USPHL Elite Players Of The Week: South Region
November 23, 2022
Games of Nov. 15-22
Southeast
Forward: Nathan Clark, Potomac Patriots
A homegrown product, Clark (‘05/Haymarket, Va.) has come up through the Patriots’ past USPHL 16U teams to now stand as a second-year contributor at the Elite level. He posted three goals and one assist over a weekend sweep against the Hampton Roads Whalers. He improved his points total to 11 in 12 games this year.
Defense: Hudson Hinich, Hampton Roads Whalers
Hinich (‘03/Ancaster, Ont.) has been a great addition for the Whalers, as he put up a goal and an assist during a weekend series against the Potomac Patriots to give himself four points in eight games. He was the shifts leader for the Whalers over the weekend, averaging 27 board-jumps per game, and he also registered two hits and two blocked shots.
Goaltender: Evan Crawford, Charlotte Rush
Crawford put up two wins this past weekend, including the Carolina Cup Outdoor Game, in which he made 27 saves in a 3-0 victory at Truist Field in Charlotte. The next day, indoors, he stopped 28 of 30 for a total of 55 saves on 57 shots for a .965 save percentage over the weekend. He has an 8-1-0-1 record with a 1.17 goals against average and a .951 save percentage – first in wins and goals against average and second in save percentage league-wide.
Florida Division
Forward: Ari Blatt, Tampa Bay Juniors
A graduate of the local Steinbrenner High School in the community of Lutz, Blatt (‘04/Tampa, Fla.) was huge for his hometown squad this past weekend against the Atlanta MadHatters, putting up three goals and three assists in a 3-0 series. He also posted two game-winners along the way. With a 3-5-8 run in his last five games, Blatt now has 16 points in 19 games as a Juniors rookie.
Defense: Richard Biszant, Tampa Bay Juniors
Another homegrown player for the Juniors, Biszant is an ‘03 native of Clearwater who attended and played for Palm Harbor University High School before joining the Juniors last season. Recently, he posted a goal and three assists in the Juniors’ three-game sweep over Atlanta. He improved to 11 points in 15 games, and recently switched to D from forward.
Goaltender: Evan Spinella, Florida Eels
Spinella (‘03/Farmingville, N.Y.) is enjoying his fourth USPHL season, all spent in Florida. In this, his first year with the Eels, he’s helped them by picking up four wins this year. Most recently, he stopped 22 of 23 shots against the Florida Jr. Blades.