Monday, February 8, 2010

USHL Honors - Week 19

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the weekly award winners for the 19th week of the 2009-10 USHL regular season.

Congratulations to forward Anders Lee of the Green Bay Gamblers, named Reebok Offensive Player of the Week; defenseman Anthony Bitetto of the Indiana Ice, selected as CCM Defensive Player of the Week; and C.J. Motte of the Waterloo Black Hawks who earned honors as the USHL Goaltender of the Week.

Lee scored five points (3g, 2a) and registered a plus-five rating as the Gamblers won two of three games over the weekend. He recorded three points (2g, 1a), including the game-winning goal, in Wednesday's 7-5 win over Tri-City. The 19-year-old forward was held scoreless on Friday, but rebounded to score the game-winning goal to go along with an assist in Saturday's 2-1 victory against Chicago. It was his League-leading seventh game-winner of the season. The native of Edina, Minnesota is the top scorer for the Gamblers with 47 points (24g, 23a) while playing all 41 games during his first USHL season. He also leads the League with a +32 rating.

Bitetto contributed to each of the five goals (2g, 3a) and fired a game high six shots in the 5-1 win for the Ice on Wednesday vs. Youngstown. It was the first five-point game for a player in the history of the Ice organization. The Island Park, New York native scored the first goal of the game, just 37 seconds into the contest, to extend his point streak to five games. He has tallied 11 points (3g, 8a) during that span. The 19-year-old is playing in his second USHL season and ranks tied for sixth among all USHL defenseman with 25 points (7g, 18a).

Motte allowed just two goals as he earned consecutive road wins for the Black Hawks. He made 32 saves in the 3-1 victory over Youngstown on Friday. The following evening, the native of St. Clair, Michigan stopped 28 shots in a 4-1 win which completed the two-game sweep of Youngstown and gave Motte a victory in each of his last seven starts. The 18-year-old is playing in his first USHL season and has posted 14 wins in 29 appearances, including two shutouts. It is the second weekly League honor for the goaltender this season.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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