Monday, October 3, 2011

USHL Honors - Week One

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the weekly award winners for the opening week of the 2011-12 USHL regular season.

Congratulations to forward J.T. Compher of Team USA, named CCM Offensive Player of the Week; defenseman Taylor Richart of the Fargo Force, selected as CCM Defensive Player of the Week; and both Pheonix Copley of the Tri-City Storm and Charles Williams of the Lincoln Stars who share honors as the Reebok USHL Goaltender of the Week.

Compher scored three goals over two games for Team USA and finished the weekend with a plus-three rating. Playing in his first USHL game, the 16-year-old scored two goals in the 10-3 victory over Youngstown on Friday. He followed up with another goal in the 3-2 shootout loss to Chicago on Saturday. Compher is a native of Northbrook, Illinois and is committed to play collegiate hockey at the University of Michigan following his USHL career.

Richart collected two assists in the season-opening victory for the Force, a 5-4 shootout win against Des Moines. The 19-year-old from Blaine, Minnesota was making his USHL debut and was instrumental in the Force finishing 4-of-6 on the power play, including assisting on both power play goals by teammate Austin Farley.

Copley had an impressive USHL debut for the Storm when he posted a shutout, stopping all 28 shots he faced in the 1-0 victory vs. Sioux City on Friday. The 6-3, 180-pound netminder is a 19-year-old native of North Pole, Alaska and was key in the Storm turning aside all eight power plays by Sioux City.

Williams also posted a shutout in his team’s season opener. He stopped 25 shots as the Lincoln Stars earned a 2-0 win vs. Sioux Falls on Friday. It was the first career USHL shutout for the 19-year-old from Canton, Michigan who appeared in 26 games during the 2009-10 USHL season with Des Moines.



(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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