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USPHL contributes massive share of NCAA scoring leaders

 

After countless hours of research in looking at the top 10 scorers and top goaltenders across all of NCAA hockey, it is obvious that the unique, multi-tiered USPHL Development Model has a large and enviable stamp on the top performers of the college game.

The league looked at the backgrounds of all players in the top 10 of scoring for their NCAA teams as of late January and early February, along with team’s No. 1 goaltenders (by games played).

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The conclusions were amazing, as there were more than 110 USPHL alumni in the top 10 of scoring for NCAA Division I teams (this number includes alumni of all USPHL member organizations). More than 370 alumni of the USPHL and its member organizations were among the 900-plus top 10 scorers in NCAA Division III hockey.

That equals out to more than one-third of all NCAA Division III top 10 scorers having played for organizations currently fielding teams in the USPHL.

usphlShifting our attention to the crease, there were 56 former USPHL goaltenders who led their NCAA team in games played through the start of February. This number includes an astounding 47 leading goaltenders out of the 91 NCAA Division II and III teams that saw development in the USPHL – more than half of all NCAA Division II and III leading goaltenders.

USPHL players don’t just commit to colleges – they become leaders.

The detailed research also yielded additional insights into the impact of USPHL players on today’s college game:

• As of the end of January, there were 17 alumni of the USPHL and its member organizations who were the top scorers of their NCAA Division I teams, and 25 more were leading their NCAA Division III squads.

• More than 40 additional USPHL and member organization alumni were second on their NCAA teams in scoring, putting the total at more than 80 top two scorers nationwide.

• Out of the 480-plus top 10 scorers in the NCAA, nearly half of those were ranked in the top five of NCAA teams’ point scoring.

• More than 40 top-scoring defensemen ranking among the top 10 for their NCAA teams played in the USPHL and for its member organizations. That equals to one-quarter of all such defensemen in the NCAA game today.

• The top 10 scorers for six NCAA Division I teams and 44 NCAA Division III teams consisted of a majority of USPHL and member organization alumni.

• Fourteen of the top 20 NCAA Division I teams in the most recent USCHO.com poll featured USPHL and member organization alumni among the top 10 in scoring or top goaltenders.

• Fourteen of the top 15-ranked NCAA Division III teams in the most recent USCHO.com poll also featured USPHL and member organization alumni among their top 10 scorers and top goaltenders.

Committed Leaders Spotlight:

• Top scorer David Farrance, a Boston University defenseman, played for the Syracuse Jr. Stars (now Utica Jr. Comets). Third among all NCAA Division I defensemen.

• Maine’s top goal scorer, Tim Doherty, played for the Boston Jr. Bruins and was recently named Hockey East Player of the Month.

• Dartmouth’s leading scorer Drew O’Connor played in the NCDC for the Jr. Bruins, and is eighth in ECAC scoring overall. Dartmouth’s leading scorer among defensemen, Tanner Palocsik, was last year’s NCDC Player of the Year with the Jersey Hitmen.

• Northeastern’s No. 1 goalie, Craig Pantano, is a former South Shore King.

• Former Rochester goaltender Tom Aubrun led all NCAA Division III goaltenders in both goals against average (0.99) and save percentage (.960) at the start of February for Norwich.

• Former Hitmen forward Conlan Keenan was fifth in the nation in Division III scoring with 34 points. He’s worn the captain’s “C” for two seasons with SUNY-Geneseo.

To learn more about opportunities in the United States Premier Hockey League, visit USPHL.com/Tryouts.

Photo: Former Islanders Hockey Club standout Zack Mirageas is now excelling at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Photo/Air Force Athletics

— Joshua Boyd/USPHL.com

(March 6, 2020)

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