USHL Honors - Week 8

Press Release

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

Award winners include Joseph Gambardella of the Des Moines Buccaneers, named CCM Forward of the Week; Michael Brodzinski of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, selected as CCM Defenseman of the Week; and Arthur Brey of the Dubuque Fighting Saints who earned honors as Reebok Goaltender of the Week.
Gambardella had a career night when he recorded five points (3g, 2a) for the Buccaneers and posted a game high plus-four rating in Saturday’s 8-6 win against Waterloo.  He scored a goal in each period on the way to his first USHL career hat trick.  The 18-year-old from Staten Island, New York nearly doubled his season point total with the big night as he is now tied for the Buccaneers scoring lead with 12 points (4g, 8a) through 17 games this season.

Brodzinski collected six points (2g, 4a) as the Lumberjacks split a pair of weekend contests.  He contributed to all four goals (1g, 3a) in Friday’s 4-3 win against Indiana and finished with a game high nine shots.  The 17-year-old followed up with two points (1g, 1a) in the 6-3 loss to Youngstown on Saturday.  Brodzinski currently leads all USHL defensemen with five goals this season and the Ham Lake, Minnesota native is tied for fifth among League blueliners with 10 points (5g, 5a).

Brey posted a 1.50 goals-against-average and .944 save percentage over two road victories for the Fighting Saints.  He stopped 26 shots in the 5-1 victory against Tri-City on Wednesday and then made 25 saves in Friday’s 3-2 win over Lincoln.  It pushed the record for Brey to a perfect 10-0-0 this season.  The 18-year-old from Yorba Linda, California leads all USHL goaltenders in wins (10), GAA (1.38), and is tied for first with a .933 SV%.


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