can play pretty much any position effectively. He has great work ethic. He is an incredibly dedicated and determined young man. He shows up 2 hours before practice and is always the last player to leave. He has the insatiable appetite to score. He works on this every day as he shoots 150 pucks after every practice. He has what college coaches are looking for: The will to win. He has that compete level that you won’t find in many players. As a captain he brings this all to the locker-room and ice every day, at practice and in the games. He is a true and natural leader.

This year in the regular season in 48 games he scored 22 goals notched 35 assists, which includes 12 power play assists. In 4 games in the playoffs Court scored a hat trick for 3 goals and 1 assist.

Jordan comes from a very supportive hockey family who without them he would never been able to realize his dreams of playing college hockey. Like Jordan himself his family is very much a part of the Eels, from his parents, his brother, his grandparents and his uncle and aunt. The entire Court family are part of our Eels family and friends.

Jordan is looking forward to his future at Neumann University. He feels it is truly the right fit. He has done his homework and studied their academic programs, the classes, the dorms, campus life, the team, the rink, the fitness facilities and he is very excited to be part of it. He is especially excited to be playing for one of the top NCAA Division III programs. It is an awesome place to play your 4 years of college. He is looking forward to being a “ Knight and playing for head Coach Matt Tendler and his assistants Mike Cauley, Kyle Mountain and Tom Peffall.

Mike Gennello has committed to NCAA Division III Framingham State University.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

A huge congratulation goes out to Mike Gennello from the Florida Eels Elite team as he notches the Florida Eels 1st NCAA college commitment for the 2016-17 this season.

Mike Gennello has committed to NCAA Division III Framingham State University. Gennello is 5’9” 175 pounds. A 2nd year veteran in juniors. He played one year with the Florida Eels. In 44 regular season games this season he had 15 goals and 24 assists for a total of 39 points. Nearly one point per game. He had 6 power play goals. In the 4-playoff games, he scored 2 goals and notched 2 assists.

Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci provides the following scouting report:
A crafty forward that has all the ability to be an exceptional college player. Owns a college level shot already that’s accurate and quick to get off. Can just whip it to the net with authority. He has great vision. He has a deadly one timer as he plays point on the power play. Mike is creative, and can really be an offensive force, however, his defensive play should not be overlooked. He has become a strong two-way player. Mike really takes pride in starting his offensive by taking pucks away from the opponent. Is an absolute pest to play against. He is an extremely determined and dedicated young man. Possesses a phenomenal work ethic. Constantly working to improve his game. He would come back to the rink after practice and shoot extra 100-150 pucks every day.

General Manager Frank Scarpaci echoed, that like all of our 1996 players, Mike Gennello had a number of NCAA offers. Mike is excited about the opportunity to join Framingham State University’s line up. He has a great feel for Framingham State University and its hockey program. He looks forward to attending FSU and making it his home for the next 4 years and especially playing for coach Guy Angers

Mike Gennello marks the Eels 1st player this season committing to a NCAA college. The Eels now have 196 players advancing to college.

We wish Mike the best in his college endeavors. He comes from a very supporting family who made enormous sacrifices for him and without that commitment he would never had realized his dreams. This is what the Eels do: Create opportunities for our players. Expose them to a plethora of showcases and garner significant visibility and exposure. The staff works very hard with the players very early in the season with the recruitment process. Mike Gennello is a prime example of the fruits of these efforts. Good luck and best wishes.

Florida Eels Alumni Mario Puskarich signs with ECHL contract with the Manchester Monarchs. Mario now wearing #37 as Monarch. He completed an outstanding career at the University of Vermont notching 50 goals in his NCAA career. The Monarchs are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL Las Angeles Kings.

CAREER HONORS:

• Hockey East Rookie of the Year (2013-14)

• Hockey East All-Rookie Team (2013-14)

• Assistant Captain (2015-16)

• Captain (2016-17)

SENIOR SEASON (2016-17): Recorded his first point of the year with an assist on the game-tying goal at No. 20 Northeastern (Oct. 30) ... Netted his first goal of the season at No. 7 UMass-Lowell (Nov. 4) ... Earned his first two-goal game of the season that included the game-winning goal against Dartmouth (Nov. 15) ... Tallied another multi-point night with a goal and an assist against Maine (Nov. 18) ... Assisted on the game-winning goal against Massachusetts in the Friendship Four (Nov. 25) ... Scored the game-winning goal and added an assist against No. 3 Quinnipiac in the Friendship Four championship game (Nov. 26) ... Netted a goal on a season-high seven shots against Bentley (Dec. 30) ... Scored a goal on the road at Providence (Jan. 14) ... Registered a multi-point game with a goal and an assist at home against Connecticut (Jan. 20).

JUNIOR SEASON (2015-16): Saw action in all 40 games and posted a team-leading 28 points on 10 goals and a career-high 18 assists ... Finished his season ranked second in the country in shots on goal with 175 ... Led the team with four power play goals and added two game-winning goals ... Moved into fourth place all-time at UVM in career game-winning goals (11) ... Netted two goals in the season opener at No. 9 Minnesota, including the game-winner (Oct. 10) ... Had another multi-point game at home vs. No. 4 UMass Lowell (Nov. 6) ... Scored goals in back-to-back games against Connecticut (Nov. 13) and Massachusetts (Nov. 15) ... Assisted on the game-winning goal against New Hampshire (Jan. 2) ... Put together a seven-game point streak (Jan. 2 to Feb. 5) ... Netted the game-winning goal at Massachusetts while recording a season-high 11 shots on goal (Jan. 23) ... Recorded a goal at home against No. 10 Notre Dame (Feb. 5) ... Scored a power play goal against No. 2 Boston College (Feb. 20) ... Netted another power play goal in Game 2 of the Hockey East Opening Round at Connecticut (Mar. 5) ... Assisted on the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the Hockey East Quarterfinals at No. 3 Boston College (Mar. 12) ... Finished the season with a plus-3 rating.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2014-15): Skated in 29 games and tied for fifth on the team in scoring with 24 points ... Ranked second on the team in both goals (11) and shots on goal (118) despite missing 11 of the final 12 games of the season due to injury ... Finished the season with seven multi-point performances ... Posted three points in the season opener at No. 16 Northeastern (Oct. 11) ... Had two points, including the game-winning goal at Clarkson (Oct. 18) ... Assited on the game-tying goal in the final minute at No. 20 Notre Dame (Nov. 1) ... Scored the game-winner at eventual national champion No. 16 Providence (Nov. 15) ... Collected two points in an 11-1 road win at UMass (Nov. 22) ... Scored three goals in a road sweep of Maine (Nov. 28-29) ... Recorded a career-high 11 shots on goal in the second game of the series ... Notched a goal and an assist in the Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup vs. Air Force (Dec. 28) ... Had another multi-point effort at Dartmouth (Jan. 11) ... Tallied two points, including a power play goal vs. Penn State in the Philadelphia College Hockey Faceoff (Jan. 31).

FRESHMAN SEASON (2013-14): Became the first Catamount to win the Hockey East Rookie of the Year Award ... One of three unanimous selections to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team ... Tied the NCAA lead with seven game-winning goals ... Registered the second-most game-winners in a single season in UVM history ... Skated in 37 games and scored a team-high 19 goals, which was tied for fifth in Hockey East and led all rookies by four ... Ranked second on the team in points (36) and third in assists (17) ... Tallied a team-best five power play goals ... Ranked second in the league with 156 shots on goal ... During Hockey East play, he led the league in freshman scoring (19), game-winning goals (4) and shots on goal (101) ... Became UVM's highest scoring freshman during its Hockey East era ... Collected eight multi-point games ... Named Hockey East Rookie of the Month twice and Hockey East Rookie of the Week five times, both of which were league-highs ... Had a stretch of 10 goals in 10 games from Jan. 11 to Feb. 21 ... Scored the game-winner for his first career goal vs. No. 2 Notre Dame (Nov. 1) ... Had the game-winner and an assist vs. Maine (Nov. 30) ... Notched a season-high 12 shots on goal vs. No. 16 Northeastern (Dec. 17) ... Picked up two goals and an assist in the Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup (Dec. 28-29) ... Collected his first collegiate three-assist game vs. No. 10 Yale (Jan. 4) ... Tallied two goals and two assists in a series at No. 11 Northeastern (Jan. 17-18) ... Had a point in each game vs. No. 1 Boston College (Feb. 14-15) ... Registered a natural hat trick in the third period at Merrimack and added an assist (Feb. 21) ... Potted the game-winner vs. No. 7 UMass Lowell on Senior Night (Mar. 1) ... Scored the overtime winner at No. 8 UMass Lowell in Game 2 of the Hockey East Quarterfinals (Mar. 15) ... Tallied an assist vs. No. 1 Union in the NCAA East Regional (Mar. 28).

Junior Career;

Stared with the Florida Eels. He along with 5 other Eels players that team year went on to play NCAA Div. 1 and 3 college hockey.

Mario later moved on to the NAHL and the USHL . Later he moved on to the Langley Rivermen (BCHL) in 2012-13 and won the Brett Hull Trophy as the BCHL scoring champion after amassing 41 goals and 89 points ... Posted 16 more points than any other BCHL player and also led the league in power play scoring with 22 points ... Named a BCHL First Team All-Star in the Coastal Conference ... In 2011-12, he ranked 18th in the BCHL with 31 goals and averaged roughly a point per game over 60 regular season contests with Langley.

Keys to recovery and maximizing strength gains

03/30/2017, 3:30pm MDT

By Michael Caples

Jason Hodges spends the better part of each year helping the top 16- and 17-year-old hockey players get the most out of their on- and off-ice training.

As head athletic trainer of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, Hodges helps some of the best young players in the world deal with the wear and tear that comes with intense training and competition.

For players who are approaching that age group, it’s time to begin thinking about maximizing gains during offseason workouts.

However, the most important thing, according to Hodges, is to make sure your body is ready to start working out.

“It’s very important after the long grind of a season to let your body heal,” Hodges said. “Rehab any injuries or things that are bugging you during the season. Give them time to heal, or seek help, physical therapy or whatever else you made need, before you take that next step in your training in the offseason.”

Once that’s taken care of, it’s time to hit the gym.

The right way

At the 14U/16U age level, athletes should be familiarizing themselves with the weight room and learning how to do things the right way. You’re wasting your time, and hurting your body, if you don’t.

“It’s flexibility and strength – not super heavy lifts, but getting yourself into the weight room and getting yourself familiar with lifting,” Hodges said. “If this is your first time lifting, it’s about starting the process and making sure you’re doing things correctly. Make sure you’re under the guidance of somebody who knows what they’re doing, so that they can teach you the right way of doing things. You don’t need a lot of machines and heavy weights and stuff. You can do a lot of simple body-weight things and other things that you can do on your own, not with a $1 million gym.”

Get loose

Take time to prepare your body before you start training.

“Good habits; warming up and stretching before you start your workout – same thing as a practice – they carry over to a workout where you want to make sure your body is loose and ready before you do your training or your conditioning. Foam-rolling, some static stretching, a dynamic warm-up – they’re all good to get the blood flowing and the muscles ready before you start. You want to do those same things once you start playing again, too. You want to continue that dynamic warm-up and that good solid foundation when you start playing. You want to get your body ready for a game just like a training session.”

Refueling

As far as making sure your workout effort was well worth it, Hodges talks about the “golden rule” of getting protein into your body within 20 minutes. The NTDP goes with the ever-popular chocolate milk approach.

“Chocolate milk within 20 minutes; 20 minutes is the golden rule,” Hodges said. “That’s the time when the muscles will soak it up the best.”

After that, get some food in your system when you get home from the rink or the gym.

“Go home, an hour later or whatever, have a good meal – a well-balanced meal. For kids that are trying to gain weight during the offseason, we also recommend something like a shake before you go to bed. Depending on your body composition, try to get something in your body before you go to bed – there are a ton of different recipes for shakes in the blender with some yogurt, low-fat ice cream, low-fat milk, blueberries, strawberries, things like that.”

Recovery is key

Hodges wants all young athletes to make sure they’re taking care of their body before, during and especially after they exercise.

“Recovery is important,” Hodges said. “Eating well, at some point. Here, we do the simple thing of chocolate milk. Low-fat chocolate milk has a good balance of proteins and a little bit of fats and carbohydrates to help rebuild those muscles after they break down. You don’t need to buy a bunch of supplements, especially at that age. It’s just eating food – real food – that goes a long way in recovery. You also want to make sure you stay hydrated. Lots of fluids help replenish the muscles for anything that’s lost during a warm-up. At that age, sports drinks can help a little bit, but just a little caveat; Gatorade and Powerade have a lot of calories. Sometimes that can be good, sometimes it can be bad. Just keep an eye on how much you drink.”

How much is too much?

Don’t overdo it. Hodges says that at the 14U age level, three times a week is enough, while also suggesting that players try some other sports.

“Usually three times a week is kind of the standard. A good rule of thumb is three to four times a week,” Hodges said. “You don’t want to overdo it, and you want to mix it up so it doesn’t get monotonous or get boring. It doesn’t have to be necessarily lifting all the time – you can do off-ice stuff. Go play a different sport. Go play tennis, go play golf. It’s amazing how much those other sports work different muscles – different but the same – and kind of break it up a little bit.”

Update: Florida Eels Junior Hockey Spring and Summer Training

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Update:
Florida Eels Junior Hockey Spring and Summer Training

Frankie Scarpaci, Head Coach Florida Eels Premier Team, will be hosting Spring and Summer Training commencing April 3rd 2017

I. Eight Weeks Off Ice Conditioning and Training
April 3- May 19th will consist of 3 days per week of intensive Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training & Agility and Dry Land Skills

3 Days per week
Time 1:30 pm
Days Mon. Wed. & Friday

Cost $300 for 8 weeks No proration of cost.

Reservation and Payment due by March 23rd Limited spots

Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

II. Two Months Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players
Commencing the week of May 22nd 2 months of Ice and Off Ice Junior Hockey/College Skills Training

Monthly Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players destined to play Junior or college hockey in the Fall 2017.

On Ice 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays
Specialized in individual skills
• Including power skating, explosive speed, edge work
• Creative stickhandling, puck control and puck protection
• Shooting and scoring
Positional Coaching
Battle techniques

Off Ice “Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training, Agility and Dry Land Skills
3-4 days per week
Two sessions of Dry Land will be available. Morning and Afternoon to accommodate work schedules for many junior players
Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

*Cost: $300.00 per month. For players in High School session will start after school get out. COST WILL BE PRORATED

There will be limited spots available. Players skill level must be approved by Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. Players must sign up by April 14th

Contact Clare Scarpaci to register
941-400-0712 flelitehockey@aol.com

Summer Camp

Summer Ice Hockey Camp 2017

Summer Camp 2017 Info

Location:  Fort Myers Skatium  2250 Broadway Fort Myers Fl 33901

Summer Camp 2017 Info

Location:  Fort Myers Skatium  2250 Broadway Fort Myers Fl 33901

Dates: week one  June 12th - 16th  week two July 17th - 21st and week 3 July 31 thru August 4th

Camp drop off is at 9:00 am 

Ice times and Off – Ice: TBD

Mites – Bantams stay from 9:00 am – 4 :00 pm  Pick Up time is at 4:00 pm sharp

Midgets and Juniors Done by noon  Cost:  225.00 for all players

To enroll and register:  Complete Flyer at the rink or Contact: Frank Scarpaci Hockey Director 941-400-9023

Junior Hockey News: "The USPHL Is My League of Choice"

03/23/2017, 8:45pm EDT

By Junior Hockey News

Last week I had a chance to catch up with Dartmouth Hockey defenseman Clay Han. Clay recently finished his Freshman season with the Big Green team, and took time out from his exams to talk about his unique hockey experience.

Clay, your path to NCAA hockey is a little unusual in that you were playing in the Mid Western United States as a Midget and you left for the East Coast. How did that come about?

“Yes it is a little unusual. I was in Ohio and doing real well. I was talking to a lot of NAHL and USHL teams at the time. But I got a phone call from Coach Anderson with the Junior Bruins asking me to play in a showcase out east that kind of changed things. I played in the showcase, got to know him and Peter Masters, and it just clicked for me.”

Why did you chose the USPHL over the NAHL and USHL then?

“I really wanted exposure and to make a D-1 commitment. With so many schools out east, and seeing all the scouts at the first showcase, it really was an easy decision. I didn’t even go to an NAHL or USHL camp.”

If you could tell a young player about your USPHL experience what would you say?

“I would say, if you want exposure, and you want a lot of ice time, the USPHL is a great league. I made great friends, great connections, and enjoyed all three years there.”

Have you heard about the new NCDC division?

“Yes. Its pretty exciting to know the league is now going to have a free to play division. I know a lot of guys I played with in the Mid West always wished there was free to play hockey out east because that’s where they wanted to play. Its going to be great to see how many kids head out here. I mean it only makes sense when so many schools are here.”

If you offered a young player once piece of advice what would it be?

“Trust the process. Don’t fall for the hype of any league over another. Every player has his own process to go through. If yours takes you out east to the USPHL, just follow it. Don’t let people tell you that you shouldn’t go there, or that their league is better. The USPHL is right in the middle of everything. Great cities, great schools, and great people involved. If I would have listened to other people, I probably wouldn’t be getting an Ivy League Degree.”

America's Future: How the NCDC will Benefit College-Bound Stars

03/23/2017, 8:45pm EDT

By Joshua Boyd

Pop quiz: What do Jack Eichel, Charlie Coyle and Jimmy Vesey have in common?

We’ll give you a hint, it’s the same thing they have in common with Ryan Donato, Robert Carpenter and Danny Tirone.

Come to think of it, those six share the same thing in common with Brady Fleurent, Tommy Besinger and Ross Olsson.

The first trio of players are young NHL standouts. The second group include two high scorers and a top goalie in the NCAA Division 1 ranks. The third group are players who are among the top scorers of NCAA Division 3 hockey this season, including the nation’s scoring leader Fleurent.

What do they all have in common? They are all USPHL alumni, or alumni of USPHL member organizations.

What is the USPHL?

From the time that the United States Premier Hockey League announced its existence in 2013, the USPHL has worked tirelessly to build a complete development model for young hockey players aspiring to college hockey, and possibly beyond to the professional realm.

The USPHL started off with a merger of long-standing Eastern Junior Hockey League teams and new NHL-affiliated/owned teams. It has quickly expanded with different divisions, first welcoming in teams from the former Empire Junior Hockey League, and later the now dormant Minnesota Junior Hockey League and Northern Pacific Hockey League.

In addition, the USPHL also formed the first full-season season midget league in the East with divisions at 18U, 16U and even a 16U Futures Division.

In 2016, the league initiated a bridge to its Midget and Junior programs by creating the High-Performance Youth Division, creating the first comprehensive cradle to college league in the United States.

In short, the USPHL has always sought to provide a personalized development path for players of a wide array of backgrounds and with different dreams to get to the NCAA Divisions 1, 2 and 3, or the American College Hockey Association. And, yes, there are those exceptional few who skate in “The Big Show,” the NHL.

Introducing the USPHL of 2017-18

The USPHL of the last four years has been very successful, with more than 1,000 college commitments across all of its divisions. For the 2016-17 season, 12 organizations had over 90 Division 1 committed players competing on their teams.

In Division 3, the 2017-18 roster of USPHL teams ranks by far first in Division 3 player development over the past five years.

The USPHL has positioned itself for a revolutionary 2017-18 season that will see the league move up the rankings for player advancement to the college ranks, from NCAA Division 1 to ACHA Division 1.

The USPHL will debut its tuition-free National Collegiate Development Conference later this summer. The USPHL Premier and Elite Divisions will return, now having clearer mission statements.

The 2017-18 Premier and Elite Divisions will welcome well-established junior programs the Northern Cyclones, Boston Bandits, Connecticut Nighthawks, New Jersey Rockets, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack and New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs.

The league’s midget programs will expand their competitive schedule through the formation of a new league affiliate member system.

One thing that will not change in the USPHL’s fifth season – there will be fast, physical hockey by players determined to become the best players they can be prior to reaching their college destinations. Some will enter the USPHL as Division 1 prospects, others will commit to Division 1 schools while playing in the USPHL.

Hundreds will commit, as they are already, to NCAA Division 2 and 3 and ACHA schools, where they will receive outstanding educations at some of the nation’s best colleges, while continuing to create memories to last a lifetime on and off the ice with new teammates.

The National Collegiate Development Conference

This new tuition-free division of the USPHL will be geared toward players who are already committed to NCAA Division 1 teams, or those who can achieve NCAA Division 1 commitments.

The NCDC will be a division of 11 teams, some being longtime USPHL members and others migrating from another junior league.

These 11 teams are in five states, ranging from southern New Hampshire to its western boundary of Rochester, N.Y. With two league members, New Jersey marks the southern frontier of the league.

With all of its leagues and divisions concentrated in a small geographic footprint, the USPHL minimizes travel time to away games and causes minimal disruption to players’ schooling and training.

The extra time spent at home allows for better rest and recovery after games, and more time to devote to school, family and life outside the rink.

How to get there: Existing Players

Players currently playing for an organization that will be part of the National Collegiate Development Conference can – for lack of a better term – remain where they are. Players in these organizations are already considered as members of that organization as “organizational assets.” In other words, if a player skated this year for the New Jersey Hitmen’s 16U team, or the P.A.L. Islanders Elite team, they are automatically protected by the parent NCDC club, and they do not need to be drafted or tendered.

Futures Draft

The first big moment for the NCDC, in addition to the formal announcement of its creation in December, was its Futures Draft on Jan. 31. Over six rounds, each of the 11 members selected players born in 2001 and 2002 for those seasons beyond 2018, giving each team future prospects that no other NCDC team can sign to a

tender over the next year.

These are not under-the-radar players the USPHL is drafting, either. The NCDC is looking to be one of the top junior leagues, talent-wise, in the United States in 2017-18 and well into the future, as judging by the talent selected in the Futures Draft.

Anthony Cipollone, a draft pick of the New Jersey Hitmen, is an ’02 already committed to the University of Vermont for 2020-21. The Northern Cyclones selected Braden Doyle, an ’01 committed to the Boston University Terriers for 2020-21.

Tender signings

The NCDC allows its teams to sign players to tenders. These tenders also protect players, disallowing other NCDC teams to sign them before a team’s 2017-18 tryouts.

Some tenders already have their NCAA Division 1 plans in place, giving immediate legitimacy to the NCDC and its mission.

Jay Cote, a future teammate of Cipollone as a fellow UVM commit, was an early tender signing for the Islanders Hockey Club.

Since the start of the new year, the NCDC teams have been extremely busy signing the top talent that they began recruiting even months before the NCDC was announced.

“We’re probably going to recruit through tenders, camps, and recruit about 15 guys from the team we have this year,” said the Hitmen’s Toby Harris. “I talked to a midget [team] operator, and he said that many of the junior teams in his area ‘get comfortable and feel complacent,’ and he told me the fact that we’re doing this will raise the level of junior hockey across the U.S., because the other tuition-free leagues must do more.”

Tryouts and Draft

As of Feb. 23, seven NCDC teams had announced their tryouts for their National Collegiate Development Conference teams.

Players can go to Pre-Draft tryouts, and work towards a selection by a NCDC team in the USPHL Draft, set for May. Pre-Draft tryouts are spread out from mid-March to late April and players can – if they so choose – attend multiple tryouts to try and increase their chances of a draft selection.

Players selected in the NCDC Draft will then be able to attend the Main Camps of the teams that drafted them, in hopes of landing a roster spot for 2017-

18.

All tryout dates for the USPHL’s NCDC and other divisions can be found online at www.usphl.com/tryouts.

USPHL Premier and Elite Divisions

The 2017-18 USPHL Premier Division will be geared towards players who are college-bound hockey players, both athletically and academically, within the next two years. This will also serve as the top league in which players can develop into NCDC players.

The Elite Division in 2017-18 will be geared towards players who are either college-bound, both athletically and academically, or who will be developing into Premier and NCDC Division players in the future.

The final alignment for the 2017-18 season has not yet been determined for either division. The Premier Division will, however, have a footprint stretching from the Upper Midwest to the Southeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. states.

As was true for the USPHL in its 2016-17 season, this footprint (and the footprint of the USPHL Premier especially) will closely mirror the footprint of NCAA men’s hockey. The USPHL has the advantage of operating its teams within a short drive of NCAA colleges to bolster the recruitment of its players, and that will never change.

Affiliate Program

Even if you’re not drafted into a NCDC team, there is still hope that you will see NCDC action, as early as the inaugural 2017-18 season.

Each National Collegiate Development Conference program has signed affiliate agreements with three teams in the USPHL Premier and Elite Divisions for the coming season.

Each NCDC team and its affiliates can work together in many ways: each USPHL Premier team will have the right to send a minimum three of its players to its NCDC affiliate for camps and games during the season; coordination of scouting and tryout camps in addition to year-round player procurement communication; tryout and player movement agreements are in place at the league level to benefit each NCDC team and its affiliates.

The Premier and Elite Division teams will feature open tryouts. A coach, scout or other hockey operations personnel from each team’s NCDC affiliate will be present at these practices, allowing for Premier and Elite teams to be immediately scouted for the tuition-free top level.

The Path to College Hockey

The USPHL has constructed this new framework to create one path to college hockey.

This could mean you’re headed for the University of North Dakota (NCAA Division 1) or the University of Oklahoma (ACHA Division 1). College hockey comes in many different levels and in many different places.

But the USPHL – from the NCDC to the Premier to the Elite – has the coaching, developmental resources and high-end competition to send you where you can play the game you love and get a great education.

Need more information?

The USPHL can always be found at its online home, USPHL.com, which has news, features, stats, etc., for all of its Divisions. On Facebook, “Like” the United States Premier Hockey League. The USPHL is on Twitter: @USPHL.

Florida Eels Junior Hockey Spring and Summer Training

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Junior Hockey Spring and Summer Training

Frankie Scarpaci, Head Coach Florida Eels Premier Team, will be hosting Spring and Summer Training commencing April 3rd 2017

I. Eight Weeks Off Ice Conditioning and Training
April 3- May 19th will consist of 3 days per week of intensive Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training & Agility and Dry Land Skills

3 Days per week Time and Days TBD

Cost $300 for 8 weeks No proration of cost.

Reservation and Payment due by March 23rd Limited spots

Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

II. Two Months Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players
Commencing the week of May 22nd 2 months of Ice and Off Ice Junior Hockey/College Skills Training

Monthly Intense On Ice and Off Ice Conditioning Training For Elite and Premier Level Junior Players destined to play Junior or college hockey in the Fall 2017.

On Ice 6:30 am – 7:30 am
Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays
Specialized in individual skills
• Including power skating, explosive speed, edge work
• Creative stickhandling, puck control and puck protection
• Shooting and scoring
Positional Coaching
Battle techniques

Off Ice “Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning Training, Agility and Dry Land Skills
3-4 days per week
Two sessions of Dry Land will be available. Morning and Afternoon to accommodate work schedules for many junior players
Location varies from World Gym and the Fort Myers Skatium

Cost: $300.00 per month. No proration

There will be limited spots available. Players skill level must be approved by Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci. Players must sign up by April 14th

Contact Clare Scarpaci to register
941-400-0712 flelitehockey@aol.com

Florida Eels Alumni Zach Mudge, a Forward at Western Michigan University, finished the 2016-17 season on top of the ACHA Division 1 points leaderboard with 68 points.

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Alumni Lead ACHA Div 1 Mens Hockey In scoring College Hockey
3/8/2017

Tier 3 Alumni Lead in Points at all Levels of College Hockey
If you ever wondered about the impact of Tier 3 Junior Hockey in the college hockey game, look no further than the top points leaders this season.
leaders at the NCAA D3 level developed in Tier 3:

ACHA D1 Zach Mudge, a Forward at Western Michigan University, finished the 2016-17 season on top of the ACHA Division 1 points leaderboard with 68 points. A 1992, Mudge developed with the Florida Eels during his 2013-14 campaign.

Clayton Boyd Zac Boyle and Nolan Greene Off To Beantown Spring Classic

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

Congratulations goes out to Florida Eels Elite players Clayton Boyd, Zac Boyle and Nolan Greene for being selected to participated in the most prestigious post season hockey showcase in North America: The Beantown Spring Classic. The Beantown Spring Classic is a three day event taking place this Wednesday, March 8th-Friday, March 10th with the intent of showcasing the best players from east coast in a small event setting for the purpose of giving the NHL scouts and College recruiters the best forum to evaluate the top talent from the past year in one setting. The tournament features three boys divisions: A NHL Draft Division, A College Division and A NHL Pre Draft Division.

Zac, Clayton and Nolan will all compete and be showcased in the College Division. In the College Division, Six teams will be selected and will play three games over three days. Each team will consist of 10 forwards, 6 defense and 2 goalies. Players such as Zac, Clayton and Nolan have been selected from the USPHL, EHL, Midget AAA and Prep/High school programs. Players’ selection for this division was made based on winter coach nominations and selections as well with the input of NHL scouting partners and college coaches. This division is made up of high end players who did not make Central scouting midterm report but were on it before and players who are close to getting a D-1 college deal done but have not done so yet. Age eligible players are born between 1996-1999. NHL scouts will coach all teams.

We wish Clayton, Zac and Nolan the best of luck. We trust they will compete extremely well as they have for the Eels throughout the past 3+ seasons and that they surely demonstrate to the college coaches and scouts that they are outstanding prospects and candidates for their program in the Fall 2017.

In 2016, here is a partial college scouting list:

NCAA Division I
Yale
Brown
Holy Cross-
Bentley
Maine
U Mass Lowell
Quinnipiac
U Conn
Providence College
Sacred Heart University
Union College
Boston University
Boston College
UNH
Army
Merrimack College
Minnesota
Michigan
Colgate

NCAA Division III
Stonehill College
Wesleyan
Tuffs
Curry College
Skidmore
Trinity College
SUNY Plattsburgh
Elmira
Utica
Morrisville
Nazareth
Hobart
Hamilton College
Wentworth
Potsdam
Middlebury

NHL Presence
NHL Central Scouting
Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Black Hawks
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
Washington Capitals
Boston Bruins
LA Kings
Ottawa Senators
Florida Panthers
Colorado Avalanche
Winnipeg Jets
San Jose Sharks
Edmonton Oilers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Buffalo Sabers

EELS USP3 TEAM PHOTO

Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Zach Werenski could become the Tom Brady of the NHL

Blue Jackets rookie Zach Werenski is still adjusting to the pace of the NHL but has already shown that he's not afraid to speak up for himself. James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 23, 2017

Craig CustanceESPN Senior Writer

The first 40 games as an NHL rookie are kind of a breeze. At least that's the way Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones describes it.

The thrill of fulfilling a lifelong dream gets you through the first portion of the schedule. You're just excited to be there. One night you're facing Sidney Crosbyon the opposing team. The next night it's Jaromir Jagr. It's hard not to get fired up for that.

"You're playing off adrenaline," Jones said.

Then, about halfway through the season, it gets harder. Hey, it's Crosby again. Uh oh. And how does this other team know all my tendencies already?

"Reality kind of kicks in," Jones said.

It certainly did for Jones' teammate and defensive partner, Zach Werenski.

As Werenski progressed through the U.S. development team program and the University of Michigan, his seasons would wind down after 30 or so games. Last season, playing for both Michigan and the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters during their playoff run, Werenski took part in a combined 60 games. It was a nice buildup for the next level.

But it was nothing like what he is experiencing now as a rookie.

Werenski will have played 60 games shortly after the Blue Jackets return from their bye week. Then there's the playoffs, a spot in which the Blue Jackets -- who have 79 points heading into their five-day break -- have all but secured.

Earlier this season, Werenski joked that he might have to pick up a hobby because of all the extra time off the ice that being a professional afforded him. He's living with teammate Josh Anderson this season and spent a lot of time hanging out at the mall or playing Xbox, about what you'd expect from a 19-year-old.

That's changing, though.

"Now it's to the point where [once] practice is over, you want to lay in bed," Werenski said. "It's such a long year. You want to get your rest and feel good for the next game. Now I have no problem doing nothing."

At times, especially earlier this month, it looked as though Werenski might be slowing down after a hot start to his NHL career. He was taken off Columbus' first power-play unit to help shift focus to his defense and his play without the puck. He went his longest stretch without registering a point -- six games -- to start February.

With a tough veteran such as John Tortorella as his first NHL coach, the teenage defenseman could have been forgiven if he were afraid to speak up and went into a bit of a shell. It has taken veterans more than a season to feel comfortable going to Tortorella with issues.

Facing Sidney Crosby and the Penguins for a second time wasn't quite as much of a thrill for Zach Werenski, who went pointless in their Feb. 17 showdown. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Not Werenski.

When the offense started to dry up, he approached Tortorella with a solution.

"He said, 'Sometimes I don't get enough touches and I'm not in the game,'" Tortorella said. "That's what's cool about him. That's what's really neat about him."

Former NHL winger Doug Brown coached Werenski for years in Michigan. Brown's youth hockey teams featured Werenski on defense, along with current Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin and Winnipeg Jets left winger Kyle Connor up front. The teams were, not surprisingly, pretty darn good.

When Werenski's comment to Tortorella about needing touches was relayed to Brown, he laughed.

"I love hearing that," Brown said. "What a great comment. It's not an arrogant comment, it's 'I want to do more.'"

To listen to Brown's philosophy on hockey is to understand how Werenski arrived in the NHL a very modern and mature defenseman.

Brown taught his players not to think in terms of positions like defensemen and forwards. He wanted all five skaters to try to use their brains to create advantages on the ice, to forge triangles around the other team.

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Brown's dad is a math teacher and a football coach, and Brown coached his youth hockey players with that gridiron mindset. The ice is like a football field, he believes, and each player is a quarterback trying to find the first open receiver as quickly as possible.

"I taught the players, 'You are a hockey player. It doesn't matter where you are lined up on the faceoff. Play the game. Use the goalie if you need to. Pass the puck and change positions. If you see an intelligent reason to head up ice, head up ice,'" Brown said. "I kept very few rules."

During his time in Detroit, Scotty Bowman was a very strong influence on Brown. There are also shades of the Red Wings' Russian Five in Brown's philosophy.

"[Thanks to] Scotty Bowman and the Russian Five, we got our PhD in understanding and creating more opportunities," Brown said. "Other sports -- like soccer, lacrosse and hockey -- teach you to create 2-on-1s. ... Go way back to the 1980 Olympic team; we saw how great the Russians were. That was the beginning."

Werenski was raised to think about the game. And he had the intellect to grasp it all at a young age.

"It's the brain, not the body," Brown said. "It's the brain creating time and space by moving to create 2-on-1s. He does the analytics. The brain is a muscle, and he pushes it hard to keep learning."

Teams have adjusted to Werenski -- "He's a marked man," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said -- but he is adjusting in return. He's confident enough to communicate with his coach about fine-tuning things even more.

After starting the month with that pointless streak, Werenski has had five points in his past last three games. He scored a goal and had two assists against the Nashville Predators on Sunday to give him nine goals and 36 points on the season.

The Florida Panthers' Aaron Ekblad was the last rookie defenseman to win the Calder Trophy. He had 12 goals to go with 39 points in 2014-15. Werenski is on track to blow past those numbers.

He just happens to be playing in a rookie class that also includes Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, making Werenski a Calder dark horse. He has entered the NHL a bit like Tom Brady did the NFL -- as an unheralded, overshadowed University of Michigan kid who is using his intellect to find open receivers time after time.

Quietly, the numbers are starting to add up.

Top 10 features of the Mobile Coach App

02/27/2017, 11:30am MST

By Mike Doyle

We are in the Information Age and USA Hockey has put a wealth of hockey knowledge into your pocket.

With the USA Hockey Mobile Coach App, coaches, parents and players have nearly 3,000 pieces of hockey content, including drills, coaching manuals, practice plans, video tutorials and more.

The app has been downloaded more than 130,000 times, with more than 15,000 coaches opening accounts with the service. Its popularity has spread beyond the U.S., with more than 11,000 sessions opened in Canada and nearly 5,000 in Morocco (yes, Morocco).

“This has the potential to be a global tool. The No. 4 city [for usage] is Casablanca,” said Mark Tabrum, director of the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program. “What we believe happened is that they hosted a tournament, and someone there must’ve had the app, told people about it and it just blew up.

“This is a product we made for USA Hockey members to help hockey in America. However, helping hockey internationally is a bonus and it’s fun to see coaches around the globe using USA Hockey tools to grow the game.”

Maybe the best feature: it’s free to anyone with a smartphone or tablet.

“Used at the highest level, it’s a free tool for hockey coaches that puts all of USA Hockey’s coaching resources into the palm of their hand,” said Tabrum.

Here are 10 great features of the app that will help you get more out of your hockey experience, whether you’re a coach, parent or player.

Age-specific practice plans

At the youth level, coaches are often volunteers or have primary jobs outside the hockey world. So, as much as they might like to be full-time coaches, they just don’t have the time to constantly plan practices.

The app has entire age-specific practice plans available for busy coaches.

“You get off work late, you get to the rink and think, ‘What am I going to do for practice?’” Tabrum said. “A coach can go to their age-specific plan, find about where they are in the season, and print that plan and run it for practice.”

Practice plan builder

Once you become comfortable with the app, you can dive into customizing your own practice plans. The first step for this function is to sign up for a free app account. Once you’re registered, you can use all the resources in the app to create custom practice plans.

Coaches can outline entire practices, and use the app to assign drills and stations to their coaching staff. This feature will log an entire season of practices and help coaches ensure that there is a proper balance of skills, drills and small-area games.

“Even with multiple teams on the ice, you have the ability to, in the app, break the entire ice up into sections and stations, and those into drills accordingly,” Tabrum said.

Activity tracker

Previously parents or coaches wanting to track an individual’s activity on the ice had to log what the player was doing – whether it was skating, puckhandling, shooting or passing – on a piece of paper. With Mobile Coach’s activity tracker, you can log a player’s entire season of activity and monitor the amount of reps their getting with each practice.

“Now it’s all tracked with the touch of a button,” Tabrum said. “If a kid is skating, you hit the button and it tracks, timewise, his or her skating. So, you can actually see what the player is doing throughout the practice or game.”

The thought behind the tracker was to compare the old-style approach against an American Development Model, station-based practice. Comparatively speaking, players are much more active in the ADM, station-based practices. But now parents and coaches can see the proof with data.

“It gives player analytics,” Tabrum said. “If you track 25 practices, you’re able to see the growth over time. When you have and see the data points of a properly run ADM practice, as far as puck touches, passes and shots, the benefits are clear.”

Small-area games

“The small-area games book used to be a manual that was printed – it was a big document,” Tabrum said. “It used to be this big manual that you had bring to the rink and flag and highlight and make photocopies.

“Now it’s all in your hand.”

Every small-area game from the entire manual is now in the Drills section. Even better, small-area games are categorized to be age-specific.

“The small-area games section is probably worth the download alone,” Tabrum said.

Goaltending content

Oftentimes at the youth level, coaches don’t know a lot about teaching goaltending specifics. Sometimes lining up pucks at the top of the circle and firing wristers is the only goaltender-specific drill a team will do in a day.

The fear of not knowing what to do for your netminder is no longer a hindrance with Mobile Coach. It has five sections of goalie-centric drills and a video section specifically teaching goaltending technique. For those coaches who might not know much about the position, the app can be like another assistant coach specifically for netminders.

Coaching news

Click here to download today

There’s always something to learn and USA Hockey is a great source for the latest developments in coaching. Mobile Coach aggregates all the latest news from USA Hockey like an RSS feed.

“This pulls the latest articles from USAHockey.com,” Tabrum said. “The second we publish an article and tag it for coaching, it goes to the app. You always have the latest coaching news from USA Hockey.”

Just like when receiving a text message, the app sends out push notifications whenever there’s added content, so you never miss out on the latest news and developments.

Video content

Youngsters learn by watching and there is an ever-expanding library of nearly 300 free videos for anyone with the app.

“Years ago, we came out with our Skills and Drills DVDs, which was 400 on- and off-ice drills,” Tabrum said. “Those are all on the app.”

The collection of Skills and Drills DVDs cost $80. Now, you can get the entire collection of 800-plus videos with a one-time purchase of $8.99.

USA Hockey Rulebook

Found under the Manuals heading, the app includes the digital version of the entire USA Hockey Rulebook. The rulebook also has a search function with which users can find a vast library of resources, including rules, descriptions, videos or examples.

“It has everything you need to know the rules of the game,” Tabrum said.

Smart search

Sometimes you know what you want, but just don’t know where to go. Just like Googling has provided internet users with endless information, the smart search function makes it easy to find anything in the app.

“As you start typing, it pulls content for you,” Tabrum said. “If I pull up the search and start typing ‘checking,’ by the time I get to ‘C-H-E-C,’ I have three Skills and Drills, the Checking the Right Way manual and probably 100 videos.”

Off-ice training

Development isn’t limited to on-ice sessions. Mobile Coach also hosts off-ice training resources, including age-specific dryland and stickhandling drills kids can do in their basement or driveway.

Whether it’s dynamic warmups, agility training, stickhandling, etc., coaches can now quickly and easily dial up off-ice programs to help develop athleticism.

Continuous expansion and improvement

USA Hockey is always looking to improve its tools and the Mobile Coach App is no different. One of the best things about the app might be its potential. Currently on Version 3.0, Tabrum expects the next update will bring even more innovation.

“We’re always trying to make it better,” said Tabrum. “If you look at where it was, we didn’t even know what we had when we started it. It was just a library. We’re constantly listening to our coaches and trying to deliver a better product.”

Tabrum said there will be significant upgrades in the next version, especially to the activity tracker, whiteboard, navigation and expanded app tutorials.

“Version 4 will be a product that every youth hockey coach is going to want to have,” Tabrum said.

Kunin on the little things that pay big dividends

02/28/2017, 9:15am MST

By Evan Sporer - Special to USAHockey.com

Luke Kunin

Luke Kunin generates a lot of scoring chances, but it’s not always the flashy plays that put points on the board.

Growing up in St. Louis, he had plenty of people to emulate in the hockey world. He was surrounded by former NHL pros turned youth coaches such as Keith Tkachuk, Al MacInnis, Jeff Brown and Jamie Rivers, who combined to score more than 1,000 NHL goals.

Yet, when Kunin reflects on his development as a youth, it's not his coaches’ collective goal-scoring prowess that he credits.

"They were people who installed those good habits in me at a young age, and taught me how to play the game the right way," said Kunin, a standout for the Wisconsin Badgers who captained Team USA to a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. "You're not going to score and do things in the offensive zone if you're not taking away the puck in the defensive zone and shutting the other team down."

Kunin offered advice on how to play the right way, and in doing so, how to create more scoring chances.

The cool things

The allure of scoring can be all-consuming in youth hockey. But Kunin, who was selected with the 15th pick overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2016 NHL Draft, has seen firsthand the benefits of perfecting all the areas that make goal-scoring possible.

"I was the same way," Kunin said. "You want to do the cool things you see the NHL guys do, and things like that, but developing those other skills and the little things like lifting the stick, stealing pucks, blocking shots, whether it's being good on the walls or making smart plays, just learning those other areas are going to help you score more goals.

"I know as a young, 12-year-old kid it's probably hard to agree with that or realize it, but as you get older … if you're doing the right things away from the puck, and the right things all around the rink, then you're going to get your scoring chances."

Well-roundedness wins

Learning all areas of the game and wanting to become a complete player is paramount.

“Obviously if you score, it's great, but as you get older, if you do some other things really well, then you know your coach will have that trust to put you out there, and be reliable in certain situations. Faceoffs are huge. If you're good on those, your coach is going to put you out at key times. You want to be a plus-player; you don't want to be out there for goals-against.”

It's something Kunin has been lauded for and a reputation he has created. He kills penalties, plays against the other teams’ top forwards, and can be called upon in any situation.

"Winning for me is the most important thing, and whether I score or not, it doesn't really matter to me," Kunin said. "I just want to win the game, and do what I can to help my team be successful."

Winning, he stressed, should not be all-or-nothing at the youth levels, and the focus should be on skill development, learning the game and most importantly, having fun.

Little battles, big impact

Kunin noted that a lot of so-called little things create big momentum for the team and get teammates fired up.

"You've got some guys who are maybe heavy forecheckers and get some momentum going for your team," Kunin said. "Maybe a huge penalty kill, blocking shots, a goalie making big saves. Just being there, being supportive on the bench, and always talking and supporting with positive things are what brings teams close together."

It’s hard work that pays off for Kunin, who also captained Team USA at the 2015 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. That team featured players like Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk and other rising stars.

They also won gold.

"I've been very fortunate and honored to be the captain of some great hockey teams," Kunin said. "It's been awesome. I take pride in my work ethic more than anything else. For the young kids, that's one place to start: Judge your game by how hard you work, and the things you can control. You can't always control whether you're going to score or get points, but you can always control how hard you're working, and how competitive you are.

"It's one thing that was definitely set in me at a young age, and that's why I've been in the positions I have been. That – working hard – and having fun are the most important things you have to remember. Especially as you move up levels and you want to make teams, you have to be able to do the little things that help you win games and help you be successful. The little details are what wins hockey games, and what wins championships. If kids learn that at a young age, it's going to help them in the long run.”

The Eels Elite Team. The Right Chemistry

Eels Elite Success story…..

this year was to bring in a compilation of Eels experienced veterans some free agent vets and with high level rookies. The creation resulted in what Head Coach Frankie refers to as “Consistency” He vetted out guys with the wrong attitude or guys not willing to be coached. Intangibles are so key for this level. He was looking for an Eel” player. A player that has heart, determination dedication fortitude and selfless. A player willing to do what ever it takes to make himself better every time he hits the ice be it at practice, his next shift or even in the gym. Coach Frankie hates the word complacency or entitlement. If you that type of player there is no room for you on the Elite team or in the organization as a whole.

We are building future college hockey players. It isn’t easy. If it were everyone would be there. Oh no. Our training starts with 3 weeks of intense training camp, then a grueling 5 days per week of practices on ice and in the gym. It requires hundreds of hours of critique video of Eels players and opposing teams. Often our players return to the rink after a full day of ice and strength and condition at World Gym and shoot 100-150 pucks each day. Now that is determination and commitment. Others say they have this, but in reality only a handful of other players do it. It is like the “Will To Win” everyone says they have it. Of course who does not want to win….But it is really the willingness to do 1500 hours of training and games that measures that “Will”

The Eels this year was unlike the last 4 seasons of heavy veteran players. This year we brought in 18 new guys some veterans like David Stonebraker Colin Jones Michael Gennello Nicholas Magill-Diaz Andrii Rusakov Sven Nilsson Trey Kovalick, but there were key rookies who made the transition to Elite Juniors that were equal to the task like Jean-Simon Robidoux Colton Crabtree Nikita Lopatin Blake Hoffman Richard Allgood Caden Tchop. The key was to have the coaching ability to integrate these new comers rookies and veterans with Eels vets like Clayton Boyd Brian Kozek Gavin Medina Zac Boyle Nicholas Kotz Nolan Greene Jordan Court Rajhan Munnings and Brandon Hotaling.

In many cases having three groups like this never works. The division is often two wide. But Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci met this opportunity as a taskmaster. He set out from the beginning the priorities of this team was just that: The team. Folks had to buy in to his system. Everyone and he meant every player would be given the opportunity at practice and games to write their script and role. But no individualism. They had to be selfless. They had to work extra hard at practice and at all the little things.

Well it took time and he was sure it would. But the team got better. Day by day. Shift by shift game by game weekend to weekend. The chemistry, which was once individual components, was now formed to cohesion: A team. The Eels once again for the 5th straight year topped all the Florida Division Teams in the regular season standings. That is simply remarkable when you think how many guys were brought in.

Advancing in the playoffs was a new season for the Eels. The playoffs. The Eels took a major step forward eliminated and sweeping no less the Tampa Juniors in their series. This was the first time ever in franchise history that the Eels Elite swept Tampa. Tampa was a very good team this year and that accomplishment was not easy. So the Eels enter the 2nd round of the playoffs: The Eels vs. Hampton. The Eels were ready to take on the Whalers as a very determined group of men. They had worked hard all season and could taste the win. They could feel themselves moving forward and advancing to the next round. – the Final Round…..But their hopes and dreams were cut short over the weekend. Hampton was able to stop the Eels in game one despite several earlier leads by the Eels. The same result for the Eels in game two and the Eels season was cut short.

No doubt the team was disappointed to say the least. But the team, the players and coaches had no regrets. No second-guessing. They gave it their all. We could argue back and forth who was the better team but in the end the hockey gods were not with us in those games and Hampton was victorious. We wished them well and best of luck. That is who we are….But let there be no doubt that the Eel players showed the entire world they came to play. No team showed more passion and heart than these Eels Elite players. They brought so much to the ice. Hampton was glad to rid the Eels of their rink.

Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci was extremely proud of his players – his team. They worked very hard not just this weekend but for the entire year. 800+ hours to be exact. 44 league games multiple scrimmages and several ACHA games. Hundreds of video hours and so much more. These guys came prepared and laid everything on the line. They brought everything to the game and each practice. This was such a selfless team. They will not be judged by this round but where they will be going to. These are high character young men he echoed and all have a tenacious and insatiable work ethic. It is with their brains, skills, character, tenacity and fortitude that will propel them to the highest levels not just in hockey but in life says GM Scarpaci. We the Scarpaci family are honored and proud to have had them part of our Eels organization. To their families thank you for allowing us to have them here.

Info Regarding Round 2

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

We will be leaving for Round 2 of the USPHL Playoffs Thursday Morning 7:00 am sharp

It will take approximately 12 hours by bus.

The Venue is:
Chilled Ponds Ice Arena
1416 Stephanie Way Chesapeake Va 23320
This is the same location in which we played during the October USPHL Southern Showcase

Game 1 Friday evening 7:30 pm Drop of Puck
Game 2 Saturday evening 7:30 pm Drop of puck
Game 3 Sunday at 12:30 pm if necessary
Best 2 out of 3 playoff series like round 1

Hotel venue TBA

Florida Eels Elite On Front Page of League wed site

Florida Eels Elite Knocks Out Tampa Bay in Round One #RoadtotheCup
02/20/2017, 7:15pm EST
By Eels Staff
The Florida Eels Elite sweep the Tampa Juniors and now move on to the second round of the USPHL Southern Conference playoffs. This is the first time the Eels swept the Tampa Juniors in the playoff round. Tampa is good and every year they cause havoc for the Eels. In fact two seasons ago when the Eels Elite team seemed invincible, they were upset by Tampa despite being up by 4 goals in game 3.

It was pretty exciting here Saturday night when the final buzzer was sounded and the Eels won. These were not easy wins. Tampa played us so well in both games said Coach Frankie Scarpaci. Give Tampa a lot of credit. They are a good team.

On Friday night the Eels Topped Tampa by a score of 4-3 in a very close contest. The Eels managed to score a pair in the first period and thought a 3rd goal in the 2nd was enough to put Tampa asleep. But Tampa managed a pair in the 2nd to bring the score to with in 1 goal going 3-2 into the 3rd. The Eels got their game winner in the3rd as Tampa struck once again bringing it to within 1, as the score was 4-3. In fact Tampa had a flurry of shots very late in the 3rd period but Eels goalie Nolan Greene came up with another superb performance shutting down Tampa’s late surge.

Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

Nicholas Magill-Diaz (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek) Jean-Simon Robidoux (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #16 Zac Boyle) Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz) Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov, #20 Sven Nilsson)
Nolan Greene was in net facing 48 shots. The two teams faced off once again in Round 1 best of 3 series Sunday. Once again Tampa came out determined and focused looking for their first win of the post season and hoping to tie the series. But the Eels had something else in mind. They too brought their determination to the ice. The boys looked more focused than ever. They knew the history between these two clubs and were not abut to allow Tampa to even the series. This group of Eels wanted to be the first Eels team to sweep Tampa. The task would not be easy but they were prepared. 6-8 hours of prep and training went on the previous two weeks including ice gym video and chalk talk. The guys could not have been more prepared under the tutelage of Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci.

Captain Jordan scored a hat trick how fitting in front of his entire family. The final was 7-5 Eels and when the game was over you could hear the fireworks booming in the building. Sure it was the Edison Light Parade Fireworks but all of the players and fans thought it were for the Eels win!!!!!
Scoring went as follows:

Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov, #12 Gavin Medina Jordan Court (even strength) (#96 Brandon Hotaling, #40 Nolan Greene) Michael Gennello (even strength) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Jordan Court (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #28 Andrii Rusakov Michael Gennello (even strength) (#7 David Stonebraker, #26 Colton Crabtree) Jordan Court (even strength) (#96 Brandon Hotaling, #29 Nikita Lopatin) Clayton Boyd (even strength) (empty net) (#21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz, #54 Jordan Court) The Eels now move Hampton To the Whalers. The two teams match up quite well in fact. These two have a long history making it to the USPHL Frozen 6 League Championships each Spring. This season however, only one will advance to Beantown so I am sure they will be laying everything they have on the ice.

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Tag(s): Elite South Florida Eels Events USPHL Playoffs

Congrats To Our Eels USP3 Team For Their Season. What Heart and Determination

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

A huge congrats goes out to the boys on the USP3 team for their performances and development this season. Each team has an identity. No matter if you are an NHL team, a College team or a Junior team, there is a team identity. Some teams are defined by their potent offense and scoring. Some teams are known for their strong defense. Some teams are identified by their hitting. Some teams are truly veteran teams . The Eels USP3 team has its own identity. They are separate and distinct: The first is “Player Development” There isn’t a team in the entire USPHL that develops and advances its players, as does this team.

This year is no exception. Look at where it started:
Brian Kozek and Nolan Greene moved up from last year’s USP3 team.

The following players were originally earmarked for the USP3 team and moved up:

Gavin Medina
Jean-Simon Robidoux
Colton Crabtree
Andrii Rusakov
Nikita Lopatin
Nicholas Kotz
Blake Hoffman
Richard Allgood
Rajhan Munnings
Caden Tchop
WOW!!!!!!!!

The 2nd word is “Heart.” OMG did these guys have heart. Look at their roster 75% were 1999 and 2000 DOB. Most of these boys would have been 2nd year midgets. But no. They took the quantum leap this season made the investment of time and money. These players made huge and unparalleled strides. Our players are so much ahead of other players their age. They have gone through 3 weeks of the most intense and rigorous junior training camp. They have undergone the toughest practices 5 days per week, 40 weeks of the season. They have been working out each day in World Gym for another 1-½ hours each day for 40 weeks. They shoot every day for an hour 100+ pucks a day. They experienced 5 major college showcases and the bus trips like pro and college athletes.

Look at the 20 first year junior players such as Barry Groesch, Richie Lepardo, Dylan Robello, Daniel Merida, Jimmy Sturdivent, Corey Altieri, Dylan Tschabold, Mason DeMeyere, Dimitriy Minakov, Ethan Gill, Will Carey, Anthony Sozio, Jason Posner, Matthew Maniglia, Allan Hernandez, Jared Figueroa, Terell Bolz, Ryan Boyd, John Witkowski and Dashel Quartarolo. Unreal. No other team with 20 first year players came close with 19 wins and making the playoffs. Think about it 10+ teams in the USP3 Division did not make the playoffs. The experience alone – playing older guys and playing in the playoffs speaks volumes to their development. Think about the playoff experience they garnered. They got to play the number one seed in the USP3 division. No gimmees so to speak.

These boys were integrated with key veterans who once again showed guidance and were mentors to all of rookie players. Thanks to Captain Alec Parr and assistants Kellen Crowther and AJ Giordano, and regular players Liam McCune and Brandon Fitzsimmons

For the parents who are often thousands of miles away, I want to reveal what the boys have been doing over the last 3 weeks of regular season. The USP3 guys worked 6 and sometimes 8 hours per day preparing for their playoff run. This included 1 1/2 hours day on the ice, 1-½ hours off ice and gym; watching and dissecting 3 hours daily of video analysis of the Jr. Blade’s games; played on Wed and Thursday night high school games against the Elite players as precursors to the playoffs; and hours of chalk talk and strategy with all of the coaches. These efforts clearly demonstrate unequivocal and emphatic dedication at the highest degree.

Folks do you think this was a team that had heart, determination, will to win, and courage? Indeed, as an individual who has been coaching for decades, I haven’t seen a group of young boys who were as hungry to learn with the fortitude, faith and resolve to take on any opponent including the Jr. Blades and if God willing later Charlotte and then Boston.

These boys were not willing to concede or accept that anyone could “outwork” them. They believed they would bring down Goliath. Folks, notwithstanding not advancing beyond the first round, they proved correct! No they were not victorious in the win Colum. No they did not advance to round 2. No they did not upset the Jr. Blades. But yes they were not out worked. The Blades were a very experienced and primarily a 1996 veteran team. The Eels were like the Blades last year. The Eels were young and learning and they garnered invaluable experience and in hockey experience means so much. It was through their experience and training that earned them the right to get into Round 1. Gaining playoff experience added to their depth chart for years to come.

I am incredibly proud of these young men. I am honored to have been one of their coaches this season and elated that they were part of the Eels organization. I look forward to all of them returning next season and continuing to pursue their “End Game” That is College Hockey. No organization advances more players to that level and these boys will also realize those dreams. They understand that dreaming and goals are not…

The Eels Elite Team Advances to Round 2

FLORIDA EELS | News | by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels Elite sweep the Tampa Juniors and now move on to the second round of the USPHL Southern Conference playoffs. This is the first time the Eels swept the Tampa Juniors in the playoff round. Tampa is good and every year they cause havoc for the Eels. In fact two seasons ago when the Eels Elite team seemed invincible, they were upset by Tampa despite being up by 4 goals in game 3.

It was pretty exciting here Saturday night when the final buzzer was sounded and the Eels won. These were not easy wins. Tampa played us so well in both games said Coach Frankie Scarpaci. Give Tampa a lot of credit. They are a good team.

On Friday night the Eels Topped Tampa by a score of 4-3 in a very close contest. The Eels managed to score a pair in the first period and thought a 3rd goal in the 2nd was enough to put Tampa asleep. But Tampa managed a pair in the 2nd to bring the score to with in 1 goal going 3-2 into the 3rd. The Eels got their game winner in the3rd as Tampa struck once again bringing it to within 1, as the score was 4-3. In fact Tampa had a flurry of shots very late in the 3rd period but Eels goalie Nolan Greene came up with another superb performance shutting down Tampa’s late surge.

Scoring for the Eels was as follows:

Nicholas Magill-Diaz (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek) Jean-Simon Robidoux (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #16 Zac Boyle) Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz) Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov, #20 Sven Nilsson)
Nolan Greene was in net facing 48 shots. The two teams faced off once again in Round 1 best of 3 series Sunday. Once again Tampa came out determined and focused looking for their first win of the post season and hoping to tie the series. But the Eels had something else in mind. They too brought their determination to the ice. The boys looked more focused than ever. They knew the history between these two clubs and were not abut to allow Tampa to even the series. This group of Eels wanted to be the first Eels team to sweep Tampa. The task would not be easy but they were prepared. 6-8 hours of prep and training went on the previous two weeks including ice gym video and chalk talk. The guys could not have been more prepared under the tutelage of Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci.

Captain Jordan scored a hat trick how fitting in front of his entire family. The final was 7-5 Eels and when the game was over you could hear the fireworks booming in the building. Sure it was the Edison Light Parade Fireworks but all of the players and fans thought it were for the Eels win!!!!!
Scoring went as follows:

Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov, #12 Gavin Medina Jordan Court (even strength) (#96 Brandon Hotaling, #40 Nolan Greene) Michael Gennello (even strength) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Jordan Court (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #28 Andrii Rusakov Michael Gennello (even strength) (#7 David Stonebraker, #26 Colton Crabtree) Jordan Court (even strength) (#96 Brandon Hotaling, #29 Nikita Lopatin) Clayton Boyd (even strength) (empty net) (#21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz, #54 Jordan Court) The Eels now move on to the 2nd round. Location TBD today

Congrats Goes out to Florida Eels Alumni Mario Puskarich becomes the first player since J.C. Ruid more than 20 years ago to score 50 goals for the #VCats

USP3 Playoffs

Eels Play the Jr. Blades

Friday Feb 17th 7:15 pm

Saturday Feb 18th noon

Sunday Feb 19th if Necessary 9:00 am

Venue: Germain Arena

FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND SOUTH SERIES: GAMES 1 AND 2 WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER. ANY GAME 3 WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).

USPHL SOUTH CONFERENCE

Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs

Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6

• No.4vsNo.5

Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 20-26, 2017 - Highest seeds maintains home ice)

Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed

USPHL Frozen 6 Championship at Beantown:

1 North, 1 Pacific; 2 South, & 2 Midwest teams advance to Finals
- 6-Team Round Robin Wednesday & Thursday
- Round Robin formats are seeded as follows:

o No. 1 South; No. 2 Midwest; No. 1 Pacific

o No. 1 North, No. 2 South; No. 1 Midwest

Semifinals Thursday Night – Nos. 1 and 2 crossover from Round Robin pools
Finals: Best-of-3 Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Elite Playoffs Start Friday

by Frank Scarpaci

Elite Playoffs Start Friday
Fort Myers Skatium
2250 Broadway
Fort Myers FL 33901

Friday Feb 17th 8:00 pm Drop of puck. Warm Ups @ 7:20 PM

Saturday Feb 18th 9:15 pm Drop of puck. Warm Ups @8:50 pm

Sunday Day of Rest

Monday if necessary Feb 20th noon drop of puck. Warm Ups @ 11:30 am
1. SOUTH CONFERENCE
Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice)
• No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 20-26, 2017 - Highest seeds maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
•
2. USPHL Frozen 6 Championship at Beantown:
3. Two teams from each Elite Conference advance to
6-Team Round Robin Wednesday & Thursday
• Round Robin formats are seeded as follows:
No. 1 seed with highest season win percentage; No. 2 seed with lowest season win percentage; No. 2 seed with highest win percentage
o No. 1 seed with second-highest win percentage; No. 1 seed with lowest win percentage, No. 2 seed with second-highest win percentage
• Semifinals Thursday Night – Nos. 1 and 2 crossover from Round Robin pools
• Finals: Best-of-3 Friday, Saturday, Sunday

A Message From Coach Frank

Guys we have a huge weekend in front of us. Round 1 of the playoffs. When we talk to one another, we look each other right in the eye, because I think it's tough to lie to your teammates. You can’t tell them you are giving it your all when they know your “baseline” or minimum effort. Now is the time to raise your game to the highest heights you can reach. This is when 100% is not good enough - let alone a 50% effort or 80% effort. Now is the time to let everything out. To leave everything on the ice.

There is no “Next Weekend.” So when the opposing forward is making a line rush and driving into our zone you have to look yourself in the eye and ask “….did you back check hard enough? Did you use every ounce of energy to get back and angle him and separate him from the puck?

You have to ask yourself did you yell:

NO. YOU WONT GET A SHOT OFF WHEN I AM OUT THERE.
NO YOU WONT BEAT ME TO THE PUCK.
NO YOU WON’T WIN LOOSE PUCK BATTLES.
NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM BEATING YOU ALONG THE BOARDS OR IN FRONT OF OUR GOALIE OF THEIR GOALIE.
NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM SCORING
NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM WINNING!

The games this weekend will indeed be a test. Not just of skill. It is a test of desire, heart and intestinal fortitude. It is what makes us Americans. We, as a heritage and a society, build on special fiber never wavered when the odds or might was stacked up against us. We are the most competitive individuals in the world. It is not just that way in our economy. It goes far beyond marketing and sales. Just think of the brave men and women who faced such adversity when outnumbered sometimes by tenfold. Or think of our grandparents who had to endure the Great Depression going without meals and shelter. Did they lay down and die and quit? Hell No!!! They pulled up their bootstraps and made it happen. How and Why? Because LOOSING IS NOT AN OPTION.

This concept is embodied and engrained in our fiber. Well yes boys what we face ahead of us is only a set of games. No it is not life threatening. However, anyone who has ever played for me be it, my Eels or Jr. Sharks or the Cape Cod Jr. Whalers or any team I coached knows, it is not simply hockey we are teaching you. These are life lessons. We use hockey as vehicle. Guys you will soon advance to college whether this year or next and from there to your future profession. But let it forever be known, then, like here and now, you will have learned a valuable lesson: Eels never quit.

Eels will do everything humanly possible in our endeavors to be the best. Sure we may lose a game or series but never will we not lay it all on the line. That is why no Eel is ever a looser! Eels not only skate on ice… for our sport…we also have ice water in our veins. We are known to be the team that always exudes confidence. We play our game with it. We walk into the rink with it. We don’t panic. Why? Because we have been taught so. We prepare harder. We train harder. We believe in our coaches, our teammates and ourselves. We love what we are doing. We love being an Eel. As brothers, we can over come the pain and soreness of our training, practices and games, no doubt. We know without the pain and suffering in each game we wont advance. It is what we thrive on. You can see it in our faces. Every shift and in every game.

Guys lets use the next 3 days to prepare like it is the last time you will ever lace them up. Bring everything to the rink. Leave nothing to chance. Today is when it has to happen.

Coach Frank

The Eels Elite Team Captures Home Ice with Win Over the Tampa Juniors

by Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels Elite team has one of its biggest game’s of the year defeating the Tampa Juniors 5-3 at Tampa’s new arena and clinching home ice for the 1st round of the playoffs. The Eels just came off another huge win the previous night as they traveled across Florida to West Palm Beach for their Saturday’s evening game vs. the Palm Beach Hawks. In that game the Eels defeated the Hawks by a margin of 8-2. This meant quite a bit of travel for the home town Fort Myers team. The Eels return to its home rink – the Fort Myers Skatium - Monday for its final game of the season for its final game against the Palm Beach Hawks.

Coach Frankie Scarpaci was extremely pleased with his team’s efforts and performance against the Tampa Juniors. This was an extremely hard fort battle. The game was won in the trenches. The boys did not take this game for granted. They were not just lost in the euphoria of the excitement. They were pumped indeed but put their game plan into operation shift by shift. In fact that is precisely the way they work. Their pattern was consistent as well, with 15 shots in the 1st period, 10 in the 2nd and 12 in the 3rd for 37 in total.

Scoring for the Eels was as follows:
#29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#19 Michael Gennello
#13 Mason Ledbetter (even strength) (#4 Nathan Nelsen, #22 Chase Jungels)
#16 Zac Boyle (power play) (#10 Brian Kozek)
#29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #28 Andrii Rusakov)
#54 Jordan Court (even strength) (#96 Brandon Hotaling)
#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux (even strength) (empty net) (#9 Clayton Boyd)

In net for the Eels who played another outstanding game was Nolan Greene.

Florida Eels Is Pleased To Announce It Has Been Awarded An Premier Team Next Season in Addition to its Elite Team

The Florida Eels Junior Program is pleased to announce it teams will be elevated to Premier and Elite status next season. The Eels will have an affiliation with the NCDC Islanders Hockey Club of Massachusetts. This affiliation program will allow our players the opportunity to advance to Tier II hockey as well. The Eels no doubt have been recognized as one of the preeminent programs in the advancement of its players to College Hockey, Major Juniors, Minor Pro and having 4 Alumni who have been drafted into the NHL. Indeed, last season we had 24 players from our Elite and USP3 teams who moved on to college hockey. The Eels had 20 the previous 3 seasons as well. GM Scarpaci says this year will be no different. In fact, this season we expect a 100% of our 1996 players will advance to college hockey. That is indeed impressive. The Eels have 195 alumni who have advanced on to play college hockey. That is more than some leagues.

This year once again both Eels teams have made playoffs. That is a phenomenal accomplishment for an organization with two teams to successfully meet that plateau. We pride ourselves not to meet the bar but to set the standards for others to aspire to. We all know the Elite squad is flying high and its players are without doubt amongst the best in the league. This is very exciting for these guys, as 17 of these guys did not play at the Elite level last year. Moreover, from the Elite squad, 10 are true rookies.

Coach Frankie Scarpaci has done an incredible job with his player development formula. Look at the way they been playing. Only 8 of the 22 players age out and advance on to college this season. Talk about a returning team of veteran players. This is like last year when we started the year with 18 veteran players. That is what is so exciting about next season’s Premier team. No doubt GM Scarpaci has some very talented players he has earmarked for next season. He has attended 10 post-season showcases each spring and summer for the last 7 seasons. He knows the whose who and these players want to come not simply to to a winning team. But to a program and organization with an emphatic record of advancing players to college hockey.

Having both Premier and Elite teams, coupled with NCDC affiliation will make our recruitment that much stronger. Once again GM Scarpaci and his coaches and his professional scouting staff will embark on the most aggressive recruitment campaign ever in the organization’s history.

Moreover, the USP3 team has 16 rookies. Yes sixteen guys who never played junior hockey last season. This year they play so many veteran squads and programs with only one team. Those teams are primarily made up of 1996 and 1997 players. Our USP3 players are mainly 2000’s and 1999 players. They are determined and dedicated and extremely hard working young men. We look forward to them returning but now they will be much more experienced, poised and ready for the journey ahead of them like so many Eels before them.

The Eels will be fielding a Elite squad once again. The Elite team will maintain the same standards as our Elite squad in the past. We are looking for top players who are looking to make the jump in their game to the Next level to NCAA Div. 3 college hockey. The standard for both teams will be akin to the old EJHL: To move our players to college. This has been the Eels hallmark and that is why we garner players from all across the USA Canada and Europe to come play for us. The key to our program is player development. We systematically and continuously developed the guys on our Empire/USP3 teams and they advanced to our Elite team. What has been so impressive in the college community coaches is the fact that the Eels’ coaching staff advances its players right out of the USP3 team to college. No other programs have been able to reach these accolades. Now that sets the bar. It is a honor to be given the nod to have a Premier and Elite teams next season.

Continuing with our policy to look ahead, you should plan on the Eels to look to have a 3rd team as our junior development squad. This squad will be showcase centric with an emphasis on playing ACHA teams. Again the focus on player development –for our Elite and Premier Teams.

NCDC & USPHL Announce Team Affiliate Structure for 2017-18 Season

“The USPHL affiliate structure ties together every Junior team in our league,” said USPHL Commissioner Jeff Nygaard. “This is the culmination of a re-structuring process that will result in our 80-plus Junior teams all pulling in the same direction. We’re creating an identifiable path from youth to college hockey and beyond, and this is a big part of it.”

The announcement comes on the heels of the NCDC’s first-ever Futures Draft in which 66 of the nation’s top ‘01 and ‘02 birth year players were selected by the conference’s 11 teams. With many NCAA ice hockey schools excited for this fall’s NCDC launch, the new division is set to transform the pathway to the college hockey.

2017 Futures Draft Results

NCDC Affiliate Structure

The NCDC Affiliate Structure allows for each USPHL Premier team to affiliate with a NCDC team according to the following details:

- Coordination of scouting and tryout camps in addition to year-round player procurement communication.

- Each Premier team will have the right to send a minimum three of its players to the NCDC affiliate for practices and games during the season.

- Tryout and player movement agreements are in place at the league level to create that benefits the NCDC team and each affiliate.

NCDC Teams with Affiliates Listed Below

Boston Bandits

Atlanta Knights

Chicago Cougars

Alpena Flyers

Connecticut Junior Rangers

Palm Beach Hawks

New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs

River Falls Renegades

Islanders Hockey Club

Florida Eels

Detroit Fighting Irish

Blaine Energy

Jersey Hitmen

Richmond Generals

Connecticut Nighthawks

Forest Lake Lakers

Junior Bruins

Daytona Racers
Skipjacks Hockey Club

Kalkaska Rhinos

New Jersey Rockets

Hampton Roads Whalers

Steele County Blades

Dells Ducks

Northern Cyclones

Charlotte Rush

Springfield Pics

Ironwood Yoopers

PAL Islanders

Florida Junior Blades

Philadelphia Flyers

Decatur Blaze

Rochester Monarchs

Carolina Eagles

New York Aviators

Traverse City North Stars

South Shore Kings

Tampa Bay Juniors

Hartford Jr. Wolfpack
Motor City Hawks

Syracuse Stars

Potomac Patriots

Tri-City Hawks

Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings

Southern Conference Elite Division Playoffs

USPHL Junior Playoff Formats 2016-17

• Higher seed has home ice advantage in all games Location For the Eels Elite TBD at the conclusion of this weekend games
FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND SOUTH SERIES: GAMES 1 AND 2 WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER. ANY GAME 3 WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).

Any seeding or placement ties, in any Division, will be broken by tie breaking criteria set forth in USPHL Constitution. This includes determining teams that advance to semifinals from round- robin formats. Elite Division SOUTH CONFERENCE

Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 – Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5

Round 2 Weeks of Feb 24-26th Location TBD after the conclusion of 1st Round of playoffs.

USP3 SOUTHERN DIV. PLAYOFF FORMAT

6 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Higher seed has home ice advantage in all games
FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND SOUTH SERIES: GAMES 1 AND 2 WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER. ANY GAME 3 WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).
FOR ALL ROUNDS IN PREMIER AND MIDWEST ELITE & USP3 DIVISIONS: ALL GAMES WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).
ROUND ROBIN GAMES AT NESC FOR FINALS WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER AND ACCUMULATING STANDINGS POINTS.*

Any seeding or placement ties, in any Division, will be broken by tiebreaking criteria set forth in USPHL Constitution. This includes determining teams that advance to semifinals from round- robin formats.
All USPHL Divisional Finals to be held in conjunction with the Beantown Spring Classic March 8- 12, 207 at the New England Sports Center

SOUTH CONFERENCE
Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs
Round 1
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 – Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5

Eels Play the Blades
Friday Feb 17th 7:15 pm
Saturday Feb 18th noon
Sunday Feb 19th if Necessary 9:00 am
Venue: Germain Arena
Round 2
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 20-26, 2017 – Highest seeds maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed

The Florida Eels USP3 team Wins 2 out 3 over the Daytona Racers in their 3 game homestand at the Fort Myers Skatium. The Eels needed one win to secure their playoff spot. They clinched the spot with a huge win Saturday at the 3:20 pm game. The Eels came out hard but Daytona was not willing to quit either. The score was 6-3 but it did not reflect the intensity of this match. The Eels pounded the Racers goalie with 43 shots and he turned away 37. Daytona had unleashed 27 on the Eels netminder Nick Kotz and he turned away 24.

The Eels struck for 2 in the first half with 2 nice ones.
The first from 15 John Witkowski (even strength) (#88 Kellen Crowther, #92 Rajhan Munnings. The second also from #15 John Witkowski (even strength) (#88 Kellen Crowther, #25 Jared Figueroa).

Daytona scored 3 of its own in the 2nd half two in fact from #25 Artyom Chugunnikovbut who the Eels traded to Daytona midway through the season. Coach Frank Scarpaci said it was nice to him score. He is a great kid and we are happy his is doing well in Daytona. He is a last year guy and we wish him the best.

Despit the 3 Daytoan goals it wasn’t enough as the Eels scored 4 more.

Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#15 John Witkowski, #25 Jared Figueroa)
Colin Jones (even strength) (#74 Gavin Medina Kellen Crowther 2nd of the game (even strength) (#25 Jared Figueroa, #15 John Witkowski John Witkowski 3rd of the game for a hat trick (even strength) (#88 Kellen Crowther, #25 Jared Figueroa) In the 2nd game of the Saturday double header in Fort Myers the Eels took complete command with a 7-1 win. The Racers players were relentless in their effort but they were tired after a long trip 5 + hours. The Eels knew the feeling as 2 weeks ago we experienced the same as had traveled to Daytona. These two teams are very physical to begin with and a playoff spot was on the line. No doubt one would move on and one would not go to the playoffs.

Leading off for the Eels was #74 Gavin Medina (even strength) (# Colin Jones, #97 Caden Tchop).
Then # Colin Jones 2nd of the day (even strength) (#74 Gavin Medina, #97 Caden Tchop.
Then 97 Caden Tchop (even strength) (# Colin Jones, #74 Gavin Medina
His 3rd of the day was #88 Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#3 Dashel Quartarolo, #15 John Witkowski)
His 2nd of the day was #97 Caden Tchop (even strength) (#82 Jimmy Sturdivent, #74 Gavin Medina
His 2nd in the game and 3rd of the day was # Colin Jones (even strength) (#97 Caden Tchop, #74 Gavin Medina
The last for the Eels was #74 Gavin Medina 2nd of the game (even strength) (#97 Caden Tchop, # Colin Jones)

Again in net for the Eels was Nick Kotz who played very strong turning away 29 of 30 shots.

Sunday the two teams concluded their marathon 3 game weekend. The Racers had 4 more players and a little more sleep. The Racers had a little more step to their stride and came out with more fire in their offense. Here the Racers unleashed 41 shots on Eels standout goalie Nick Kotz. The Eels were kept to 31 on the Racers. The Racers eclipsed the Eels 5-2 in this match.
88 Kellen Crowther once again got on the score board his 3rd of the weekend (even strength) (#15 John Witkowski, #25 Jared Figueroa. This was Kellen Crowther’s 7th point for the weekend.
The other sole Eel’s goal was scored by recent addition rookie #22 Ryan Boyd (even strength) (#89 Daniel Merida)

The Eels USP3 team square off against the Florida Blades next weekend in a preview of the first round of the playoffs. With the seending set for these two squads Blades first seed and Eels #8 they will face off in round one the weekend Feb 17th – 19th

The Eels are looking to stall the Racers today at 3:20 pm and 8:50 in a double header at the Fort Myers Skatium. The boys have been working very hard over the last several weeks trying to find their game. Over the past several weeks you can say the boys have been working on overtime with additional practices, scrimmage games vs. the High School unit filled with Elite players and 2 scrimmage games vs. the Elite squad to prepare the Eels for this 3 game event.

Head coach of the Elite team Frankie Scarpaci has spent additional hours on the inline rink working on D Zone and penalty kill and shooting. The entire coaching staff has broken film down on Daytona and our previous games analyzing players’ errors and suggestions for corrections. There is a full-blown effort prepared for this weekend games.

We will have our complete coaching staff at all games this weekend as well. The boys are young and learning so much. We are no doubt one of the younger teams in the league. We have some veterans and we are calling on them to offer leadership here. But the experience these guys are garnering is phenomenal. The game in and game out matches vs. some of the older teams in the league intensity speaks volumes towards their player development. This is the same formula we used in the development of our key veteran players on the Elite team such as Clayton Boyd, Zac Boyle, Jordan Court, Nolan Greene, and Brandon Hotaling. This has been true with so many of our players heretofore who have advanced to college already such as John Jordan, Jonathan Carlson, Alex Sanchez to name a few.

One thing for sure, no matter what the score, our young guns never quit. The past 3 weeks has shown that to us. These boys have put in more than 20 hours per week training skating and video analysis. That shows enormous dedication, determination and sacrifice. Most people say this player or that player has the “Will To Win”. That is hollow. Everybody wants to win. It is the willingness to do everything in your power and to sacrifice everything to earn that win. That is what my guys have. You are not born with these ingredients. They are taught nurtured and ingrained. That is what we do here as Eels coaches. No it is not easy. If it were everyone would be there. The reason why we train them this way is to prepare them for college hockey. There you wont get a coach to guide and nurture and develop you. Oh no you better come prepared and ready to go. These young guns are getting there. One practice at a time. One shift at a time one period at a time one game at a time. Sure they have sustained losses but there is a much bigger picture here. The boys see the picture.

Come join us for this weekend games

Saturday 3:20 pm

Saturday 8:50 pm

Sunday 11:00 am

NIKITA LOPATIN TOPS ALL USPHL ELITE ROOKIES IN SCORING WITH 23 GOALS

2 FEB | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Nikita Lopatin Tops All USPHL Elite Rookies in Scoring with 23 Goals
02/01/2017, 5:00pm EST
By Eels Staff
Florida Eels Rookie Nikita Lopatin takes center stage on the Eels Elite team and in the entire USPHL. This young man is a 1999 from Moscow Russia. He came here as an unknown in our league but let it be clear GM Frank Scarpaci knew exactly what he was getting when he recruited him. GM Scarpaci’s foreign scouts came up big time once again in assisting us in bringing Nikita to the Eels. The Eels have been very successful in recruiting foreign players and once again the Eels were fortunate to have him join our program.

Nikita Lopatin is an extremely difficult to play against says head coach Frankie Scarpaci. He is quick, explosive and drives to the offensive zone. He battles so well along the boards and is never afraid to get to the dirty areas to score goals and garner scoring opportunities.

Anyone scouting Nikita will echo how hard and accurate his shot is. It is pro level. Coach Scarpaci says his shot is incredible especially when you think he is of such a young age -1999. In fact even though he is 25th in scoring in the USPHL Elite he is in fact the highest scoring 1999 in the league. Moreover in goals scored he is #13th in the league – again number 1 as a 1999 and as rookie in the USPHL Elite and in the USPHL Premier division.

This young man comes to us with an incredible and untiring work ethic. He arrives early each day and comes back to the rink after 1 ½ hours of ice practice and 1 ½ hours of off – ice strength and conditioning training and then shoots 200 pucks per day. He never takes a day off. Literally he is at the rink 7 days per week in games and practices. The fruits of his efforts have been realized in each game. Look at his record this year:

He has played in 39 games. He scored 23 goals and notched 25 assists garnering a total of 48 points. He has 6 power play goals and 1 short-handed goal. Now that is productive. He is very disciplined with a minimal of 13 penalties.

What is so incredible is he plays with such maturity and fortitude. He makes very smart plays in all 3 zones. He clearly has a high hockey IQ. Remember he is only a 1999. Most 1999 players find themselves on the USP3 teams. Nikita was able to secure an Elite spot and every time he steps on the ice he solidifies his position. Coach Frankie Scarpaci says Nikita has set an all time record for Eels rookies with 23 goals 25 assists 48 points and is crushing this year’s rookies in the Elite and Premier level.

Season Two, Week Nineteen- Seven Things to Know BOYLE-ING OVER IN JANUARY

by Frank Scarpaci

Season Two, Week Nineteen- Seven Things to Know

Read Number 7

BOYLE-ING OVER IN JANUARY

Not to say that Florida Eels Elite forward Zac Boyle has been quiet all season, but January saw the Kansas native kick his season into high gear, posting twelve goals and seven assists (19 total points) in nine games. He registered a point in every game he played, including five multi-point contests. Boyle recorded two hat tricks and two four-point games in the month and tallied seven points in each of the last two weeks. His total take on the season is 32 goals and 29 assists (61 points) in 37 games played.

02/01/2017, 8:15pm EST
By Mike Klein
This week in “Kleiner’s Seven Things to Know”, Mike Klein takes a look at the Heritage Classic, some tense battles for divisional titles, and highlights a few tremendous performances from the previous week. Check back each week for what you need to know about the USPHL.

HERITAGE CLASSIC SET FOR MONDAY

This Monday, the Chicago Cougars and Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings will take things outside for the 2017 USPHL Heritage Classic. The Heritage Classic will include a tailgate party, mites vs. mascots competitions, fan giveaways, and much more. The Illinois Media School will perform the broadcast duties, and the amazing and ubiquitous duo Dan Kmiechick and Lucas Jones will be on camera conducting a pregame show and interviews throughout the game. The Heritage Classic takes place at Frozemont Park in Rosemont, IL. Puck drops at 5:00 PM Central Time and the game will be shown on HockeyTV.com.

ICYMI: NCDC FUTURES DRAFT HELD TUESDAY

The National Collegiate Development Conference held its first annual Futures Draft on Tuesday in Boston. Each of the NCDC’s eleven teams selected six players born in 2001 and 2002 in the draft, which is the second phase of player acquisition for NCDC teams, as tendering has already begun. The Inaugural NCDC season will begin in September and the all-new division will serve as the top level in the USPHL developmental ladder.

18U BATTLE IN CLIFTON PARK

This weekend, the Junior Bruins will travel to Clifton Park, NY, for a set with the CP Dynamo in their final series of the regular season. Currently, the CP Dynamo lead the 18U Northern Division by one point, though the Bruins won the previous meeting between the two teams back in October. Although the CP Dynamo have a final game against the Jersey Shore Whalers on February 11, this series looks like it will determine the division winner.

16U SOUTH DOWN TO THE WIRE

The 16U Southern Division race has become one of the tightest ever in the USPHL, with three teams fighting for the crown. The PAL Jr. Islanders and Skipjacks Hockey Club are tied with two and one game remaining, respectively. As if that battle weren’t enough, the Jersey Hitmen lurk just three points out of first with two games to play. If there’s any regular season race that goes down to tiebreakers, this one looks to be it.

CAPTAIN CLUTCH

To say that Islanders Hockey Club Premier forward Justin Pearson was on fire as of late would be a drastic understatement. In the Islanders’ three games last weekend, Pearson scored five goals, including a hat trick against the Springfield Pics back on January 21. More impressively, the Nashua, NH, native bagged the eventual game-winner in each of those games, including one in the January 29 contest against the South Shore Kings with a mere five seconds on the clock.

TWIN KILLERS

The Springfield Pics duo of twin brothers Brett and Derek Mecrones may not cast the largest shadows at 5’7” and 165 pounds, but they loomed large as they each put up a weekend for the ages in the Pics’ sweep of the PAL Jr. Islanders. Derek lit the lamp three times and added five helpers while Brett picked up ten assists. Naturally, Brett assisted on all of Brett’s goals and both twins shared assists on four other tallies.

BOYLE-ING OVER IN JANUARY

USPHL Junior Playoff Formats 2016-17

USPHL Junior Playoff Formats 2016-17
Premier Division
One-game play-In series between last four teams at venue of higher seed as follows (to be played after February 19, 2017):
• No. 10 plays at No. 7
• No. 9 place plays at No. 8
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 Series (Week of Feb. 21-26, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice)
• No. 1 vs. Lowest remaining seed
• No. 2 vs Second lowest remaining seed
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
Finals: Best-of-3 (March 10-12, 2017)
• Higher seed has home ice advantage in all games

FOR FIRST- AND SECOND-ROUND SOUTH SERIES: GAMES 1 AND 2 WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER. ANY GAME 3 WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).
FOR ALL ROUNDS IN PREMIER AND MIDWEST ELITE & USP3 DIVISIONS: ALL GAMES WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL A WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).
ROUND ROBIN GAMES AT NESC FOR FINALS WILL FOLLOW REGULAR SEASON FORMAT FOR DETERMINING WINNER AND ACCUMULATING STANDINGS POINTS.*
BEST-of-THREE FINALS SERIES AT NESC WILL BE PLAYED 5-on-5 UNTIL WINNER IS DETERMINED (same as USA Hockey National Championship procedure).
* Any seeding or placement ties, in any Division, will be broken by tiebreaking criteria set forth in USPHL Constitution. This includes determining teams that advance to semifinals from round- robin formats.
All USPHL Divisional Finals to be held in conjunction with the Beantown Spring Classic March 8- 12, 207 at the New England Sports Center

Elite Division
NORTH CONFERENCE (Follows Premier format)
One-game play-In series between last four teams at venue of higher seed as follows (to be played after February 19, 2017):
• No. 10 plays at No. 7
• No. 9 place plays at No. 8
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 Series (Week of Feb. 21-26, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice)
• No. 1 vs. Lowest remaining seed
• No. 2 vs Second lowest remaining seed
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
SOUTH CONFERENCE
Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 20-26, 2017 - Highest seeds maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
MIDWEST CONFERENCE
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 games (Week of Feb. 21-26, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seeds maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
Two teams from each Elite Conference advance to
6-Team Round Robin Wednesday & Thursday
• Round Robin formats are seeded as follows:
o No. 1 seed with highest season win percentage; No. 2 seed with lowest season win percentage; No. 2 seed with highest win percentage
o No. 1 seed with second-highest win percentage; No. 1 seed with lowest win percentage, No. 2 seed with second-highest win percentage
• Semifinals Thursday Night – Nos. 1 and 2 crossover from Round Robin pools
• Finals: Best-of-3 Friday, Saturday, Sunday
USP3 Division
NORTH CONFERENCE
Top 4 Teams Make playoffs
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 21-26, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.4
• No.2vsNo.3
Finals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice)
SOUTH CONFERENCE
Top 8 Teams Make Playoffs
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 14-19, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.8
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 20-26, 2017 - Highest seeds maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
MIDWEST CONFERENCE
Quarterfinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 21-26, 2017 - Higher seed maintains home ice)
• No. 1 bye
• No.2vsNo.7
• No.3vsNo.6
• No.4vsNo.5
Semifinals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice)
• Highest remaining seed vs. Lowest remaining seed
• Second-highest remaining seed vs. Third-highest remaining seed
PACIFIC CONFERENCE
Finals: Best-of-3 (Week of Feb. 27-Mar. 5, 2017 - Highest seed maintains home ice) • No.1vsNo.2
1 North, 1 Pacific; 2 South, & 2 Midwest teams advance to Finals
• 6-Team Round Robin Wednesday & Thursday
• Round Robin formats are seeded as follows:
o No. 1 South; No. 2 Midwest; No. 1 Pacific
o No. 1 North, No. 2 South; No. 1 Midwest
• Semifinals Thursday Night – Nos. 1 and 2 crossover from Round Robin pools
• Finals: Best-of-3 Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Florida Eels Rookie Nikita Lopatin On Fire with 23 Goals and 28 Assists.

by Frank Scarpaci

Florida Eels Rookie Nikita Lopatin takes center stage on the Eels Elite team. This young man is a 1999 from Moscow Russia. He came here as an unknown in our league but let it be clear GM Frank Scarpaci knew exactly what he was getting when he recruited him. GM Scarpaci’s foreign scouts came up big time once again in assisting us in bringing Nikita to the Eels. The Eels have been very successful in recruiting foreign players and once again the Eels were fortunate to have him join our program.

Nikita Lopatin is an extremely difficult to play against says head coach Frankie Scarpaci. He is quick, explosive and drives to the offensive zone. He battles so well along the boards and is never afraid to get to the dirty areas to score goals and garner scoring opportunities.
Anyone scouting Nikita will echo how hard and accurate his shot is. It is pro level. Coach Scarpaci says his shot is incredible especially when you think he is of such a young age -1999.

This young man comes to us with an incredible and untiring work ethic. He arrives early each day and comes back to the rink after 1 ½ hours of ice practice and 1 ½ hours of off - ice strength and conditioning training and then shoots 200 pucks per day. He never takes a day off. Literally he is at the rink 7 days per week in games and practices. The fruits of his efforts have been realized in each game. Look at his record this year:
He has played in 39 games. He scored 23 goals and notched 25 assists garnering a total of 48 points. He has 6 power play goals and 1 short-handed goal. Now that is productive. He is very disciplined with a minimal of 13 penalties.

What is so incredible is he plays with such maturity and fortitude. He makes very smart plays in all 3 zones. He clearly has a high hockey IQ. Remember he is only a 1999. Most 1999 players find themselves on the USP3 teams. Nikita was able to secure an Elite spot and every time he steps on the ice he solidifies his position. Coach Frankie Scarpaci says Nikita has set an all time record for Eels rookies with 23 goals 25 assists 48 points.

Florida Eels Elite Team Delivers A Crushing Loss to Tampa Bay Juniors

On Saturday the Eels traveled to the Tampa Juniors new facility in Wesley Chapel Florida. The Eels came out on fire with 4 first period goals. Tampa inched back with two goals in the 2nd period but the Eels scored one more to secure a comfortable lead. Then the Eels notched two more in the 3rd while Tampa managed to score only one for a 7-3 hammering on the Tampa Juniors.

The Eels looked very impressive with crisp hard passing coupled with an explosive speed and unnerving attack on the Tampa goalies. They were relentless and hungry. No doubt the Eels knew quite a bit was on the line and they were hell bent on establishing their presence.

Scoring for the Eels was:

#19 Michael Gennello (even strength

#96 Brandon Hotaling (even strength) (#20 Sven Nilsson)

29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength)

#19 Michael Gennello (power play) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #54 Jordan Court #9 Clayton Boyd (even strength

#9 Clayton Boyd (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek)

#9 Clayton Boyd (short handed) (#16 Zac Boyle

In net was Eels Iron Man Nolan Greene, who turned away 23 shots

On Sunday Tampa Traveled to Fort Myers for the completion of the Home and Home series for the two clubs. The Eels once again was quick to get on the scoreboard with the only goal in the first period. The Eels struck again in period two but Tampa managed to get 2 in the 2nd to tie the game 2 each. However, the Eels went into the 3rd on a 5 vs. 3 power play. The Eels managed to capitalize on that power play making it 3 vs. 2. The Eels scored their 2nd of the 3rd period and 4th of the game to seal a win. Tampa managed 3rd period netting but the Eels were too strong to handle. The score did not reflect the game. Despite to 4 v 3 score it was another dominating performance by the Eels both offensively and defensively. With the win the Eels edged Tampa in the standings and took 4th place by one point.

The Eels Elite team is off this weekend while Tampa plays Palm Beach in 2 games. The Eels also have 2 remaining games vs. Palm Beach and one vs. the Tampa Juniors. The final playoff seeding will be settled right down to the final games. But by no means we cannot count out Richmond in gaining daylight in the seeding’s.

Scoring for the Eels in game two was as follows:

#29 Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#19 Michael Gennello, #54 Jordan Court)

#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#19 Michael Gennello, #7 David Stonebraker

#16 Zac Boyle (power play) (#10 Brian Kozek, #9 Clayton Boyd

#16 Zac Boyle (even strength) (#20 Sven Nilsson, #9 Clayton Boyd)

THIS WEEKEND HOME GAMES VS. THE DAYTONA RACERS

31 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys this weekend the USP3 team has a 3 game weekend vs the Daytona Racers .
This ought to incredibly exciting for the players and fans. Please come by as the Eels fight for playoff seeding.

U525 Sat Feb 4 -
Daytona Racers
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
3:20 PM EST -
U533 Sat Feb 4 -
Daytona Racers
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
8:50 PM EST -
U539 Sun Feb 5 -
Daytona Racers
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
11:00 AM EST -

Look forward to seeing you

Eels vs the Tampa Juniors

Come Join The Eels This Sunday At Home

The Eels USP3 square off at 9:00 am drop of puck

The Eels Elite square off at noon drop of puck

Both teams are jockeying for playoff seeding. The USP3 team is going right to the wire to determine if they play against the Charlotte Rush or the Florida Blades.

Both teams travel up to Tampa on Saturday for their away contest this weekend. The Eels are very hungry to secure wins this weekend against their west coast of Florida rivals. The games will be Tampa’s first at their new rink. The Eels are determined to leave everything on the ice to upset Tampa’s home opener at their new facility.

The Eels Elite team is battling the Tampa Juniors for 4th. So come out and support our hometown guys for another exciting day of hockey.

Kings College PA

Kings College PA New NCAA Div 3 Program

Kings college Options

KING’S COLLEGE ADDING MEN’S AND WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY AS VARSITY SPORTS; TEAMS TO DEBUT IN 2017-18 YEAR

11144WILKES-BARRE — King’s College Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Cheryl Ish has announced the college will add men’s and women’s ice hockey to its list of NCAA Division III varsity sports. King’s ice hockey teams will debut in the 2017-18 academic year, following approval by the College’s Board of Directors at its February meeting.

The addition of the two ice hockey programs, along with the current first-year men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field teams, will bring the number of intercollegiate athletic offerings at King’s to 25 varsity sports, second only to Stevenson University’s 27-sport program, in the 17-member Middle Athletic Conference (MAC), according to Ish.

Another MAC member, Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, currently offers both men’s and women’s ice hockey programs. Stevenson, located in Owings Mills, Maryland, offers women’s ice hockey and will begin a men’s program next year. Lebanon Valley College in Annville will begin men’s and women’s ice hockey next year.

“For a number of reasons, the addition of men’s and women’s ice hockey is extremely exciting,” according to Ish, “We will have the opportunity to add approximately 55 student-athletes to the already strong student-athlete total at King’s, where approximately 30-percent of our students participate in an intercollegiate sport. Combined with the rollout of the new athletic logos last year, the recent improvements made to athletic facilities, and the addition of men’s and women’s track and field this academic year, it is a time of tremendous growth for King’s athletics.”

According to the NCAA, during the 2015-16 season a total of 76 men’s varsity programs competed in Division III while 58 women’s varsity programs also took to the ice.

When the sports begin, King’s will field one of only three NCAA Division III men’s programs in the entire state of Pennsylvania. King’s will join Neumann University, located in Aston in the Philadelphia area, and Lebanon Valley College. King’s will also have one of four women’s programs, joining Neumann, Lebanon Valley, and Chatham University of Pittsburgh. Chatham does not field a men’s team.

“Based on conversations with other athletic directors at colleges that offer the sport, we also expect that the ice hockey student-athletes will come not only from our traditional regional recruiting areas, but also from across the country and internationally,” said Janet Mercincavage, vice president for student affairs. “The potential to add a very popular and exciting sport while also increasing the diversity of our student population is an opportunity on which we want to capitalize. The process will begin this spring when King’s starts a national search for head coaches and will continue with a year of recruitment for our first teams.”

At this time King’s has not officially joined a conference due to the recent approval of the sports by the Board of Directors. Games are most often played on Friday and Saturday against the same opponent at one site. Division III teams typically play a 24-25 game schedule. King’s will not begin the scheduling process until men’s and women’s head coaches are on board.

King’s recently completed negotiations regarding a home for both the men’s and women’s programs. Revolution Ice Centre in nearby Pittston will serve as the primary practice and play venue for both teams.

With the birth of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 1999 and the growth of high school and youth programs in the area, the popularity of the sport continues to expand throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“Given the growth of ice hockey at the high school level and the scarcity of Division III programs nationally, we feel that this is a very exciting opportunity for students who want to continue to play after high school while attending a college with a strong liberal arts curriculum, personalized attention, and professional preparation,” said Corry Unis, vice president for enrollment management at King’s.

The lack of Division III ice hockey programs is clear when one considers Lebanon Valley College is the program geographically the closest to King’s with a distance of 91 miles southeast of Wilkes-Barre. Neumann is 117 miles southeast while Manhattanville is 151 miles Northeast. Stevenson is located 176 miles south of King’s, approximately 30 miles north of Baltimore. Chatham is nearly 275 miles west of Wilkes-Barre. The majority of Division III programs are located in the Upstate New York and New England areas as well as in the Great Lakes Region.

“With the growing popularity of ice hockey we are excited about starting up the sport at King’s and being able to help meet the growing demand of those interested in continuing both their education and hockey careers,” Ish added. “For a lot of young men and women, the opportunity to play beyond high school or the junior leagues is limited and King’s College will become one more option available to them.”

Congratulations to Ryan Boyd and Allan Hernandez who recently joined the Florida Eels USP3 team. Ryan is the brother of long time Eel alumni Danny Boyd who played for the Eels from Peewee thru Midget Empire to Florida Eels Elite teams and proudly advanced to NCAA Men’s college Becker College. GM Scarpaci says Danny bled Eels his entire life. He wore the Eels jersey with pride. He was one of the hardest working Eels who ever sported an Eel’s sweater. Danny is now helping out the two junior teams on the ice.

Ryan played his entire youth hockey career for the Eels. Ryan is also the cousin of Clayton Boyd. Clayton is one of the most talented players who ever played for the Eels. No doubt he has explosive speed and one of the best hands in junior hockey.

Ryan like Danny and Clayton, s a very dedicated young man. He works very hard and is making tremendous strides. He has very good skill set and will ripen into a very good hockey player. He already has major contribution to the team.

Allan Hernandez has played youth hockey for the Eels and other organizations over his youth hockey career. He has been training daily with the Eels USP3 team since September and he has developed very well. We were impressed with his advancement skill wise and mental side of the game. He deserved the chance for advancement and we look forward to his continued development. He is very determined and works extra ordinarily hard each day to capture his dreams.

Eels Rookie Goalie Matthew Maniglia Captures His First Win Over the Daytona Racers

Congrats to Eels USP3 Rookie Goalie Matthew Maniglia who garnered his first win as an Eel this season. He faced 26 shots on goal and turned away 24 for a 3-2 win for the Eels. He earned a .929 save % in that game. Matt was a bit nervous being his first official start for the Eels but once he got started he did a remarkable job says Coach Frank. Matt joined us just before the Christmas break and we are looking forward to him taking over the job next season. He is a very determined young man. A lot of heart and dedication. He has impressed the coaches with his work ethic. He comes to the rink before everyone else and is the last to leave. He is great as a team member on and off the ice.

Scoring for the Eels in that game were:

#88 Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#90 Dylan Robello, #44 Alec Parr)

# John Witkowski (even strength)

#95 Barry Groesch (power play)

ITS OFFICIAL ZAC BOYLE BREAKS JOSH DELEZENNE’ ALL TIME SINGLE SEASON SCORING TITLE
26 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Assistant Captain Zac Boyle Breaks Josh DELEZENNE’ all time single season scoring title for the Florida Eels Elite team. Zac Boyle scored a hat trick against the Palm Beach Hawks on Monday afternoon in the Eels unraveling of Palm Beach by a score of 8- 3.

Zac has played 35 games this season. He has 30 goals and 28 assists for 58 points. Very impressive.

Zac has a career total this far of 56 goals 70 assists in only 100 games for 126 total points. He has long surpassed DELEZENNE’s career total of 58 goals and 46 assists for 104 points.

With the 4 points on Monday Zac is even 3 points shy of breaking Eels Alumni Jonathan Carlson record who in 117 games scored 29 goals, 100 assists for129.

Coach Frankie says Zac is a great kid and a true team player. He does not dwell on his own stats. He simply focuses on the team winning. He is in the playoff zone and is burning for the desire to win the league championship. A true leader.

Folks it with a heavy heart that I have to sadly report that Rajhan’s dad Rodney Munnings passed away tonight after suffering a stroke

Folks it with a heavy heart that I have to sadly report that Rajhan’s dad Rodney Munnings passed away tonight after suffering a stroke. Rajhan ‘s loss is deep and we all know how much this hurts him. He is a very special individual and Clare and I were especially proud of each of you at the conclusion of the Palm Beach game that you all stepped up to offer your support, brotherly comfort and camaraderie.

This special bond is not found or present in other organizations or teams. Boys take it from a guy who has been in hockey for over 55 years and coaching for 40+ years, this is what it is all about. “Your extended family.” You boys spend more than 8 hours a day with each other and more as billet brothers.

Let us all take a moment in silence for Rajhan’s dad and say a prayer for Rahjan and his entire family. We are you here for you buddy…..

Zac Boyle Breaking Eels Records One By One.

Zac Boyle - the Eels’ quiet giant. This young man has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Eels over his young career. He leads the team in scoring and is amongst the league’s leading scorers.

He is a pure goal scorer – Period says Eels Elite team head coach Frankie Scarpaci. Zac dominates on the ice. He is lethal on the power play and equally deadly on the penalty kill where he not only completely suffocates opposing power play units by shutting them down, he scores short handed goals that break other team’s backs.

Zac has played 34 games this season. He has 27 goals and 27 assists for 54 points. Zac is just 3 goals shy of breaking that record of Eels alumni sniper Josh DELEZENNE who had 29 goals last season with 25 assist for 54 points in 40 games played. Now if you think that is impressive look at these stats:

Zac has a career total this far of 53 goals 69 assists in only 99 games for 122 total points. He surpassed DELEZENNE’s career total of 58 goals and 46 assists for 104 points.

Zac is even 7 points shy of breaking Eels Alumni Jonathan Carlson record who in 117 games scored 29 goals, 100 assists for129. Earlier this season, , Zac surpassed long time friend, Eels Alumni Alec Sanchez’s record , who in 116 games scored 31 goals and 88 assists for 119 points.

As GM I can tell you Zac does this without fan fare. He does it the way it is suppose to be done. Voted assistant captain this year by his teammates. He is a great leader on the ice and in the locker room. He scores like it is just another day at the office. He makes it look so easy. He is a workhorse in games, at practice and in the gym. He is a very determined and dedicated young man. He is a consummate competitor. When head coach Frankie called him about returning to the Eels this season, Zac did not give it a second thought. He is and has always been committed to the Eels. He has received quite a few looks this season form NCAA Men’s college hockey programs and no doubt we will see him playing college hockey next season.

Florida Eels Elite Team Weekly Ice Cap vs the Palm Beach Hawks

Congrats to the Florida Eels Elite squad as they defeated the Hawks 6-2 at an unusual early morning game 11:00 am down in West Palm Beach.

I was proud of the guys says coach Frankie as the boys had to get up at 5:00 am to be at the rink at 6:00 am to depart at 6:39 am

The boys then had quick pre game sandwiches and were squaring off in a key game in the standings

It is never easy to get off the bus and play a game and to do it with little time to spear js impressive

The 2 points garnered here are essential as the Eels are battling not only with the Tampa Juniors for 4th and 5th place in the seeding but they also have the Richmond Generals breathing down their back for those spots

The reason why the coaches are all battling do feverishly for the 4th seed in the playoffs is it provides the home team with home ice advantage

Even more so the 6th seed must travel to either Hampton or Raleigh NC

Next week these same two teams battle for once again in West Palm Beach. The Eels USP3 team who are in Daytona for a 3 game road trip this Friday’s d Saturday will be joining the Elite team Tuesday of this coming week for again another unusual midweek set of matches

Scoring for this game was as follows:

#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#16 Zac Boyle, #54 Jordan Court

#16 Zac Boyle (power play) (#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux, #21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz)

#26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) (#21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz)

#79 Richard Allgood (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov, #29 Nikita Lopatin)

#9 Clayton Boyd (even strength) (#16 Zac Boyle, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux

Earlier this week, the Florida Eels unravel the Palm Beach Hawks 11-3 on Monday MLK. To say the Eels were on fire would be the understatement of the year. No doubt all cylinders were working on over speed. This is no surprise to anyone who watches the Eels practice. That is how they train every day. Practice out of your comfort zone –over speed training. If you do this every day at practice it will come natural in games. The Eels actually had 111 shooting attempts. That is truly remarkable in any forum. They tallied 84 shots on the Hawks 2 netminders and netted 11 big ones. The Eels Elite team is polishing their game for playoffs right now. The Eels Coach Frankie Scarpaci Head is fine-tuning his team for their huge playoff run. He is also trying some new line combinations and some change-ups in their system as well, so opposing teams wont have a good read from history in how the Eels play.

Assistant Captain and team leader in goals Zac Boyle notched a hat trick and now has 26 goals and 24 assists. This is 4 shy of topping the All Time Eels record set last year at 29 by Josh Delezeene who now plays for NCAA Div. 3 Westfield State University. Veteran Clayton Boyd showed tremendous speed as he does game in and game out and assisted on 3 huge goals. Boyd’s acceleration is so fast and explosive. He fly’s by opposing forwards with ease and completely dismantles their defense with his quickness.

Veteran forward David Stonebraker who has been on fire in the last several weeks scored 2 beautiful goals. One of his notches was a sniper that threaded the needle with very little daylight. The entire rink including the officials was in awe of that shot. The Hawks goalie never had a chance. You could literally see and feel the crush this had on the Hawks goalie’s confidence

Also dismantling the Hawks netminders with 2 goals was Nikita Lopatin with 2 goals and 2 assist. Lpoatin might have the hardest shot in the entire USPHL. Nikita is only a 1999. But plays like a 2-3 year veteran. In fact he really is a rookie. He is the USPHL’s version of the Russian Rocket. This kid already has 20 goals as a rookie. No doubt he has a tremendous future ahead of him.

Captain Jordan Court again laid everything on the line with his lion’s play scoring 2 goals and nesting 3 assists for a houseclean 5-point game. This guy has a heart of lion. But opposing coaches through out his 4-year tenure with the Eels hate to play against him. He never quits and does not know how to lose. He is a consummate competitor on and off the ice.

Veteran forward Mike Gennello garnered 2 key assists making key passes to fellow linemates. He plays that unselfish role driving to the net not caring who puts the biscuit in the basket but only is concerned that it goes in. Another dye hard competitor for the Eels.

On defense veteran defensemen Brandon Hotaling and Brian Kozek notches 2 assists while Nicholas Magill-Diaz tallied one with their outstandingly offensively and inside the D Zone. Additionally, Kellen Crowther was called up from the USP3 team and had a very impressive game with 5 shots on net and scored 1 goal Yes WOW. In net for the Eels was Nolan Greene who faced 26 shots turning away 23.

Complete scoring for the Eels was as follows:

Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court, #21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz David Stonebraker (power play) (#19 Michael Gennello, #96 Brandon Hotaling) Jordan Court (short handed) (#9 Clayton Boyd

54 Jordan Court (even strength) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #10 Brian Kozek David Stonebraker (even strength) (#19 Michael Gennello) Zac Boyle (short handed) (#96 Brandon Hotaling

16 Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court) Andrii Rusakov (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court, #29 Nikita Lopatin Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #17 Colin Jones) The Eels travel down to Palm Beach this Friday for a 11:00 AM game. No the Eels won’t be taking Palm Beach lightly. The Hawks are tough to play at home and we know they will be bringing everything they have to counter attack the Eels potent offense.

USP3 Weekend Ice Re Cap

THE EELS USP3 TEAM DROPS GAME 3 OF THEIR 3 GAME SERIES VS THE DAYTONA RACERS

22 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Eels split the weekend series with Daytona with a win loss and a tie . In fact Daytona edged the Weekend with one more point as they managed to win the OT in game one.
The weekend went as follows: the Eels played a remarkable defensive game Friday night facing A plethora of shots but the Eels goalie Jason Posner came up huge turning away a plethora of shots and the solid defense of the Eels denying any second attempts on net.
The Eel Offense kept driving at the Racers goalie but he too was very strong turning away 40 shots on him.
The match was tied after regulation 1-1 and the 3 on 3 ensued and there were scoring chances by both teams. In fact the Racers goalie shut down 2 unreal scoring chances by the Eels . Seconds from being sent to a shoot out Daytona’s forward slid past our defense and put one past the Eels goalie Jason Posner. Coach Frank echoed no fault on Posner. He played an incredible game and allowed us to stay in this game shift after shift.
The Racers players had a jump on the Eels in this game. No excuses but it is alway tough when you come off a 5 hour bus trip and go play a game. Whether you are in junior hockey college hockey or the pros this is always a daunting task. It is a way of life however and they are young and learning.it is a strong learning lesson and great experience. If they move o n and advance t other Next Level they will have to experience this often. The truth and reality is when you play college you travel long distance road trips by bus. This is experience and part of the building block in their trade.
In game two as earlier reported the Eels had another adversity to overcome. They were back at their hotel at 11:30 pm and had to be back on the bus at 5:30 am have a team breakfast at 6:00 am and warm up for the game at 6:30 am for a 7:30 am match
The Eels responded very nicely, Despite this being their 2nd game in 13 hours with only 5 hours of sleep they jumped all over the Racers. The Eels unloaded for 40 plus shots and were completely in sync as a team. Rookie goalie Matthew Maniglia had the call and played outstanding turning away all but 1 shot on net. He had at least 40 counters on net but was standing on his head shutting down the Daytona fire power. The Eels were victorious. They stuck to their game. They played very well as a team from their forechecking back checking offense defense and goaltending. Final 3-1
Game three was not so much the same. The boys had a 6 1/2 hour wait between the end of their first gamma me on Saturday and their last game. In fact you could see they were wary. Tired. They had do lost Will Carey with a one game suspension for fighting. They lost Co captain Terell Bolz injury and Forward Brandon Fitzsimmons got injured early in the first period. We also were without key forward Richie Lepardo who sustained a major injury several day so ago. Lepardo was a key component of the team’s offense and we are making adjustments to fill that’s void. THe team was about to play their 3rd game in less than 24 hours and you could see it was going to be a tough one. In addition to the missing players at least 6 guys were pretty banged up and were not 100 percent.
The Eels did not come out with the quick step as they’d had in game 2 and that they had in game one for that matter. The guys were simply spent and it showed. The great team play of game two was not here. The Eels lost 4-1. Again this is the type of schedule they may very well face in playoffs so it will give them the snap shot idea of what they may be facing. Injuries are part of the game. Look at The loss with Stephan Sizov earlier in the year. But with each injury it gives other players an opportunity to step in . This was a tough weekend for the boys but one thing for sure . They never quit. These boys are tough and have the right frame of mind. They know their end game is. This is all part of the development model we put in place and our end game is to prepare them both mentally and physically for college hockey. It does not come easy. If it did everyone would do it. Not every program builds and places as many players to college as does the Eels. So we see the hunger and desire from our dedicated and determined young men. Yes win lose or draw, we have a bigger picture in mind,
This week both teams go to Palm Beach Tuesday early morning for one game each

USPHL Selects 9 Florida Eels As League All Stars

Guys Congratulations the USPHL has selected 6 Florida Eels Elite players and 3 of its USP3 players to their Divisional All Star Team.

ELITE ALL-STARS

F - Zac Boyle / Fla Eels

F - Clayton Boyd / Fla Eels

F - JS Robidoux / Fla Eels

F - Jordan Court / Fla Eels

D - Nicholas-Magill Diaz / Fla Eels

G - Nolan Greene / Fla Eels

USP3 ALL-ATARS

F - Gavin Medina / Fla Eels

F - Kellen Crowther / Fla Eels

D - Barry Groesch / Fla Eels

This is very impressive to be able to have so many players chosen and recognized for their accomplishments over the season.

Folks the Florida Eels USP3 team leaves the Fort Myers Skatium at 10:00 am. We are expected to arrive in Daytona around 3:00 pm

The boys should eat a good breakfast. We will eat once we arrive at the location.

The team will play its first game at 6:30 pm Friday night.

The boys will be staying at the Holiday Inn Resort Daytona Beach
1615 S. Atlantic Ave
Daytona Beach Fl 32116

The boys will be leaving the hotel quite early as they have an early morning game Saturday 7:30 am

There 3rd game is 4:30 pm

The boys should be done with their game around 6:30 pm
They will get something to eat and on the road say by 8:00 pm
The trip back is approximately 5 hours so they should arrive back in Ft Myers 1 :00 am
Coach Frank

FLORIDA EELS ELITE TEAM LEAVES AT 6:30 AM FRIDAY MORNING
20 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys the Florida Eels Elite team leaves at 6:30 am from the Fort Myers Skatium heading to West Palm Beach for their game at 11:30 am

Guys the bus will leave right on time so you all need to be there promptly and ready to roll at 6:30 am

The ELITE boys will be returning Friday afternoon after the game.

PLEASE DON’T CONFUSE THIS TRIP WITH THE USP3 TEAM WHO ARE LEAVING TO DAYTONA AT 10:00 AM

EELS ALUMNI BRYAN MILLER SHINES AT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SHOWCASE

19 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

FEATURE: UF Ice Hockey Prepares for Savannah Hockey Classic
Kaylea Konoval January 10, 2017 College Hockey, Feature Sports News, Gator Sports 195 Views

The UF Hockey team will head to Savannah, Georgia the second week of January to participate in the Savannah Tire Hockey Classic.
History of the Gators and the Thrasher Cup

The Gators have competed in this tournament since it started in 1999 and have won the Thrasher Cup three times, the most recent being in 2015. The Gators will take on the University of Georgia on Jan. 13 and face Florida State the following evening.
Because of the history surrounding the tournament, it’s a pretty big deal to the team.
“Alumni come back for it, and everyone has it marked on their calendars from the start of the season”, said President of the team, Brendan Nicholson.
Though the team wasn’t able to lift the Thrasher Cup last year, Captain Daniel Clifford said just getting to play in such a historic tournament was a great experience.
Head coach of five years Mike Marcinkiewicz thinks this is the year the Gators will reclaim the Cup. He said the crowd at the Savannah Civic Center will hopefully give the team the momentum they need to beat rivals Georgia and Florida State.

Florida wins Savannah Tire Hockey Classic

A Slow Start to the Season
The Gators got off to a rough start, going 0-5-1 in their first six games. But their first win of the season was a big one; they beat Tennessee 10-1.

They followed that up with a second win against Tennessee and a victory over the University of South Carolina. After that three-game win streak, the Gators lost their last two games.
A big issue for the team has always been the location of their home rink. The Gators’ home ice is in Jacksonville, so they’re only able to practice once a week. Clifford said there are still a lot of fans that go out to Jacksonville to support them but location definitely makes it more difficult. Coach Marcinkiewicz said he’d love for a rink in Gainesville to open up, but until then, home ice will remain in Jacksonville.

Getting the chemistry going has also been a problem for the team. The Gators are without a few key players this year and have been working to get the flow of their game back.
Clifford said it’s been difficult for players to adjust, especially playing against teams who have been together for years, but the team is confident that they’ll find a way to win.
Another aspect that has helped the team play better together has been the players interacting off the ice. Clifford said little things like getting together and playing basketball has really helped the team get closer. He said that after the team started hanging out off the ice, they noticed a big difference in their game and the Gators were able to take home some wins.
Assistant coach, Landon Gatz, said winning this tournament could give the team the momentum they need to finish the season off strong.
Prepping to Win
The Gators are now in gear training hard for the upcoming tournament. To prepare, the team is holding normal practices, conditioning and watching film in order to make sure they’re ready to take on two of their biggest rivals.

Nicholson said a strength of the team is how committed the players are and their respect for each other on and off the ice. He also talked about the team’s strong work ethic. The Gators believe they can beat any team they face and that confidence goes a long way.
The Savannah Tire Winter Classic will definitely prove to be exciting hockey. Center Brian Miller leads the team with eight goals, five of which he scored in the Gators 10-1 win over Tennessee. Captain Daniel Clifford leads the team in assists with 10 and Zane Katz leads the team in points with 13.

KELLEN CROWTHER SCORES AFTER GETTING A CALL UP FROM THE EELS ELITE SQUAD

18 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Kellen Crowther veteran stalwart for the Eels USP3 team was called up to the Eels Elite team for their game vs. the Palm Beach Hawks on MLK game day. For the USP3 team Crowther has 12 goals and 8 assists. He is assistant captain and in fact the heart and sole of the USP3 team’s offense. Like 7 other players this season the Eels looked down to their USP3 team and brought up players to develop their skills and provide them an opportunity to garner Elite experience and exposure. It is so rewarding to see our players advance like this. This is the hallmark of our program. This is why we have a USP3 squad. It is not about simply having a second team. It is all about player development. Just look at key moves and advancements this year alone: Andrii Rusakov, Richard Allgood, Caden Tchop, Gavin Medina and Nick Kotz. In fact some of our top forwards, Zac Boyle, Clayton Boyd, Jordan Court and defenseman Brandon Hotaling and Brian Kozek and goalie Nolan Greene, on the Elite team all played on played on our USP3 team and all mushroomed into the top players in the league. Kellen did extremely well. He shot 5 times drove to the net with determination and grit and scored a phenomenal goal to notch our 11th in the game. Way to go Kellen. This is an other reason why the college coaches like getting players from the Eels program. They know full well the Eels will take the time to develop their players and give them plenty of ice time to hone in their skills. For many guys that means practicing twice per day meaning 3 hours each say and another 1-½ hours in the gym. That is over 20 hours per week! Now that is a player development echo GM Frank Scarpaci

The Florida Eels Unravel The Palm Beach Hawks Elite 11-3 on MLK Game Day

The Florida Eels unravel the Palm Beach Hawks 11-3 on Monday MLK. To say the Eels were on fire would be the understatement of the year. No doubt all cylinders were working on over speed. This is no surprise to anyone who watches the Eels practice. That is how they train every day. Practice out of your comfort zone –over speed training. If you do this every day at practice it will come natural in games. The Eels actually had 111 shooting attempts. That is truly remarkable in any forum. They tallied 84 shots on the Hawks 2 netminders and netted 11 big ones. The Eels Elite team is polishing their game for playoffs right now. The Eels Coach Frankie Scarpaci Head is fine-tuning his team for their huge playoff run. He is also trying some new line combinations and some change-ups in their system as well, so opposing teams wont have a good read from history in how the Eels play.

Assistant Captain and team leader in goals Zac Boyle notched a hat trick and now has 26 goals and 24 assists. This is 4 shy of topping the All Time Eels record set last year at 29 by Josh Delezeene who now plays for NCAA Div. 3 Westfield State University. Veteran Clayton Boyd showed tremendous speed as he does game in and game out and assisted on 3 huge goals. Boyd’s acceleration is so fast and explosive. He fly’s by opposing forwards with ease and completely dismantles their defense with his quickness.

Veteran forward David Stonebraker who has been on fire in the last several weeks scored 2 beautiful goals. One of his notches was a sniper that threaded the needle with very little daylight. The entire rink including the officials was in awe of that shot. The Hawks goalie never had a chance. You could literally see and feel the crush this had on the Hawks goalie’s confidence
Also dismantling the Hawks netminders with 2 goals was Nikita Lopatin with 2 goals and 2 assist. Lpoatin might have the hardest shot in the entire USPHL. Nikita is only a 1999. But plays like a 2-3 year veteran. In fact he really is a rookie. He is the USPHL’s version of the Russian Rocket. This kid already has 20 goals as a rookie. No doubt he has a tremendous future ahead of him.

Captain Jordan Court again laid everything on the line with his lion’s play scoring 2 goals and nesting 3 assists for a houseclean 5-point game. This guy has a heart of lion. But opposing coaches through out his 4-year tenure with the Eels hate to play against him. He never quits and does not know how to lose. He is a consummate competitor on and off the ice.

Veteran forward Mike Gennello garnered 2 key assists making key passes to fellow linemates. He plays that unselfish role driving to the net not caring who puts the biscuit in the basket but only is concerned that it goes in. Another dye hard competitor for the Eels.

On defense veteran defensemen Brandon Hotaling and Brian Kozek notches 2 assists while Nicholas Magill-Diaz tallied one with their outstandingly offensively and inside the D Zone. Additionally, Kellen Crowther was called up from the USP3 team and had a very impressive game with 5 shots on net and scored 1 goal Yes WOW. In net for the Eels was Nolan Greene who faced 26 shots turning away 23.

Complete scoring for the Eels was as follows:

Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court, #21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz David Stonebraker (power play) (#19 Michael Gennello, #96 Brandon Hotaling) Jordan Court (short handed) (#9 Clayton Boyd
54 Jordan Court (even strength) (#29 Nikita Lopatin, #10 Brian Kozek David Stonebraker (even strength) (#19 Michael Gennello) Zac Boyle (short handed) (#96 Brandon Hotaling
16 Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court) Andrii Rusakov (even strength) (#54 Jordan Court, #29 Nikita Lopatin Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux) Kellen Crowther (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek, #17 Colin Jones) The Eels travel down to Palm Beach this Friday for a 11:00 AM game. No the Eels won’t be taking Palm Beach lightly. The Hawks are tough to play at home and we know they will be bringing everything they have to counter attack the Eels potent offense.

USP3 PLAYERS AND PARENTS AND BILLET PARENTS IMPORTANT MESSAGE

16 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Next weekend the USP3 players travel to Daytona for a 3 game weekend. The first game is Friday at 6:30 pm.
That means that the Bus will be leaving Fort Myers Friday morning at around 11:00 am
It takes 5+ hours for travel to Daytona.

The 2nd game is early Saturday morning so we will be staying in Daytona and the 3rd game is 4:30 pm so we will be returning home after the 3rd game around 7:30 pm. We will be back at the Fort Myers Skatium very late after midnight no doubt. The rink will be closed.

As a reminder we also have a midweek game the following week on Tuesday Jan 24th at 10:30 am in Palm Beach. This is the make up game for the Hurricane cancelation earlier in the year.
If there are any problems with time off from school be it the Daytona trip and or the Palm Beach trip, i need to know now. I can make arrangements and changes but I do need to know Monday or Tuesday of this week. We understand but we need to know. Maybe a parent can bring the player to Daytona for the 3rd game for example.

Thanks
Coach Frank

U467 Fri Jan 20 -
@ Daytona Racers
Daytona International Skateway
6:30 PM EST -
U474 Sat Jan 21 -
@ Daytona Racers
Daytona International Skateway
7:30 AM EST -
U477 Sat Jan 21 -
@ Daytona Racers
Daytona International Skateway
4:30 PM EST

U492 Tue Jan 24 -
@ Palm Beach Hawks
Palm Beach Skate Zone
10:30 AM EST

Get Going On the Applications and FAFSA

College Applications: Need to be completed ASAP

PLAYERS A REMINDER TO COMPLETE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

15 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Folks a number of players were advised to fill out and complete their college applications last week. I cannot underscore the importance of getting these in immediately, Parents please follow up with your son. Many of the coaches were expecting them to be in to their admissions department last Friday. If you have not done so you must complete it immediately. I understand form a good number of college coaches they will be tuned into the games this week end next week on HOckeyTV/Fasthockey.com

Coaches who are interested in you, expect to see a sincere effort on your part to show you are earnestly interested in attending their college and that you have the academic ability to be accepted to their school. The ball is in your court. Also it is essential that you get out any video clips to the head coaches and assistant coaches of your target schools.
Any questions please call me
Coach Frank

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15 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

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EELS VS HAWKS MONDAY AT 11:30 AM

15 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Twenty-Four Hours to Drop Of Puck Eels Elite vs. Palm Beach Hawks in a showdown. -
We have 5 of our 8 remaining games are against Palm Beach. So it is very obvious how critical these 5 games are. Two are at home and Monday 11:30 am is at the forefront.
Here is our season’s record:
E192 Fri Nov 4 W
8-2
Palm Beach Hawks
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
E210 Sun Nov 6 W
7-5
@ Palm Beach Hawks
Palm Beach Skate Zone Rink 1
E264 Sat Nov 19 W
12-5
Palm Beach Hawks
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
E285 Sun Nov 20 W
9-8
@ Palm Beach Hawks
Palm Beach Skate Zone
E336 Sun Dec 11 W
4-2
Palm Beach Hawks
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center

The Eels are looking to notch #6. So please come join us in support of our huge match against the Hawks. The Eels are in 6th place with 37 points and Richmond is ahead by 1 point and Tampa tipping us by 2. The Eels square off vs. Tampa for 3 of the remaining games. The next several weeks sought to produce some of the most exciting hockey in the state.

Game time: Drop of puck 11:30 am

COME JOIN US MONDAY ELITE VS PALM BEACH

13 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

This Monday The Eels Elite Square off Against The Palm Beach Hawks. No doubt both the Hawks and Eels are jockeying for its seeding in the playoffs. The Eels are in 6th place with 37 points whereas the Hawks are in 8th place with 16 points. The Eels are looking to over take 5th or even 4th place where they are occupied by Richmond with 38 points and Tampa also with 38 pints. This is so close only 1 point separating these three teams. Please come out Monday MLK weekend and support our Elite team.
E452 Mon Jan 16 -
Palm Beach Hawks
Ft Myers Skatium Ice Center
11:30 AM EST

EELS ELITE SPLIT GAMES IN NEW ENGLAND GOING 500

11 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

E389 Fri Jan 6 L 2-4
@ South Shore Kings
NESC 1
FINAL -
E398 Fri Jan 6 W 3-1
@ P.A.L. Junior Islanders
NESC 6
FINAL -
E408 Sat Jan 7 W 10-2
Team Beijing
NESC 3
FINAL -
E415 Sat Jan 7 L 1-4
Rochester Monarchs
NESC 3
FINAL

Eels USP3 Team goes 1-2-1 in New England Showcase

U409	Fri Jan 6	L 1-3	@ Jersey Shore Whalers	NESC 4	-
U415	Fri Jan 6	W 3-2	@ Junior Bruins	NESC 2	-
U425	Sat Jan 7	L 0-1	@ Jersey Hitmen	NESC 3	-
U442	Sun Jan 8	L 2-4	Decatur Blaze	NESC 3	-

HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY RESUMES

11 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Yes High School Hockey Resumes tonight
Vacations and holidays are over
Game 7:00 pm Wed.
Game 6:00 pm Thursday
Spread the word

USP3 TEAM’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE THIS WEEKEND: THE DECATUR BLAZE

4 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

USP3 Team’s Biggest Challenge This Weekend: The Decatur Blaze

This is a team made up of four 1996’s and 7 1997’s. They have 16 wins 13 losses. They are 2nd in the Midwest standings. They have scored 127 goals and let up 108 for a 3.74 GAA. They are 19% on the PP and 84% on the PK.

They have one player with 33 goals and one with 23. They have three players with over 20 points and 9 with double digits. But Decatur has not played one game vs. the teams in the East or South. In fact they have split their 6 game series vs.. the Kalkaska Rhinos 3 games a piece. So we really don’t know how strong they truly are. They will be facing the Charlotte Rush, the Richmond Generals and the Palm Beach Hawks before facing the Eels on Sunday. This will be a huge test for the Eels USP3 team. The Eels have a tough schedule this weekend with additional games against the Jersey Whalers, The New Jersey Hitmen and the Junior Bruins.

2017 USPHL WINTER SHOWCASE

Elite and USP3 Game Schedule:

ELITE

01/06/17 Fri. 11:20 a.m. Eels vs. South Shore Kings (Rink 1)

01/06/17 Fri. 5:50 p.m. Eels vs. PAL Jr. Islanders (Rink 6)

01/07/17 Sat. 10:10 a.m. Eels vs. Team Beijing (Rink 3)

01/07/17 Sat. 5:30 p.m. Eels vs. Rochester Monarchs (Rink 3)

USP3

01/06/17 Fri. 3:10 p.m. Eels vs. Jersey Shore Whalers (Rink 4)

01/06/17 Fri. 9:50 p.m. Eels vs. Junior Bruins (Rink 2)

01/07/17 Sat. 2:20 p.m. Jersey Hitmen (Rink 5)

01/08/17 Sun. 3:50 p.m. Decatur Blaze (Rink 3)

The Florida Eels are please to announce to signing of Dylan Tschabold from Switzerland

The Florida Eels are please to announce to signing of Dylan Tschabold from Switzerland. Dillon has played for the Florida Eels midget program for the past two seasons and played high school hockey for the Greater Fort Myers High School Team. He stands 6’2 175 pounds and is only a 2000 DOB. He is one of our futures so to speak. The Eels are already looking towards next season in its player development player pool. The way to do this right, is bring in the younger guys into the fold and allow them to join the team and train 3 hours a day on ice and off ice right with the veteran players. Players like Dillon will garner tremendous experience in preparation for their journey in junior hockey. Dillon will be able to gain some game experience as well and this will unfoundedly speak volumes towards his formative player development.

Dylan Tschabold is raw but very anxious and eager to learn. He has shown us over the past 2 years he is a very determined and dedicated young man. Think about it: he has moved here from his home in Switzerland and made enormous sacrifices to be away form his home and family. This is a dream come true for him. His goal is to play one-day college hockey. He knows that playing juniors is the pathway to that end. He also knows that the Eels are the key to that mission. He knows that if his end game is to play college hockey be it NCAA or ACHA and garner an excellent education, then the Eels Junior team is the mechanism to realize that goal.

The Eels have 2 other 2000 DOB players on its USP3 team. Mason DeMeyere and Corey Altieri. Like Dylan Tschabold both Mason and Corey are by products of the Eels youth program. Both players are developing according to plan. In fact Corey Altieri has earned a regular spot between the 1st 2nd and 3rd line. While Mason DeMeyere has ripened into one of the Eels top penalty killers. That boast well for any player, as a forward on the PK knows that defense comes first. He is very aggressive on the fore-check and does cause other teams to turn over the puck. For such young guys this is what it is all about. Learning the game. Developing a strong hockey IQ. Be patient and ready to do what every job or fill whatever role the coach and team need you to perform.

Well now Dylan Tschabold will be given this opportunity to develop as an Eel. He has been around for several seasons as a midget. He attended all Eel home games for Elite and USP3 for the past 2 years. He has seen from the sidelines some of our top players develop and advance to college. So he has experienced the “Eels Euphoria and tradition. We welcome him to our program.

JUNIORHOCKEY.COM FEATURES EELS ON THEIR FRONT PAGE

3 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Check out Juniorhockey.com
They feature the Eels.
The Eels article on our USP3 Rookies
Rookies of the Florida Eels USP3 Following Tradition Of Player Development – Junior Hockey News

REVISED SCHEDULE FOR THE USP3 TEAM AT THE USPHL MASS SHOWCASE

3 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Good news:
Sunday Change of time for USP3 team

U409 Fri Jan 6 -
@ Jersey Shore Whalers
New England Sports Center Rink 4
3:10 PM EST -
U415 Fri Jan 6 -
@ Junior Bruins
New England Sports Center Rink 2
9:50 PM EST -
U425 Sat Jan 7 -
@ Jersey Hitmen
New England Sports Center Rink 5
2:20 PM EST -
U441 Sun Jan 8 -
Decatur Blaze
New England Sports Center Rink 3
3:50 PM EST

Elite Schedule Remains the same

E390 Fri Jan 6 -
@ South Shore Kings
New England Sports Center Rink 1
11:20 AM EST -
E398 Fri Jan 6 -
@ P.A.L. Junior Islanders
New England Sports Center Rink 6
5:50 PM EST -
E408 Sat Jan 7 -
Team Beijing
New England Sports Center Rink 3
10:10 AM EST -
E415 Sat Jan 7 -
Rochester Monarchs
New England Sports Center Rink 3
5:30 PM EST -

Florida Eels 1996 College Bound Players

FLORIDA EELS

1996 PLAYER PROFILES

#7 DAVID STONEBRAKER – Forward – Date of Birth: 09/29/96 – Height 6’0”, Weight 185 lbs. David Stonebreaker posses a stealthy shot that has an incredibly quick release. He understands his greatest asset is his shot, and shoots often especially when in the middle of the ice. A real strong competitor below the hash marks and knows how to get open at the right times, and right places. David is a quick skater, with powerful bursts of acceleration.

#9 CLAYTON BOYD - Forward – Date of Birth: 11/15/96 – Height 5’8” Weight 178 lbs. Without a doubt, Clayton Boyd, is the fastest player in the USPHL-Elite. An absolutely beautiful skater but has the hands and mind to go with it. Clayton always makes the players around him better. One of the most disciplined and dedicated players on and off the ice. Can play any position you put him at. Has exceptional reads both offensively and defensively. Boyd is one of the best penalty killers that has ever put on an Eels jersey. Extremely good off the rush.

#16 ZAC BOYLE – Forward – Date of Birth: 09/16/96 – Height 6’02” Weight 195 lbs. A hulking power forward at 6’2”, Zac truly is a force on the ice. He holds such a heavy shot, goalies tend to think they have the angle on him, but it powers its way into the back of the net. Has great two-way reads, both offensively and defensively. Zac has a real active stick defensively that allows him to strip the puck from opponents. Boyle is the other teams’ nightmare when he has the puck because he can score in so many ways. An absolute beast on the puck, nearly impossible to knock him off it.

#17 COLIN JONES – Forward – Date of Birth: 11/15/96 – Height 6’02” Weight 190 lbs. Big bodied power forward who is heavy on the puck. Has a good hockey IQ that allows him to play with faster players. Real good along the boards, where he is good about making the right play. Owns a heavy shot, which he can shoot from range. Colin is dependable in the defensive zone, and a strong penalty killer.

#18 LIAM McCUNE – Forward – Date of birth: 09/02/96 – Height 5’08” Wgt. 165 lbs. Liam is a good skater and an aggressive fore-checker. He possesses an accurate hard shot and battles well along the boards. Liam is very strong on the penalty and plays first line power play on our Eels USP3 team.

#19 MIKE GENNELLO – Forward – Date of Birth: 08/06/96 – Height 5’09” Weight 175 lbs. Gennello is a crafty forward that has all the ability to be an exceptional college player. He owns a college level shot already that’s accurate and quick to get off. Can just whip it to the net with authority. Mike is creative, and can really be an offensive force, however, his defensive play should not be overlooked. Really takes pride in starting his offensive by taking pucks away from the opponent. Is an absolute pest to play against.

#20 SVEN NILSSON – Defense – Date of Birth: 08/29/96 – Height 5’09” Weight 180 lbs. Sven is a smooth skating, puck moving defenseman. He understands when he should jump up into the offense. Sven is a very coachable player that is mature both on and off the ice. A very good puck distributor. Despite not being the biggest player, Nilsson likes to play physical. He does a real good job at closing lanes quickly on his opponents.

#35 TREY KOVALICK – Goalie – Date of Birth: 07/17/96 – Height 5’09” – Weight 175 lbs. Conservative goaltender that is as good as it gets down low. Does a good job of suffocating pucks and frustrating the other team. A mature goaltender, that is ready for the responsibility of being a college hockey goaltender. Excellent at tracking pucks through traffic.

#40 NOLAN GREENE – Goalie – Date of Birth ; 08/20/96 – Height 6’02” Weight 180 lbs. Hybrid goaltender that is a battler on all accounts. Large and mobile, Greene has tremendous anticipation skills. He can read plays develop and put himself in the best position to make saves. Makes timely big saves that frustrate the opponents best shooters. Has a good feel for the pulse of the game.

#54 JORDAN COURT – Forward – Date of Birth: 08/18/96 – Height 5’09” Weight 176 lbs. The Eels Captain is a winner in every sense on the term. Court plays in all situations, and does it effectively. Jordan is one of the better two-way players in the league as he doesn’t sacrifice defense for offense. His shot has an extremely quick release that has the puck rise quickly on goalies. Despite his size, he likes to initiate contact and be the aggressor. Good on face-offs and dependable along the boards, Court can play pretty much any position effectively.

#96 BRANDON HOTALING – Defense – Date of Birth: 08/27/96 – Height 5’11” Weight 197 lbs. Hotaling is a veteran puck-moving defenseman with a solid frame. With his above average skating and accurate stick, Brandon is able to close his gaps quickly on opposing forwards. He sees the ice well and is a great first passer. Owns a heavy shot that he’s working on getting to the net more often.

HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY RESUMES NEXT WEEK JAN 11 AND 12TH

1 JAN | BY FRANK SCARPACI

A reminder that school is still on vacation so High School Hockey will not resume until Jan 11th and 12th

Again there are NO Games this week.

Next Wed Jan 11th and Thurs. Jan 12th there will be a game each night

See you then

Guys Happy New Year and welcome back

Monday the Eels Elite team should report for off ice activity at the rink at 9:00 am

Both teams: YOU MUST BRING YOUR HOME AND AWAY JERSEYS FOR WASHING NO EXCEPTIONS

USP3 players report no later than 10:30 am

There will be chalk talk and video for both teams during the day plan accordingly

Monday ice time
USP3 6:00 pm - 7:15 pm
Elite team 7:30 pm -8:45 pm

Tuesday ice time
USP3 team 7:00am - 8:15 am
Elite team 8:30 am - 9:45 am

Off ice and video
TBA

I want to wish everyone a very Happy and Healthy New Year for 2017. With the striking of Midnight I prayed and hope for a much more peaceful year in our country and across the world. I ask God to look after the brave men and women soldiers and their loves ones who make enormous sacrifices to ensure our democracy liberties and freedoms, which we enjoy and sometimes take for granted. I hope 2017 brings more tolerance of the differences among us and that we have acceptance of our brothers and sisters no matter what their color or race, ethnicity, nationality or religion. After a very turbulent 2016 there is no doubt we need healing within our great Nation. We are all Americans and lets never forget it.

As you all know, I have the good fortune of being in the business of helping young boys become men. We may use the “hockey forum” as a vehicle to those means but the end is to help develop, create and nurture future college student athletes who will then become outstanding citizens in America, Russia, Canada, the Ukraine, or where ever they come from. I have had to pleasure of advancing over 195 young individuals to college from the Florida Eels. WOW now that is an accomplishment. A remarkable landmark to say the least. A truly incredible feeling.

Sure we see them go off and play the sport they love. But competitive ice hockey as they are accustomed to, ends for them be it in 4 or 5 years. But their lives continue. But what we taught them during their junior years with us will have an everlasting impact on who they will be as husbands, dads, CEO’s and members in our communities and in society in general. We as coaches play a large part in their future. We repeatedly stress that meritocracy entitlement and complacency is never enough. You have to bring every ounce of energy, fortitude, determination and dedication to reach your goals. They see it and experience it every day with us training 3-5 hours every day to be the best and to be relevant. We teach our players that they are not passengers or pedestrians. They are the decision makers. Eels don’t just have dreams. For that matter everyone does. In fact everyone wants to win. We teach them that you have to have the will to win! My boys have action plans and do what ever is necessary in the bounds of decency and with true sportsmanship to accomplish these goals. We echo there is no magic to it. It comes downs to good old fashion work etic. It is a key ingredient in the Eels’ recipe. Yes to outwork everyone else.

That is why our guys have been so successful. I reflect on so many phenomenal players who have passed through our program. We have truly been blessed. Think about it: 195 advancement to colleges. It places us truly amongst the Elite in Junior programs in this country. I am so proud of our boys and equally proud of the boys coming through the system. It is not about wins and losses. It is about who they have and will become. With the 2017 New Year upon us, I am so optimistic as I can rest assure that another 20+ boys we advance to college and WILL have a positive and relevant impact in our society as the Eels before them.

The key here is the Eels have been taught to get along with players of all makes and models if you will. Being Catholic, Jewish Muslim, or Baptist Presbyterian or what ever, is irrelevant on the ice. Being Black, White, and Latino etc. has no bearing on abilities and who can score or make a save. Being an American, Russian, Ukrainian, Canadian, German or Korean does not make you skate faster, fore-check harder or make you a better player. It is the Eels unique and special integration – Eels are devoid of society's ugly discrimination - we are all equal individuals and every one of us makes up this team known as the Florida Eels.

If only society can learn from the Eels. This is a tight group of boys who would fight till the end for one another. They all would jump into the proverbial “foxhole” with and for one another. Our families see it amongst the boys. I see the leaders on our teams. No, not just the Captains and Assistant Captains. Leadership is ingrained in all of our boys. They will take 2017 with a storm. Yes we are proud, as we know they will become impact individuals in society. I challenge all young men and women whether athletes or not to do the same. This is what we all need in 2017.

THE YOUNG GUNS OF THE FLORIDA EELS USP3 TEAM MAKING AN IMMEDIATE AND IMPRESSIVE IMPACT

27 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Young Guns of the Florida Eels USP3 Team Making An Immediate and Impressive Impact The Eels GM Frank Scarpaci brought in 15 rookies this year to fill up the USP3 team. He is a guy who knows history and his history has taught him well especially when it comes to the success of his Eels Junior program. Over his tenure he has moved over 100 players from his USP3/Empire team up to the Elite team. We all know how successful the Elite team has been. In junior hockey it is not all about the win loss column. It is far more important to focus your attention on player development. That is what so many GMs and coaches lose sight of. They pay attention to simply wins goals of players and wins. But with the Eels we take painstaking time to focus on each player’s development. The key forum for this undoubtedly is the USP3 team.

Look at what we have done in the past. We took the time with the Mario Puskarich NCAA Division 1 (Captain University of Vermont) Cameron Darcy, NCAA Division 1 Northeastern Univ. QMJHL and NHL Draft Pick Tampa Bay Lightning, RJ Boyd NCAA Div. 1. Michigan State USHL Indiana and Chicago, NHL Florida Panthers Draft pick, Joey Colartarci, Maritime JR Hockey League Canada and NCAA Division 3 Adrian College, Jonathan Carlson NCAA Division 3 Aurora University, Reid Halabi, QMHHL and the AHL, Richie Boyd NCAA Division 1 UNH and dozens upon dozens more who played on the USP3/Empire/SEJHL team and went on to advance to the Eels Elite team.

This season we see our own Gavin Medina Dashel Quartarolo John Witowski Kellen Crowther Terell Bolz Will Carey and Gavin Medina moving up and down the player development latter to the Elite squad. They are garnering games that are proving volumes towards their experience and development. Earlier this year we moved up Caden Tchop 4 goals and 6 assists and Andrii Rusakov. 6 goals and 8 assists who have become serious impact forwards on the Elite squad.

Making their mark on the USP3 squad and considerably improving their lot and player development are first year guys: Corey Altieri, linemates along with John Witowski, and Dylan Robello 2nd line with lightning speed, Anthony Sozio, Richie Lepardo and Terell Bolz, 3rd line up of Mason DeMeyere, Corey Altieri, and Daniel Merida, and Ehan Gill, and then on the back end top defenseman and some time power forward Dashel Quartarolo, defensemen Will Carey, Jimmy Sturdivent, Barry Groesch, and recent acquisitions , Jared Figueroa (F) and Goalie Matthew Maniglia all spells a very promising future for the Eels and these players. They are gaining invaluable ice time and experience in playing regular shifts power play and penalty opportunities. This recipe as proven to produce develop and manufacturer some top players not only in our league but also in college and future pros. The formula designed by the Eels is the very purpose and reason why these young men come to junior hockey. Sure their ultimate goal is to advance to college hockey but you just can’t have the goal. It is the end result of hundreds of hours of training (with the Eels it is 600+ per year nearly double the competition). You need to garner the experience of playing and game scenarios. With our program we work painstakingly to provide the balance and many opportunities to advance. The players move up and won so they are not afraid of failure. You learn from these situations. In hockey it is not where you start it is where you finish says Coach Frankie Head coach of the Elite team and head of player development for the entire Eels Junior program.

MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY HANUKAH AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS

25 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

On behalf of the Scarpaci Family we want to wish all a Merry Christmas Happy Hanukah and Happy Holidays. We hope you have a wonderful time with your families. This is truly a time when we all pray for peace and joy around the world. We pray for the less fortunate, the infirmed and the ones who are not with their love ones. A special hug to the brave serviceman and women who are overseas protecting us, as well as their love ones who make enormous sacrifices not having them here to enjoy this Christmas. May you come home safe and healthy. This season we all seem to get along and spread cheer and love with our neighbors and strangers. In truth this special feeling amongst us during this Holiday season should continue throughout the year. Isn’t that really God’s plan? If there are tears in our eyes be of joy and happiness. We all can think back of the days when we were so young and awoke to presents under the tree. What a magic time. Lets all spread these memories of a simpler time when the only worry was how much snow we will get.

Merry Christmas Happy Hanukah and Happy Holidays. Let us look forward to a fantastic New Year filled with Joy and Good Health The Scarpacis

Hotels For the USPHL Boston Winter Showcase

Folks some parents have asked what hotel the team will be staying in Mass when we travel to the Main Winter Showcase.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Boston Marlborough

123 Boston Post Road West, Marlborough, Massachusetts, 01752, USA
TEL: +1-508-485-5900
FAX: +1-508-481-3110

You are free to call the hotel and book at this venue or any other hotel in the area. This has been our traditional hotel for NESC.

Near this hotel you will also find the Hampton Inn nearby, the Marriott Court Yard, Residence Inn in Marlboro and one in Westboro. There is a Holiday
Inn and one used by many parents the Best Western in Marlboro.

There are over 100 teams at this event so plan accordingly.
Coach Frank

Hundreds of Scouts Expected to Attend USPHL Winter Showcase

11/30/2016, 5:30pm EST

By Mike Klein

Boston, MA - The USPHL Winter Showcase is set to begin on January 6 at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, MA. The event will feature league games from all three junior divisions (Premier, Elite, USP3) as well as the 18-and-under, and 16-and-under Divisions.

All ten Premier Division teams- the Junior Bruins, Islanders Hockey Club, Jersey Hitmen, Connecticut Jr. Rangers, Okanagan Eagles, Springfield Pics, South Shore Kings, PAL Jr. Islanders, Syracuse Stars, and Philadelphia Flyers- will be in attendance.

Elite Division teams making appearances are the Junior Bruins, Atlanta Jr. Knights, Bay State Breakers, Carolina Eagles, Charlotte Rush, Chicago Cougars, Dells Ducks, Detroit Fighting Irish, Florida Eels, Hampton Roads Whalers, Islanders Hockey Club, Jersey Hitmen, New York Aviators, PAL Jr. Islanders, Palm Beach Hawks, Potomac Patriots, Richmond Generals, Rochester Monarchs, South Shore Kings, Steele County Blades, Syracuse Stars, Tampa Bay Juniors, and Team Beijing.

Teams from the USP3HL that will be taking part are the Atlanta Jr. Knights, Carolina Eagles, Charlotte Rush, Daytona Racers, Decatur Blaze, Florida Eels, Florida Jr. Blades, Hampton Roads Whalers, Islanders Hockey Club, Jersey Hitmen, Jersey Shore Whalers, Junior Bruins, Motor City Hawks, Palm Beach Hawks, Richmond Generals, Springfield Pics, Tampa Bay Juniors, and Tri City Icehawks.

18-and-under teams slated to appear are the Junior Bruins, Springfield Pics, Jersey Hitmen, South Shore Kings, and Jersey Shore Whalers.

Teams from the 16-and-under division that will be in attendance are the Springfield Pics, Jersey Hitmen, Potomac Patriots, Connecticut Jr. Rangers, Hartford Jr. Wolfpack, Jersey Shore Whalers, New Jersey Rockets, and South Shore Kings.

A total of 112 games among the five divisions will be contested.

“The USPHL Winter Showcase is an excellent opportunity for scouts to watch some of the best hockey players in the country under one roof,” stated USPHL Commissioner Jeff Nygaard. “Last year’s showcase was extremely well-attended by scouts and we expect the Winter Showcase to continue growing in prestige.”

Games will be played primarily at the New England Sports Center. Tickets will be sold at the New England Sports Center and all games will be broadcast on FastHockey.com.

College Scouts Enjoy Warm Weather & Elite Talent at Florida Showcase

In the Elite Division, the Charlotte Rush strengthened their hold on first place with a 4-0 record, knocking off the Palm Beach Hawks on Friday, the Carolina Eagles and Florida Eels on Saturday, and Tampa Bay on Sunday.

The second-place Hampton Roads Whalers remain in striking distance thanks to a 3-0-1 showing. The Whalers started on Friday with a win over the Eels. Saturday saw wins over Palm Beach and Carolina, but the Whalers bowed in overtime to the Atlanta Jr. Knights on Sunday.

Carolina also beat Tampa Bay on Friday and fell to the Eels on Sunday.

In their other action, Atlanta fell to the Potomac Patriots on Friday before gaining revenge against Potomac on Saturday.

Potomac fell to Tampa Bay on Saturday before finishing on a high note with a win over Palm Beach.

The Richmond Generals put together an impressive 3-0 weekend with wins over the Eels, Palm Beach, and Tampa Bay.

In the USP3HL bracket, the Atlanta Jr. Knights reigned supreme, going 4-0-1. Atlanta began on Friday with a 5-4 shootout loss to the Hampton Roads Whalers, but rebounded with wins over the Daytona Racers, Potomac Patriots, Richmond Generals, and another over Daytona to close the weekend.

Richmond also had an excellent weekend, as they knocked off the Florida Eels, Florida Jr. Blades (their first loss of the season,) and Palm Beach Hawks.

Despite the loss to Richmond, the Blades still remain comfortably in first place, thanks in no small part to wins over Hampton Roads, the Carolina Eagles, and Charlotte Rush.

Second-place Charlotte also reeled off a trio of wins, defeating Tampa Bay, the Eels, and Daytona.

Similarly, Carolina bested Daytona and Palm Beach on Friday and Tampa Bay on Sunday.

In their other action, Palm Beach skated by Potomac on Friday and Hampton Roads on Sunday, both in overtime.

The Eels gathered four points with wins over Hampton Roads on Saturday and Potomac on Sunday, and Tampa Bay beat Potomac on Friday and fell to Hampton Roads on Saturday.

Gavin Median Gets Call Up To Eels Elite at the USPHL Florida College Showcase

Gavin Medina scored 2 goals and notches one assists against the Hampton Road Whalers and earns a call up to the Florida Eels Elite team against the Carolina Eagles. This was a huge weekend for Medina as his hard work and fortitude on the USP3 Eels earned him the opportunity to be called up for Sunday’s game with the Elite squad. No doubt coach Frankie Scarpaci was looking to shake things up on his Elite team. In the first three games of the Showcase the Eels Elite team went winless scoring just 2 goals in 3 games. Meanwhile Gavin Medina on the USP3 team has been on a scoring tear. He leads all players on the Eels USP3 team with 12 goals and 10 assist. He is definitely among the top players in that division.

It is not just the points that make us look at Gavin. It is the way he plays says GM Scarpaci. He plays with tremendous heart and fortitude. He has one of the best work ethic in the entire organization. He is a consummate competitor. He drives to the net and has the insatiable appetite to score. Coach Frankie calls it relevancy. He is relentless on the fore-check and equally tenacious in his back-checking. You know he is on the ice at all times. He also is the guy other teams hate to play against. He knows how to get under your skin.

Eels Elite coach Frankie Scarpaci knows Medina very well. He played for him last season when Coach Scarpaci headed up the USP3 team. He knows what makes him tick. He is a player who will be a top Elite guy next season and it looks like he is pushing the envelope right now. Coach Scarpaci is making a statement to his entire team. Do not be complacent nor should anyone feel entitled. He placed Medina on the first line along side Clayton Boyd and Jordan Court. Although Gavin did not score on Sunday he was very much in the offense and played with grit. There is no doubt he was a contributing factor in the Eels win over the Carolina Eagles.

The Unlikely Trio of Jimmy Sturdivent, Dashel Quartarolo and John Witkowski sparked the Eels to two wins over the USPHL Florida Blades College Showcase.

The Unlikely Trio of Jimmy Sturdivent, Dashel Quartarolo and John Witkowski sparked the Eels to two wins over the USPHL Florida Blades College Showcase. GM Frank Scarpaci shook up the lines after the loss to the Richmond Generals on Thursday night. Quite frankly after the game my son and I spent 4 hours dissecting the team’s performance and we weren’t all that pleased. Clearly the film showed we were getting out worked offensively and lost far too many loose puck battles in the offensive zone commented GM Scarpaci. Our fore-check was ineffective in creating turnovers as we are so accustomed in doing…. We decided to make a few radical moves and came up with an unusual combination on paper not knowing if it would work. We had 4 games over this showcase and we were not going to simply let this play itself out.

We put our three biggest guys together - Jimmy Sturdivent 6’3” and Dashel Quartarolo 6’4” and moved them on a line with John Witkowski 6’0”. The funny thing is both Sturdivent and Quartarolo are true defenseman. But there is some history between John Witkowski and Dashel Quartarolo as they played with one another when they were with the Kalkaska Rhinos earlier this year before the Eels acquired them in a trade

Jimmy Sturdivent is a mobile defenseman and had played some forward in youth hockey. He loves to rush the puck and this would be a great time to see how he handles the offensive side of the game. Well, we tried it. In their first outing we played the number two team in the league: the Charlotte Rush to a 1-0 game before pulling the goalie and an empty netter. The key here is this line was turning heads. Their fore-check was relentless creating turn over after turn over. They battled hard along the boards in front of the net and simply punished opponents with their big imposing bodies. For example, the Rush who averages almost 5 goals per game was limited to 1 excepting the empty netter. The Rush found themselves being pounded by this trio. Although scoreless, this line had significant scoring opportunities and that was huge. After reviewing this game late into the evening, we felt we found something. Be it long term or a short-term shake up, it was a spark that proved to ignite the team to 2 wins in the remaining games.

For example, the experiment proved indeed positive as the Eels opened up the Hampton Road Whalers 5-3 in what was a clear and convincing win for the Eels. This win was significant as the Hampton Road Whalers consistently beats Charlotte, Atlanta, Richmond, the Eagles Tampa and many other top teams in the North and the Midwest. This line was a punishing force in the 3 games in which they were bonded wearing down the top players from Charlotte, Hampton and Potomac,

Although Dash was the only player on this line who notched a point, we undoubtedly trust that this trio will gamer some serious points in the weeks to come. There seems to be chemistry here – you can see the way they play together. We are not sure this will be a permanent change but one thing for sure, Sturdivent Witkowski and Quartarolo showed heart, answered the call, stepped up to the plate and did what ever they had to do to bring about the two wins in the last two games of the showcase. Their play was instrumental in garnering the needed 4 points over the weekend. Way to go guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brandon Fitzsimmons Returns Back Home To The Florida Eels Juniors

A welcome return to his roots – Brandon Fitzsimmons returns home to the Florida Eels after playing a season and a half out in the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League RMJHL with the Colorado Thunderbirds. Fitzsimmons played his entire youth hockey for the Florida Eels organization before his stint out west. GM and Coach Scarpaci saw that Brandon came available and wasted no time to bring him back home where he belongs.

Fitzsimmons plays an old school style of play. Hard nose hitting and battles very hard against his opponents. He captures exactly what we were looking for commented GM Scarpaci. In his first game vs. the Potomac Patriots at the Florida Blades USPHL Showcase last weekend, we paired him with highflying rookies Richie Lepardo and Anthony Sozio. These two guys are typically well covered by opponents. But with Fitzsimmons on their line, opposing teams had to play heads up hockey or be hammered to the ice. Although no goals were realized in that game, it became quite apparent that Lepardo and Sozio garnered a plethora of scoring chances. This was a huge factor in the win. Teams now were facing serious scoring threat by three solid scoring lines.

There was no doubt Fitzsimmons presence was immediately felt by Potomac. We are thrilled to have him back. It was nice to see his family at the game as well. This is a homegrown Florida Eel and we are glad to see him once again in a Florida uniform playing in front of our Eels’ family.

THIS PAST WEEK THE EELS ELITE PLAYERS WENT TO A LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: EDGEWOOD ACADEMY - AND READ TO YOUNG STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

20 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels are one of the most actively involved in community efforts in all of Junior hockey. This past week the Eels Elite players went to a local Elementary school: Edgewood Academy – and read to young students in the classroom. Head Coach Frank Scarpaci and a number of his players were excited to give back to the community. The boys are quite fortunate to be able to pursue their dreams, train hard for over 4 hours each day. This is just an example of them being thankful and appreciative of what has been bestowed on them.

This volunteer classroom experience is not a token gesture either. These boys give back enormously to the community in which they play: The Greater Fort Myers/Cape Coral area. The Eels have participated in several educational endeavors at several of the local schools including helping with arts and crafts, helping out with physical education which included learn to play hockey and acting as mentors for so many youngsters. Moreover, the Eels Junior players helped raised tens of thousands of dollars in Hockey’s Fight Against Cancer, Took the lead in Hockey’s Fight To Feed the Hungry by raising enough food to feed over 100 families from Thanksgiving to Christmas Holidays, They raised substantial toy donations with the US Marines with Toys For Tots and raised thousands of dollars and donations in brand new clothing for a local teenage shelter in conjunction with Pivot Charter School.

Coach Scarpaci says all too often everyone is too consumed and focused who are the leaders in points or where their team sits in the standings. No doubt that is important but the Eels organization from its players to its coaches to the GM takes it one much further. We know in the end we are not just building hockey players. We are developing future college players and citizens. It is our job equally to make our players appreciate their responsibility in society. To become over all good citizens. This is what makes the USA so great. These tasks should not be a burden but one we enthusiastically engross in our lives. Indeed, when you get 50 players to enthusiastically take on these ancillary community activities, you know you have built future leaders in our country. No matter where you fall under the political spectrum these young men appreciate it is not all about the win loss column. The look on these young kids faces is priceless. But our guys say it is equally rewarding for them. It is the least they can do. The nice thing here is the volunteer efforts are completely that: Volunteer. Every last one of our guys wants in.

Florida Eels: A Rising Force in USPHL Elite, USP3 Divisions

Florida Eels: A Rising Force in USPHL Elite, USP3 Divisions
12/10/2016, 9:15pm EST
By Eels Staff
The Florida Eels’ USPHL Elite made a huge midseason surge in November, winning seven of their last eight games.

This included a 21-goal unleashing upon the Palm Beach Hawks in their pre-Thanksgiving home and away weekend. In fact, the Eels averaged 6.6 goals for in their eight November games.

Players on fire for the Eels are veterans assistant captain Zac Boyle, with 17 goals and 20 assists, assistant captain Clayton Boyd (14 goals, 23 assists), captain Jordan Court (12 goals, 20 assists), rookie Nikita Lopatin (10 goals, 17 assists) and Jean-Simon Robidoux (12 goals, eight assists).

The Eels are also garnering recent production from veterans such as Mike Gennello (five goals, 11 assists) and David Stonebraker (six goals, eight assists).

“The team is very deep and well-balanced in scoring,” said general manager Frank Scarpaci. “Both Gennello and Stonebraker have scored timely goals to help solidify key wins for their team.”

The Eels recently acquired Andrii Rusakov, from Russia, who has scored six goals and six assists and defenseman Nicholas Magill-Diaz, from Michigan, with one goal and nine assists. With these additions, you can certainly see why the Eels Elite team is rising to the top. The Eels Elite team is fighting for third or fourth, as those standings positions give teams home ice advantage.

The Elite Eels won 3-of-4 games at the Islanders Hockey Showcase in Massachusetts in November, an impressive showing for the scouts in attendance.

By a similar measure the Eels’ USP3 team won 3-of-4 at the IHC Showcase. That was the third of three showcases in which the Eels won 3-of-4 this season. That included their previous trips north for the Boston Junior Bruins Shootout and the Hampton Roads Whalers Showcase.

“The USP3 team players are indeed young and garnering tremendous experience needed for their player development in preparation for their future quest for college. They have done very well against teams in the Northeast, Midwest, Mid-South and in Florida,” added Scarpaci.

“They often face players two to three years their senior, but they never quit. This is how they gain the experience to play at the next level.”

Both Eels teams headed to Atlanta after the Thanksgiving break, and in December, they will play in the Florida Southern Showcase in their backyard in Estero, Fla.

Then, the teams will go on Christmas break before heading to the USPHL Winter Showcase in Boston.

Read past Florida Eels articles in our archives:
Eels commit 24 players to college from 2015-16 junior teams
USPHL teams perform well at Palm Beach Showcase

Florida Eels Juniors Go into The Community and Schools and Teach Learn To Play

This week the Florida Eels Junior players took some time out of their busy schedules to pay back to the community around us. Six of our USP3 players attended Hector Cafferata Elementary School in Cape Coral Florida to teach young kids how to play hockey. As our players walked through the school kids looked amazed and excited that they were there. The young kids were so excited and enthusiastic to learn how to play hockey from our players that many of the them told them they want to start playing now because of how much they had fun. In fact we had several kids tell our players they want to be future Eels.

Our players had such a sense of accomplishment as they felt they have reached out to so many kids to share their passion for the sport they love. Our players wanted to keep playing with the kids even when our time was over because they had so much fun working and playing with the kids. The gym teacher told our assistant coach, Sean Price, "having a group of passion athletes like you have here really helps kids at this age realize that no matter what you do in life, hard work, determination, and having fun will help reach those future dreams." Coach Price echoed, that our players took pride in sharing their passion for the game, especially when it helps benefit our community who really supports us an organization.

GM Scarpaci notes that the Florida Eels donated approximately $5,000 of brand new equipment over the past several years for the development of young mite, squirt and peewee players. Additionally, each year we donate some of our used equipment to the bantam and midget/high school players to help fund needy players. A number of the Junior players also volunteer each week at the Fort Myers Skatium House Rec program and learn to skate.

Eels Juniors With School Children

Florida Eels Elite and USP3 Germain Showcase Schedule

2016 Winter Showcase Schedule

Germain Arena

11000 Everblades Parkway

Estero, Florida 33928

December 15th – 18th, 2016

Florida Eels Elite Schedule:

Day Date Time Teams Arena

Thurs. 12/15/16 8:15 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Richmond Generals Green

Fri. 12/16/16 7:15 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Hampton Road Whalers Green

Sat. 12/17/16 5:15 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Charlotte Rush Green

Sun. 12/18/16 12:30 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Carolina Eagles Main

Florida Eels USP3 Schedule:

Day Date Time Teams Arena

Thurs. 12/15/16 6:15 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Richmond Generals Green

Fri. 12/16/16 3:00 p.m. Florida Eels vs. Charlotte Rush Blue

Sat. 12/17/16 9:15 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Hampton Road Whalers Green

Sun. 12/18/16 9:00 a.m. Florida Eels vs. Potomac Patriots Blue

The Eels Elite Team Defeats the Palm Beach Hawks 4-2 making it 5-0 for season’s series between the two teams.

The Eels got back to their winning ways taking 4th place in the USPHL Southern Conference. There was no doubt from the warm up you can see the step in their stride. The players had fire in their eyes and were very spirited in this game. The Eels unleashed a fury of shots on the Hawks goalie. 62 to be exact. Unlike Saturday’s loss, the Eels attacked hard, their fore-check was relentless, forcing turn over after turn over…. and they sought out every rebound opportunity. By the same notion, the Eels back checking was equally engaged denying score chances again and again. The Eels kept the Hawks to only 28 shots on net and Nolan Greene turned away 26 of 28.

Scoring for the Eels:

#29 Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#19 Michael Gennello, #10 Brian Kozek)

#13 Jean-Simon Robidoux (power play) (#54 Jordan Court, #19 Michael Gennello)

#9 Clayton Boyd (power play) (#54 Jordan Court, #19 Michael Gennello)

#7 David Stonebraker (even strength) (#16 Zac Boyle, #26 Colton Crabtree)

Coach Frankie Scarpaci noted, this is another example of very balanced scoring by his team. Nine players were involved on the scorecard. In this game we see Michael Gennello had 3 assists. Court had 2 assists. His is pleased to note that 13 players have double digits in the scoring column. It is well balanced with avg. 4.5 GPG. considering considerable effort is placed on defensive responsibiilites on each player. “In other word no run and gun attitude here.”

The Eels Announce Junior Chowder Cup Team

The Florida Eels announce it will once again be fielding a team at the Pro Am Junior Chowder Cup this season. It will be amongst 60 teams in the 2001 age bracket that will have teams from across the USA, Canada and Europe.

The Annual Junior Chowder Cup, hosted by the New England Pro-Am Hockey League, will take place July 20th, 21st, 22rd, & 23rd, 2017, at the Foxboro Sports Center, Foxboro, MA, Rodman Arena, Walpole, MA, as well as the Canton Ice House in Canton, MA.

The Junior Chowder Cup will have two separate Divisions. One Division will be for players born in 2001 and one Division will be for players born in 2002. There will be separate playoffs for each Division with a Champion being crowned in each one.

There will be 15 brackets of four teams each in the 2001 Division for a total of 60 teams.

The Eels will be recruiting players from across the 10 Spring and Summer Showcases its coaches attend scouting for its junior teams to compete in this event. This event will be one of the official tryouts as well for the Eels Junior teams. Over the past 8 seasons over 50+ players who played for the Eels Junior Chowder Cup went on to play with the Eels Juniors and dozens others advanced to the NTPD, NCAA Div. 1 and 3 Men’s college hockey, USHL, the USPHL the BCHL, the NAHL, and other Junior programs. In fact several of these alumni were later drafted into the NHL.

If you are interested in playing on our team, please contact Frank Scarpaci GM Florida Eels at www.eelshockeycoach@aol.com or 941-400-9023

The Florida Eels Elite Eclipsed by the Tampa Juniors 3-2

On Saturday night the Eels were edged out 3-2 by the Tampa Juniors. Despite a 3rd period rally by the Eels, Tampa was able to hold the Eels to 2 goals and capture the win. The two squads have played 6 times this season and Tampa leads the series 4-2. The Eels managed to outshoot the Juniors 66 to 45 but Tampa’s goalie turned away all but two shots on net.

With another clutch goal by #26 Colton Crabtree (even strength) had an excellent breakaway to score first for the Eels. Assisted by (#21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux)

The 2nd goal was scored by Captain #54 Jordan Court (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, his 2nd point of the night #16 Zac Boyle

Nolan Green played in net for the Eels facing 45 shots.

MONDAY USP3 TEAM HAS EXTRA PRACTICE

11 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Folks the Elite team is off on Monday from Ice Practice. The USP3 team will take their ice slot in addition to their regular slot. Thus the USP3 team will have 3 hours Monday in prep for this week’s upcoming showcase at Germain.
Accordingly, for those in high school you should not plan on attending the additional ice session at noon. Simply come to the regular slot at 1:15 pm
However, if you are NOT in school you need to attend this extra session at noon.

Any questions please call Coach Sean

Thanks
Coach Frank

COME JOIN THE EELS ELITE TEAM TODAY SUNDAY AT NOON FOR ITS LAST HOME GAME OF THE SEASON BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS BREAK.

11 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Come Join The Eels Elite Team Today Sunday at Noon for its Last Home Game of the Season Before the Christmas Break.

Today the Eels Elite team squares off against the Palm Beach Hawks Elite at the Fort Myers Skatium. This ought to be another real barnburner as both teams are inching upward to capture the best playoff off seeding. The Eels have best the Hawks in their previous 4 outings. But we sure cannot take Palm Beach for granted says GM Scarpaci. They are a tough club who just split with the Tampa Juniors who edged the Eels last night 3-2.

The Eels are looking to avenge last night’s frustrating loss. They out shot Tampa 66-45 but were eclipsed 3-2. Coach Frankie Scarpaci says his guys will be ready for today’s game. Tampa is a good team and their goalie was hot. But the boys have so much more in their tank so expect them to return to form this afternoon.

We appreciate all your support. A lively fan base to cheer on our guys would be great. When the fans are there the Skatium rocks and it helps for a more spirited game.

Hope to see you there.

Coach Frank

Caden Tchop Wins Last Weekend's Poll Congrats

Congrats goes out to Caden Tchop as he outscored all Elite rookies in last weekend's game vs. the Atlanta Knights.

Caden has done extremely well since being moved up to the Elite team from the Eels USP3 team. He has scored 4 goals and 6 assists in 19 games. That is an avg. of 1/2 point per game. He is also one of our strongest defensive forwards denying opponents scoring opportunities while he is on the ice.

Which Elite rookie will score the most points this weekend?

Dash Quartario
Caden Tchop
Colton Crabtree
Blake Hoffman

Pre Game: Eels vs The Tampa Juniors and the Palm Beach Hawks

This Saturday and Sunday the Eels Elite team have the exclusive forum at home. The Elite team squares off vs. the Tampa Juniors in their 7th outing of the season. Thus far the two squads have split their games 3 games apiece. Last weekend the Eels split their series vs. the Atlanta Knights. In game one the Eels completely dominated the play winning 4-1. On Sunday the Eels fell victim to the Knights with a 6-7 loss. The Eels made a great come back spotting the Knights 5-3 at the end of the 2nd period. The Eels stormed back with 3 goals in the 3rd but it was not enough to over come the eclipse by the Knights 7-6 win.

Not making any excuses but being there first hand we had 75% of our players on both teams as well as the coaching staff plagued and I mean plagued with the flu virus. We were lucky to have 3-4 healthy players. The guys were sick and I mean sick. Many admitted they felt more pain from their cold and flu then from the Hawks hitting. In fact, when we arrived home ½ of the both teams were devoid of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was a welcome return and a time to recuperate.

No doubt we used this week properly and got the guys well-needed rest and proper training to prepare for this weekends games vs. Tampa and then Palm Beach on Sunday. The Eels are looking to take the series in game 7 of their season matchups. The Eels scoring has been on fire of late. They have scored an average of 6 goals for in their last 6 games including 21 vs. the Hawks in their last contest in Palm Beach. The Elite team won 5 of their last 6 games. Tampa has gone 50% in their last 8 splitting 4 wins to 4 losses. We know that does not guarantee a win for the Eels by no means. We have to take each game and in fact each shift and period at a time. Especially vs. the Tampa Juniors who always play the Eels well. But there is no doubt here our Elite guys are hungry and anxious to advance forward. They have established a clear identity on this team and in the league. So we can expect all of our guys ready for this weekend’s game. Yes we are all healthy and ready to hit the ice.

On Sunday we square off in what is an unusual 2nd home game of the weekend. Eels vs. the Palm Beach Hawks. The Eels have won all 4 games vs. the Hawks this season. In fact the Eels scored 36 goals in the 4 matches. That is an average of 9 goals per game. Again, we cannot sit on our laurels this Sunday. No the Eels need and will come out with the same furry and vinegar as a team chasing top seeding in the playoffs. The Hawks lost 3 of their last 4 games so they too will be eager to garner a win especially since two of those losses came to the hands of the Eels.

This week we published the leading scorers on the Eels’ team. But let there be no doubt this team is made up of many different players. It takes more than scoring goals to win games and to make up a strong team. For example up front Rookie Colton Crabtree has gotten some key clutch goals for this team and is an integral component of this team’s success says GM Scarpaci. Moreover, newcomer Colin Jones brings significant depth and poise to the lineup. His combined offensive and defensive poise gives the Eels a strong advantage of our opponents. He has been a huge factor in the recent wins for the Eels Elite says head coach Frankie Scarpaci. On the back end guys like Brandon Hotaling and Brian Kozek simply sure up the blueline and defensive zone. Their experience speaks volumes in each game. They often don’t notch an assist but they “assist” in every win this team captures insist their coach Scarpaci. What they do back there allows our forwards to do what they do. These are some of the unsung heroes on this team. For them it is and has always been about the “win”.

No doubt the fans in Fort Myers will see the some phenomenal ice hockey this weekend. Please join us live but if you can’t be there being out of town please join us on HockeyTV for our live broadcast.

FLORIDA EELS ELITE TEAM PLAYS TAMPA SATURDAY AND PALM BEACH SUNDAY BOTH AT HOME

7 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Eels Elite has an unusual two game home stand this weekend. First Saturday vs. the Tampa Juniors and then Sunday vs. the Hawks.

The Eels have the ability to take 4th place with a sweep. These are key games as 4th place locks up home ice advantage.

The league identifies the following Eels players to watch:

1. Zac Boyle 39
2. Clayton Boyd 37
3. Jordan Court 33
4. Nikita Lopatin 29
5. Jean-Simon Robidoux 21
6. Michael Gennello 16
7. David Stonebraker 14
8 Andrii Rusakov 14
9. Sven Nilsson 13
10. Caden Tchop 9

Weekend Ice Cap

Florida Eels Elite split weekend with the Knights. They won the first game on Saturday 4-1 but failed to repeat their flawless performance on Sunday letting Atlanta run away with a 7-5 win.

The USP3 team lost game one 4-0 and again were on the losing end on Sunday 4-1. The guys did very well in both games in the first and 3rd periods but were faulty in each of the 2nd periods allowing the goals that trapped the Eels into submission.

This week the Elite team plays against the Tampa Juniors and the Palm Beach Hawks both at home. The uSP3 has the weekend off.

THE ATLANTA SERIES ALWAYS GREAT HARD FOUGHT BATTLES
3 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Tomorrow the Eels Battles the Knights for Key Playoff Spots

JS AND DIAZ WIN VOTING POLLS

1 DEC | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Which Elite Defenseman Will Score More Points This Weekend vs. Palm Beach?
Nicholas Magill-Diaz WINNER!!!!!!!!
Sven Nilsson

What Elite Forward Will Score The next Hat Trick
Zac Boyle
Clayton Boyd
Michael Gennello
Jean-Simon Robidoux WINNER !!!!!!!!!!!
David Stonebraker

This weekend Ice Pregame report Eels vs the Atlanta Knights

The Eels Elite and USP3 team square off against the Atlanta Knights this weekend in Marietta Georgia. Atlanta came to Fort Myers in September for the Eels home games. This the away series for the Eels teams vs. the Atlanta Knights. There is a long-standing rivalry between these two organizations. Both teams were traditionally the top two in the Southern Conference. In fact the founder of the Knights, David Faulkenstein, modeled his program after the Eels. The two are currently again battling for seeding in the South playoffs.

The Eels Elite team is just 1 point behind the Knights who sit in 4th place. Fourth place is key as 1-4 are guaranteed home ice in the first round. The Eels are pushing hard for that home ice playoff seed. The Eels are on fire of late scoring 21 goals in their last 2 games vs. Palm Beach Hawks just before the Thanksgiving break. They scored 25 goals in their last 3 contests. Moreover, the Eels are eying 3rd place that is currently occupied by the Carolina Eagles. The Eagles have 35 points compared to the Eels 27 points for the Eels. That is 8 points, but we know we can over come that goal; but we need to take it one shift, one period, and one game at a time. We can’t look too far down the line. One good thing is we will get to play the Eagles at Germain during the upcoming USPHL Winter Showcase in what will be a key game in the standings. But right now we have to have all eyes on this weekend vs. the Knights. If you cannot join us on the trip then please tune in to Fasthockey/HockeyTV for our games.

The USP3 team also travels to Atlanta to take on the Knights’ USP3 team. The Knights USP3 team sit 3 points ahead of the Eels for 6th place where the Eels are in 7th place. This is a very tight division where 4 teams are with 5 points of 4th place. Every game is so critical for the teams in the USP3 division. In fact the Eels like the Palm Beach Hawks, the Daytona Racers, the Tampa Juniors have the toughest schedule in the South if not the entire USP3 division. The Eels can over take 6th place and possibly be tied for 5th place with two wins this weekend. The USP3 team is looking to bounce back after the losses to the Jr. Blades just before the Thanksgiving break and are very hungry to get back on the winning track. The boys have been training an extra 1 each day in the sports court in line rink and have watched over 4 previous Atlanta games to prepare for this weekend’s games. Again please join us on Fasthockey/HockeyTV if you cannot make the games in Atlanta.

Bus Trip To Atlanta Friday

This Friday we leave to Atlanta to play a 2 game away series for both teams

The Bus will depart Friday at 8:00 am sharp

Please make sure you plan accordingly.

Make sure you check your equipment, as the Knights facility does not have a pro shop. They do have a skate-sharpening machine but I would suggest getting it done here,

We will be wearing our Green away jerseys so make sure you pick them up Thursday from your coaches. Also make sure to pack your green away socks

Guys Friday morning we leave at 8:00 am Eat a good breakfast. The bus trip is for 8-10 hours. We will have lunch on the road and dinner

WORKOUTS AND ICE PRACTICES RESUME MONDAY

27 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

All Junior players
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Welcome back.

Workouts for Elite team resumes Monday morning at World Gym and ice practice at noon.

The USP3 team resumes their practice ice session Monday at 1:15 pm and then the off ice at World Gym work outs immediately thereafter as usual.

We have huge games this upcoming weekend as you all know traveling to Atlanta to play the Knights

How Sleep Impacts Health and Performance

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin zZz?

Joel Totoro, RD

09/26/2016 3:51 PM

With more than 40 percent of Americans getting less than the ideal amount of sleep, it’s easy to understand why sleep is such a hot topic among doctors and sports scientists. Lack of sleep has been shown to cause health problems such as weight gain, increased stroke risk, and other illnesses, in addition to research showing that sleep quality can have a significant impact on active performance.

Professional athletes such as LeBron James, Roger Federer, and Usain Bolt are on record as saying they need to sleep 10-12 hours a night to perform at their highest level. Two-thirds of athletes report worse than normal sleep the night before competition, while an evaluation of professional hockey players showed the percentage reporting sleep disturbances doubles in season. Student athletes who sleep less than eight hours a night are two times more likely to suffer an injury within a month.

Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased alertness, reaction time, and memory. Sleep loss can lead to potential decreases in immune system function and a reduction in the release of growth hormone, as well as the hormones leptin and adiponectin – both of which play major roles in fat gain and loss.

Sleep has been shown to directly impact exercise abilities:

Well-rested tennis players have a 4.2% increase in hitting accuracy
Well-rested swimmers showed a 17% improvement in starting times
Well-rested football players dropped 0.1 second off their 40-yard dash time
Well-rested basketball players increased free throw and 3-point shooting percentage by 9% each
Under-rested athletes lost 20 pounds off their bench press after only 4 days of inadequate sleep
Perceived exhaustion increased 18% after only 30 hours of sleep loss
Sleep loss led to an 11% increase in time to exhaustion

Fortunately, the foods you eat can play and important role in your ability to sleep.

Protein consumption before bed is linked to improved recovery from exercise and ability to train the next day, while also promoting increases in strength gains and muscle mass. Adding cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or a small whey protein shake before bed can help your sleep.

Warm Milk has long been believed to help achieve a good night’s sleep; however, many of the early theories have been disproven.

Now, however, studies have shown that milk from cow’s milked at night have higher levels of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep, as well as vitamin D, and vitamin D supplementation has been shown to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.

Tart Cherries have been shown to promote sleep by helping individuals fall asleep faster and spend less time awake throughout the night.

Kiwifruit consumption in individuals with self-reported sleep disorders improved both total time asleep and the amount of time spent in bed actually sleeping.

Nuts and Seeds are high in the mineral magnesium, and deficiencies in magnesium can lead to insomnia and “restless leg” at night. Magnesium helps maintain normal levels of blood pressure and blood sugar and promotes relaxation, which promotes a better sleep environment.

Lights Out – one study has shown that two hours of exposure to smartphones, tablets, and laptop displays decreases melatonin – which regulates sleep cycles – by more than 20 percent. Use of these devices should be limited before bed, or at a minimum, turned on night mode or dimmed. Supplementing with melatonin should be considered, as well as eating foods naturally containing melatonin such as pineapples, bananas, oranges, oats, and tomatoes.

Joel Totoro, RD

Joel Totoro is a Registered Dietitian with over a decade experience in trauma and sports nutrition. Prior to joining Thorne, he served 3 years as sport dietitian for the University of Michigan and 8 years at the New England Patriots, where he was the first full time sports dietitian in pro-sports. Totoro is also an elected board member for the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association.

Does the Source of Your Protein Matter?

Joel Totoro, RD

09/27/2016 5:41 PM

Protein plays a major role in our bodies. It provides the structure of our muscles, bone, skin, and tissues, as well as the power to fuel the chemical reactions in our bodies. It's no secret that protein is important, but for some people it’s unclear which sources they should get their protein from, and whether or not all sources are created equal.

Whole Food

Dairy-based proteins have been studied the most in the recovery and performance area, but quality non-dairy protein sources from egg, beef, pork, soy, pea, and hemp have also been researched. Research shows that quality whole-food sources of protein can meet baseline protein needs, as well as performance and recovery needs.

Protein Powders

Although whole foods can supply sufficient protein, many individuals often look to protein powders and amino acid supplements to combine with whole foods because of their convenience and not being able to eat enough solid protein before or after training.

Whey Protein Powder is considered a complete protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids and it’s recognized for its high rate of absorption.

Whey protein powders are available in concentrate and isolate formulas, athough there is considerable confusion between the two. To obtain whey from whole milk it needs to be separated from the fat, lactose, and other components of the milk.

Whey protein concentrate is a filtered version of whey that, depending on the exact process, generally is in the range of 70-85% whey protein; for example, 100 grams of whey concentrate powder yields 70-85 grams of useable whey.

Whey protein isolate, which involves a more complex and expensive process to obtain it, generally ends up in the range of 90-95% whey protein; for example, 100 grams of whey protein isolate powder yields 90-95 grams of useable whey.

Protein can be measured by its bioavailability; that is, the ability of the body to absorb and use it. For example, the bioavailability of an egg white as a whole food is 100. The bioavailability of whey protein concentrate measures 104; whereas, the bioavailability of whey protein isolate measures as high as 159.

Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) is another measure of protein quality. PDCAAS accounts for the body’s amino acid needs as well as its ability to use the protein. Whey protein receives a perfect 1.0 PDCAAS rating and does not differentiate between the concentrate and isolate forms.

Vegan Protein sources are non-dairy alternative proteins for those individuals who are lactose intolerant or who choose to avoid animal products. Its formulated to provide an amino acid composition similar to whey protein isolate. Pea protein compares favorably to whey protein when compared according to muscle thickness. Pea protein has a PDCAAS score of 92.8, which puts it in the range of whey protein.

Amino Acids

When it comes to recovery needs, the science community has focused on the amino acid leucine. Leucine is part of a subset of amino acids called branched chain amino acids. It’s the key protein trigger that stops muscle breakdown during training and switches to recovery after training. Some individuals choose to take amino acids to directly stimulate this recovery process, especially those who have gut sensitivity issues post-workout, or those who are calorie conscious. It should be noted, however, that while amino acids are adequate to trigger the recovery pathway, complete proteins should be included throughout the day.

Although protein comes in many forms, the source that is right for an individual can vary from day to day. Often times a mix of protein sources will help meet individual needs. On the one hand, whole food sources of protein contain other valuable nutrients and are part of a well-balanced nutrition plan. On the other hand, whey protein sources are more convenient to consume and faster to digest than whole food sources. Finally, when recovery is the target, amino acids offer an even faster delivery system to the muscles and are low in calories for those with body composition goals in mind.

Joel Totoro, RD

Safely Navigating the Supplement World

What even is NSF?

Safely Navigating the Supplement World

Joel Totoro, RD

09/26/2016 1:10 AM

Filling the gaps in our daily nutrition with tablets and powders isn’t a new concept. The large demand for nutritional supplementation has made the industry an attractive one, leading to a congested and difficult marketplace for consumers to navigate. While federal regulations do exist that dictate the type of claims that can be made on a supplement label, supplement manufacturers are not required to submit their products to a pre-market approval process at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) like pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to do.

At Thorne we believe greatness is measured in milligrams – we believe you deserve access to everything your body needs and nothing more. As the supplement industry has grown, supplement quality has been derailed and customer confusion has risen. Thorne's mission is to provide quality supplements as well as consumer education about how nutritional supplements fit into your lifestyle. We know the best nutrition program needs to be personalized to you – nutritioned exactly.

In 2007, the FDA issued the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulatory program that dictate federal guidelines for the preparation, purity, and accuracy of labeling nutritional supplements. While these regulations are presented as minimum expectations, supplement companies are mostly left to police themselves.

Fortunately for consumers, there are companies that choose to hold themselves to high standards and fully comply with the regulations issued by the FDA.

Here’s how you can be absolutely certain that you are choosing a supplement company that is making high quality, safe, and efficacious products:

Look for Third-Party Testing
Nutritional supplement brands can, and should, retain outside, independent companies to audit their manufacturing processes and test their products to ensure the FDA’s cGMP’s are being complied with, thus ensuring that the company’s products contain the ingredients listed on the label in the amounts listed and don’t contain any harmful ingredients.

NSF International has created an advanced certification program for supplements geared toward elite athletes. NSF International’s Certified for Sport® program tests products for more than 200 substances that are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. A supplement product that bears the Certified for Sport seal ensures that that the product contains exactly what the label claims it does, in the amounts listed, and nothing else.

Realize There is No Cure-All

It’s illegal for a supplement company to claim that any of its products prevent, cure, or treat any medical condition. Supplements are intended to complement the diet and to support overall health and well-being. Any express or implied claims that a product will prevent, cure, or treat a medical condition is a red flag that the manufacturer isn’t in compliance with the FDA’s labeling regulations for nutritional supplements. Furthermore, if a supplement’s product label has a lot of buzz words that don’t mean anything, such as “white hot heat” or “blazing intensity” the company is probably trying to distract you from a lack of evidence behind their product.

Companies often use phrases that imply there’s science behind their product – such as “clinically proven” – but many of these claims are not backed by actual research. Be cautious of products claiming ancient formulas, cutting-edge science, miracle cures, or guarantees. A reputable and honest company will have contact information you can use to request further information for the research behind their claims. Lastly, if a product sounds too good to be true – "Lose 10 pounds in one day" – that's probably because it is.

Take a Lead from Sports

Be aware of ingredients banned in sports by agencies like the World Anti-Doping Agency and the United States Anti-Doping Agency. While these ingredients aren’t always prohibited for general consumption, these organizations see a problem with the ingredients, which should be a red flag to you as a regular consumer. Do your research to see if you should ban these ingredients from your nutritional game plan.

Watch out for Warnings

Be wary of supplements with a long list of warnings or contraindications listed on the product label. Any serious adverse effects reported to a supplement company must be reported to the FDA by the supplement company.

Be an Educated Consumer

Registered dietitians are trained to evaluate the need for, effectiveness of, and safety of nutritional supplements. Always consult your health-care practitioner before starting a supplement regimen. The National Institutes of Health and the United States Anti-Doping Agency offer resources to help educate you on supplement before you use them. Always be sure to do your homework on your supplement company before taking their products.

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY BREAK

16 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Guys the junior teams and High School Hockey sessions will be off for vacation starting Nov 21-27th Junior Hockey practice resumes Nov. 28th

High School Hockey will resume Nov. 30 and Dec 1st.

Midget players "day time” training with junior players will also be off for vacation staring Nov 21st – 25th

Florida Eels vs. The Jr. Blades Home and Away This Weekended

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The Florida Eels welcomes three new members to its organization JOHN WITKOWSKI, Dashel Quartarolo and Colin Jones.

JOHN WITKOWSKI, and Dashel Quartarolorecently were acquired from the Kalkaska Rhinos as part of our Affiliation with the Rhinos.

Colin Jones was acquired in a trade from the Richmond Generals.

# 15 Forward JOHN WITKOWSKI 09/07/1998 6"0 170 pounds

# 10 Defenseman Dashel Quartarolo 11/11/1999 6"0 193 pounds

# 17 Forward Colin Jones 1996-11-15 5" 11 175 pounds

Jones was one of the leading scorers for the Richmond Generals last season in the USP3 and also played for the Dells Ducks of the USPHL Midwest Division.

EELS ELITE TEAM WIN 3 OUT OF 4 GAMES AT THE IHC COLLEGE SHOWCASE

14 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

The Florida Eels Elite Team wins 3 out of 4 at the IHC College Showcase in Massachusetts. These were all tough games no givens if you will. The Eels faced two top teams from the Midwest and two from the USPHL Northern Elite Division. The Eels have now won 8 of their last 11 games. More importantly they have won 5 of their last 6 contests.

They have now moved again of the Tampa Juniors by 1 point in the standings at 23 points. They are just shy of Atlanta’s 26 points who occupy 4th place. This weekend Tampa places host to the Atlanta Knights for 2 games. The Eels play Palm Beach home on Saturday for a rare matinee at 3:20 pm and then away in Palm each at 3:30 pm on Sunday for another early game. The Eels cannot control what happens between Tampa and the Knights. We have to be 100% concerned about Palm Beach. The Eels are looking to repeat what they accomplished two weeks ago and sweep the Hawks. That series is critical for the season. If the Eels sweep the hawks and Tampa defeats the Knights the Eels would move into 4th place. Fourth place is critical in the standings as it allows for home ice advantage.

Over the IHC College showcase the Eels defeated the River Falls Renegades 5-0. They drowned the Lake Forrest Lakers 4-2 thus winning both contest over the Midwest teams. The Eels lost to the New Jersey Hitmen being the 2nd game on Saturday 3-4. In fact the Eels dominated the Hitmen throughout the first period and allowed the Hitmen to win with only a few minutes left in the game. The guys were worn down being its 2nd game of the day. The Eels came roaring back with a huge decisive win over the Bay State Breakers 5-1 on Sunday morning. Considering the guys did not get back to the hotel till quite late after the Hitmen game and then had to get up early pack and prepare for the Breakers game, the Eels did very well.

In game one, vs. the River Falls, scoring went as follows:

Jean-Simon Robidoux (even strength) (#7 David Stonebraker, #20 Sven Nilsson) Zac Boyle (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek) David Stonebraker (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree, #13 Jean-Simon Robidoux Sven Nilsson (even strength) (#10 Brian Kozek Jordan Court (even strength) (#55 Blake Hoffman)
In net was Nolan Greene for the Eels who turned away 29 shots for the Shutout. In game 2 vs. Lake Forrest, the scoring went as follows:

Michael Gennello (power play) (#20 Sven Nilsson) Zac Boyle (power play) (#21 Nicholas Magill-Diaz) Michael Gennello (even strength) (#28 Andrii Rusakov) Zac Boyle (even strength) (empty net) (#54 Jordan Court)
In net for the Eels was Trey Kovalick who played awesome in net. In game 3 vs. the Hitmen scoring was an s follows:

Sven Nilsson (even strength) (#26 Colton Crabtree) Michael Gennello (even strength Nikita Lopatin (power play) (#97 Caden Tchop, #28 Andrii Rusakov) In net with one of his best games of the year was Nolan Greene who turned away 22-targeted shots.

In the 4th and final game vs. the Breakers, the scoring was as follows:

Caden Tchop (even strength) (#24 Terell Bolz Nikita Lopatin (even strength) (#20 Sven Nilsson) Zac Boyle (even strength) (#9 Clayton Boyd) Clayton Boyd (power play)
16 Zac Boyle (even strength) (#79 Richard Allgood) In net was Trey Kovalick who turned away 24 of 25 shots and played another incredible game for the Eels.

The Florida Eels USP3 team wins 3 out of 4 games at the IHC College Showcase

The Florida Eels USP3 team wins 3 out of 4 games at the IHC College Showcase dropping the Kalkaska Rhinos 3-1 in game 1, and then were edged out by the Traverse City North Stars 5-4, dropping the Tri –City Outlaws 5-4 and then defeating the Pacific Division first place Seattle Ravens 2-1.

Player highlights:

Goalie Nick Kotz went undefeated for the weekend

Gavin Medina scored 3 goals

Rajhan Munnings also scored 2 goals

Richie Lepardo scored 2 goals with an assist

Jared Figueroa scored 3 goals with a couple of assist

Kellen Crowther) picked up a pair of assists

The Eels advanced to 26 points in the standings just 1 point behind 4th place the Richmond Generals. This weekend the Eels will face off against the Florida Blades at home on Saturday and away at Germain on Sunday.

THE USP3 TEAM GOES 3-1 FOR THE WEEKEND

12 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Way to go guys the USP3 team goes 3-1 over weekend including defeating first place Seattle Ravens from the Northern Pacific league

NICK KOTZ BACK STOPS TO THREE HUGE WINS

12 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Eels usp3 goalie Nick Kotz comes up huge this weekend as he turned away shots After shots all weekend at the Islanders Hockey college showcase. He was solid in net and had to make a number of timely and key saves to secure the wins
Kotz went undefeated for the weekend and now is 5-0 in his last 5 starts
He is on fire and his extra work every day before practice is paying off
He spends over 1 hour per day working on balance quick hands and acrobatic movements
He is also spending hours each day watching teams we are about to play on Fasthockey video and game film of players who he is about to fave in upcoming games
Nick is hungrier than ever and you can see it in his eyes he is so determined to win. No doubt Nick came back this season with unwavering determination
We are very proud of him says GM Scarpaci

EELS ELITE ARE RED HOT AT IHC SHOWCASE DROPPING THEIR FIRST TWO OPPONENTS AT THE SHOWCASE

12 NOV | BY FRANK SCARPACI

Florida Eels Elite won two straight games at the IHC College Showcase. They play the NJ Hitmen tonight at 8:00 pm for game three of the showcase and they play the Bay State Breakers Sunday morning at 9:30 am for their 4th game.

A Day In The Life Of A Florida Eels Junior Hockey Player
11/07/2016, 8:00pm EST
By Eels Staff
Each day the Eels Junior players train 1½ hours on the ice on skills, conditioning and team systems. They also train an unprecedented additional 1½ hours at World Gym on hockey specific weight and conditioning. Some days they train at the sports court at the Fort Myers Skatium in circuits. These include conditioning ladders to work on quick feet, core, running parachutes, medicine balls, lunges with weights to name a few.

It is truly amazing to watch these guys – the dedication determination and fortitude. They all have one thing in mind: To advance to the NCAA or the ACHA. The Eels program is one of the elite in the USPH and in the USA in advancing young men to reach their goals dreams and mission. It is not easy to achieve. It takes extreme dedication, self sacrifice, hard work and determination.

Look at our record- the record that matters – the record that our parents and players truly care about: The Eels advanced 25 last season and a total of 175. We are proud to say we have 4 NHL Draft picks and 2 NTPD alumni.

The boys this year are no exception. The photos below are illustrations of theUSP3 players working very hard under the direction of Head Coach Frankie Scarpaci and his assistants Joey Giambalvo and Sean Price.

I am very pleased with their unwavering determination in training. It is the little things that add up. Great job guys in getting ready for this weekend’s games vs. Palm Beach.

The Florida Eels Elite team acquires 1998 rookie John Witkowski

The Florida Eels Elite team acquires 1998 rookie John Witkowski 6”0’ from the Kalkaska Rhinos. The Eels have sent 4 players to Kalkaska this season as part of their affiliation. Kalkaska in return has advanced 2 of its players to the Eels Elite team.

Florida Eels Elite Team IHC Showcase Schedule

E218	Fri Nov 11	-	@ River Falls Renegades	Skate 3 - Blue	11:20 AM EST	-
E231	Sat Nov 12	-	@ Forest Lake Lakers	Skate 3 - Blue	1:00 PM EST	-
E239	Sat Nov 12	-	Jersey Hitmen	Skate 3 - White	8:30 PM EST	-
E246	Sun Nov 13	-	@ Bay State Breakers	Skate 3 - Red	11:20 AM EST	-

Eels USP3 IHC Showcase Schedule

U212	Fri Nov 11	-	@ Kalkaska Rhinos	Skate 3 - Red	7:50 AM EST	-
U219	Fri Nov 11	-	@ Traverse City North Stars	Skate 3 - Red	5:00 PM EST	-
U227	Sat Nov 12	-	Tri-City Outlaws	Skate 3 - White	7:30 AM EST	-
U234	Sat Nov 12	-	Seattle Ravens	Skate 3 - Blue	2:50 PM EST	-

Florida Eels Goaltender Jason Posner Selected as Player of the Week

Florida Eels USP3 netminder Jason Posner was selected Star of the Week as a Goaltender by the USPHL selection committee. for the week November 7

Jason posted a shutout Saturday evening for the Eels vs. the Palm Beach Hawks at the City of Palms Fort Myers Fl. On Sunday the Eels traveled to West Palm Beach where once again their was a goaltending duel. Jason stole the show once again turning away 43 of 45 shots fo