The USPHL has announced that a pair of players with Arizona ties have garnered monthly honors.

Las Vegas Thunderbirds’ blueliner Nick Bonaldi is the Pacific Division Premier Defenseman of the Month and Springfield Pics netminder Chase Ebeyer is the North Division Elite Goaltender of the Month.

Not only did he show stellar defense in the month of November as a plus-9 with 11 blocked shots and five hits, but Bonaldi, a 2003-born Arizona Bobcats alum, was also able to show off his offensive skills.

In November he picked up 15 points with four goals and 11 assists putting him in the No. 3 spot for points on the T-Birds. He currently has 30 points with five goals and 25 assists and is a crucial part of Las Vegas getting the puck in the net.

Prior to junior hockey, Bonaldi skated for the Las Vegas Storm.

For the Pics to begin to pick up steam and move up the standings, any improvement will likely have to do with the play of Ebeyer, a 2004 Scottsdale native.

His play in November has placed him seventh overall in the league in save percentage at .926. His monthly save percentage was just about the same, at .927 off of 102 saves on 110 shots in three appearances. Ebeyer was the only goalie in the North Division to face more than 100 shots and come out with a better-than-.900 save percentage in November.

He earned his first win of the season on Nov. 12 against the Boston Jr. Bruins. He also helped his team register points in shootout losses against the Islanders Hockey Club (stopping 46 of 49 shots over 65 minutes) and the New York Aviators (17 of 20 in team play, plus two of four in the shootout).

Back home, Ebeyer played for the DYHA Jr. Sun Devils and Pinnacle High School.

— Joshua Boyd & Grace Mello/USPHL.com

(December 5, 2022)