Tuesday, October 30, 2012

USHL Honors - Week 5

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the CCM and Reebok player awards for the fifth week of the 2012-13 USHL regular season.

Award winners include Zach Stepan of the Waterloo Black Hawks and Todd Skirving of the Sioux Falls Stampede, named co-recipients of CCM Forward of the Week; Ian McCoshen of the Waterloo Black Hawks, selected as CCM Defenseman of the Week; and Eamon McAdam of the Waterloo Black Hawks who earned honors as Reebok Goaltender of the Week.

Stepan totaled seven points (4g, 3a) and a plus-eight rating to lead the Black Hawks to three road wins.  He scored a goal midway through the first period on Friday which proved to be the game-winner in the 3-0 victory against Muskegon.  With his team trailing 2-1 in the third period on Saturday, Stepan tied the game and then netted the game-winner seven minutes later to spark a 3-2 win against Team USA.  The 18-year-old rounded out the weekend scoring his seventh goal of the season and dishing out one assist during the 8-3 victory over Youngstown on Sunday.  It also extended his goal streak to four games.  It is the first USHL season for the Hastings, Minnesota native who was selected by the Nashville Predators in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Skirving netted four goals in two victories to help the Stampede remain perfect on home ice (6-0-0).  He scored the game-winner during the third period of Friday’s 4-2 win against Sioux City.  The 20-year-old then scored the first three goals for his team on Saturday, which included the game-winner for the second straight night, in the 5-2 victory over Tri-City.  It was the first hat trick of his USHL career and his fourth multi-goal game for the Stampede.  His second and third goals came in a span of less than three minutes during the second period.  The Thunder Bay, Ontario native is currently tied for second in scoring for Sioux Falls with nine points (5g, 4a) through 10 games.

McCoshen registered three points (1g, 2a) and a plus-eight rating over the three Black Hawks victories.  He scored his first goal of the season in Friday’s 3-0 win against Muskegon.  The 17-year-old then dished out two assists in Sunday’s 8-3 victory over Youngstown.  He was not on the ice for any of the five goals scored against Waterloo during the weekend and played a key role in the penalty killing unit stopping all 13 opponent power plays.  The Hudson, Wisconsin native has finished with an even-or-better plus/minus in all eight games he has played this season and currently leads the USHL with a plus-13 rating overall.  McCoshen is playing in his third USHL season and is a top prospect for the 2013 NHL Draft.

McAdam posted a 1.50 goals-against-average and .960 save percentage over two starts for Waterloo.  He stopped all 33 shots he faced in Friday’s 3-0 win against Muskegon to earn his second shutout in as many starts, becoming the first Black Hawks goaltender to accomplish that feat since Willie Yanakeff during the 2009-10 season.  McAdam then made a season high 39 saves in Sunday’s 8-3 win over Youngstown, his fifth consecutive victory.  The Perkasie, Pennsylvania native leads all USHL goaltenders with a .960 SV% and is fourth in the League with a 1.40 GAA.  He is the highest rated USHL goaltending prospect for the 2013 NHL Draft.


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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