Thursday, April 22, 2010

All-USHL First and Second Teams Named

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the All-USHL First and Second Teams presented by Reebok/CCM as determined by a vote of League coaches.

The Anderson Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers placed three players on the All-USHL First Team, while the West Division champion Omaha Lancers led the way with four players total selected between the First and Second Teams.

Players named All-USHL First Team include; Green Bay Gamblers goaltender Steve Summerhays, defensemen David Makowski of the Green Bay Gamblers and Bryce Aneloski of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, along with forwards Matt White of the Omaha Lancers, Jaden Schwartz of the Tri-City Storm, and Anders Lee of the Green Bay Gamblers.

All-USHL Second Team players include; Omaha Lancers goaltender Jeff Teglia, defensemen Anthony Bitetto of the Indiana Ice and C.J. Ludwig of the Omaha Lancers, along with forwards J.T Brown and Brock Montpetit of the Waterloo Black Hawks, and Erik Haula of the Omaha Lancers.

"There's not a better array of talent and character anywhere in hockey than these All-USHL teams," said USHL Commissioner Skip Prince. "They have thrilled and entertained fans, and led their teams, in all fourteen of our USHL arenas all year long. Each and every one of these players is bound for a great hockey career, and it has been a privilege to be part of their pursuit of excellence. We salute them all."

All-USHL First Team

Steve Summerhays (G), Green Bay Gamblers

The recently named USHL Goaltender of the Year led all League goaltenders with 31 wins and a 2.17 goals-against-average while finishing second with a .914 save percentage. He set a new USHL record when he won 20 consecutive games from November 20th, 2009 to February 26th, 2010. The 19-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska was named the starting goaltender for the East Division at the 2010 USHL All-Star Game. Summerhays will play collegiate hockey at the University of Notre Dame next season.

David Makowski (D), Green Bay Gamblers

The 20-year-old native of Wildwood, Missouri was named the USHL Defenseman of the Year. He led all League defensemen with 18 goals and tied for second with 41 points (18g, 23a). He tied for the lead among League defenseman with nine power play goals and three shorthanded goals. Makowski's plus-22 rating was the fifth best mark for USHL blueliners. He was an All-USHL Second Team selection a year ago. He will begin his college career at the University of Denver in the fall.

Bryce Aneloski (D), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

A native of Pekin, Illinois, Aneloski led all USHL defenseman with 54 points (15g, 39a) while playing in all 60 regular season games for the RoughRiders. He was fifth overall in the League with 210 shots on goal. In the 7-2 win over Team USA on October 24th, 2009, he established two League season highs with six points (3g, 3a), which included a hat trick, and he fired 12 shots on goal. He celebrates his 20th birthday next week and starts his collegiate career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the fall.

Matt White (F), Omaha Lancers

The USHL Player of the Year was second in League scoring with 82 points (35g, 47a) and was tops with a plus-41 rating, the highest USHL mark since the 2003-04 season. The 20-year-old from Whittier, California was one of three players to lead the USHL with 35 goals. White established a League season high when scored points in 17 straight games earlier this season, collecting 40 points (15g, 25a) during that span. He will continue his hockey career in Omaha this fall as he takes the ice at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Jaden Schwartz (F), Tri-City Storm

The 17-year-old was tabbed last week at the USHL Forward of the Year after leading the League in scoring with 83 points while playing in all 60 regular season games. With the highest point total in the USHL since the 2001-02 season (Thomas Vanek, Sioux Falls Stampede), Schwartz is the youngest player since 1982-83 to lead the League in scoring. He was tops in the League with 16 power play goals and second with 242 shots on goal. The Wilcox, Saskatchewan native is set to attend Colorado College in the fall.

Anders Lee (F), Green Bay Gamblers

The native of Edina, Minnesota earned USHL Rookie of the Year honors, and was one of three players to tie for the League lead with 35 goals in the regular season. He played in all but one of the Gamblers' 60 games this season and recorded 66 points (35g, 31a), leading the League with nine game-winning goals and was second among all USHL players with a plus-38 rating. Currently, he leads all USHL playoff scorers with 10 points (5g, 5a) through five games. Lee, 19, will play at the University of Notre Dame next season.

All-USHL Second Team

Jeff Teglia (G), Omaha Lancers

A native of Bloomingdale, Illinois, Teglia was second in the USHL with 30 wins while leading all netminders with a .921 save percentage. His four shutouts tied for the second most in the League and he finished second among goalies with 1,183 saves. The 18-year-old was named the starting goaltender for the West Division at the 2010 USHL All-Star Game in January. Over two USHL seasons, he has won 50 games for the Lancers. Teglia will attend the University of Massachusetts this fall.

Anthony Bitetto (D), Indiana Ice

An Indiana alternate captain was fourth in scoring among League defenseman with 40 points (11g, 29a) in 58 games played. His five game-winning goals tied for first and he had the second best shooting percentage for a USHL defenseman (.136). The 19-year-old from Island Park, New York was a part of the Ice team that captured the Clark Cup last season and helped lead his club to the playoffs again this year. He will return east in the fall to play collegiately at Northeastern University.

C.J. Ludwig (D), Omaha Lancers

The Little Elm, Texas native was one the captains for the Lancers this season and recorded 24 points (7g, 17a) and a plus-15 rating in 58 games. He was a physical and steady presence along the blueline in Omaha while leading USHL defenseman with 152 penalty minutes, which ranked fourth overall in the League. The second-year defenseman was selected to compete in the 2010 USHL All-Star Game in January. He is committed to play collegiate hockey at Northern Michigan University.

J.T. Brown (F), Waterloo Black Hawks

The 19-year-old from Burnsville, Minnesota was third in USHL scoring with 77 points (34g, 43a) while playing in all 60 regular season games for the Black Hawks. His plus-37 rating and 233 shots were also the third best marks in the League. He equaled USHL season highs on February 26th for points (6) and assists (5) in one game. Brown then matched another League high when scored four goals on March 19th. He is set to continue his hockey career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Brock Montpetit (F), Waterloo Black Hawks

The Somerset, Wisconsin native was eighth in USHL scoring with 69 points (28g, 41a) in 55 regular season games. Six of his goals were game-winners, which tied him with teammate J.T. Brown for the fifth most in the League. Montpetit, who turned 20 this month, had the sixth best plus/minus in the USHL (plus-35). The third-year Black Hawks forward notched his first career hat trick on January 9th. He will begin his college hockey career in the fall at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Erik Haula (F), Omaha Lancers

The first-year Lancers forward was recently named to the USHL All-Rookie Team after finishing tied for fifth in League scoring with 72 points (28g, 44a). His plus-36 rating was the fourth best mark in the USHL. The 19-year-old native of Pori, Finland equaled two League season highs on November 6th when he scored four goals and collected six points (4g, 2a). He is a 2009 NHL Draft selection of the Minnesota Wild and will play collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota.

(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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