skip navigation

2020 ECEL Playoffs Top Performers

02/19/2020, 5:30pm EST
By ECEL

18U Premier

Forward – Jake Puskar, Mercer Chiefs

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

5

2

9

11

After being held off the scoresheet in Mercer’s playoff opener, Puskar’s playmaking skills no doubt helped propel the Chiefs into the 18U Premier final against Elite. Puskar registered three assists in a 4-3 win over New Hampshire, two more during a 6-1 rout of Texas, and another pair to go along with two goals of his own in 6-3 semifinal victory over the defending champion Advantage. He wouldn’t be denied in championship game either, notching another two assists to give him 11 points for the weekend. 

Defense – Nate Perykasz, Elite Hockey Program

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

5

0

1

1

In the 18U Premier championship game against Mercer, Perykasz literally put his body on the line, valiantly blocking several shots down the stretch as Elite was desperately protecting a one-goal lead in the waning minutes. Perykasz also proved key for a defensive crew that completely shut down Hill Academy during a dominant 6-0 semifinal victory. With an assist in a 4-3 preliminary-round win over Ontario Hockey Academy, Perykasz completed the season with 3-2-5 offensive totals in 17 games.

Goaltender – Nikita Pryymak, Mercer Chiefs

 

GAMES

 

RECORD

GOALS AGAINST

 

GAA

 

SAVE %

2

2-0-0

4

2.00

.930

Pryymak notched victories in both of his ECEL playoff starts for Mercer, including stopping 33 of 34 shots faced in a 6-1 win over the Texas Warriors. The back-to-back wins raised his season record to 6-1-1 in eight starts for the regular-season 18U Premier division champion Chiefs. Pryymak finished the season with a 2.22 goals-against average and .916 save percentage with one shutout.

 

18U Showcase

Forward – Steve Kotsis, East Coast Spartans

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

4

3

3

6

Kotsis powered East Coast’s surprising run to the 18U Showcase semifinals by registering six points during the three preliminary-round contests, including scoring twice and assisting on another goal in a 5-4 shootout victory over the Mercer Chiefs. His four-game point streak dating back to the Winter Classic was snapped in the 4-1 semifinal loss to eventual champion Mount Academy. Kotsis finished the season with 8-7-15 totals in only 13 games.

Defense – Daniel Malik, Mercer Chiefs

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

4

3

6

9

Malik nearly single-handedly carried the Mercer Showcase club to the division semifinals by scoring during all three preliminary-round contests and assisting on five other goals, as the Chiefs edged out the New Jersey Titans Premier team on the goal-differential tiebreaker for the fourth and final semifinal spot. He also assisted on another goal in the 6-3 semifinal defeat against Mount. Malik ended the season on a six-game point streak, notching 9 goals and 9 assists over 15 games.

Goaltender – Carter Champion, Mount Academy

 

GAMES

 

RECORD

GOALS AGAINST

 

GAA

 

SAVE %

3

3-0-0

7

2.33

.901

Champion proved every bit worthy of his surname during the ECEL playoffs, posting three consecutive victories, including a stellar 24-save winning effort in the 18U Showcase division final against the East Coast Spartans, who he also helped beat in overtime during the preliminary round. Champion capped his season with a 5-3-0 record for Mount Academy coupled with a 3.10 goals-against average and .877 save percentage.

 

16U Premier

Forward – Josh Ziliotto, Hill Academy

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

4

4

4

8

Ziliotto scored single tallies in all four of Hill’s playoff contests, leading his club to the 16U Premier semifinals. He also assisted on two goals in each of the preliminary victories over Boston Advantage and Wenatchee before Hill was edged in its semifinal against the eventual champ Wilderness, 2-1. Behind his eight-point playoff weekend, Ziliotto capped his season with 11 goals and 11 assists, and his 22 points were the third most in the division.

Defense – Stuart Carruthers, Wenatchee Wilderness

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

5

0

4

4

Carruthers prove instrumental in all three zones for Wenatchee during the preliminary round, setting up single goals in a pair of close victories over the Boston Advantage and New Hampshire Avalanche and assisting on two more in a one-goal loss to Hill. He then spearheaded the Wilderness defense corps in limiting Hill and Seattle to single tallies in the semifinal and championship contests, respectively. Carruthers led the division defensemen in points for the season with 11.

Goaltender – James Norton, Hill Academy

 

GAMES

 

RECORD

GOALS AGAINST

 

GAA

 

SAVE %

4

3-1-0

6

1.50

.934

Norton recorded three straight victories during the playoff preliminary round, including posting his second shutout of the season with a 17-save effort against the Boston Advantage, helping Hill advance to the 16U Premier semifinals. Despite turning aside 30 shots, Norton suffered a slim 2-1 semifinal loss to the eventual champion Wilderness. He completed the ECEL season with a 2.51 goals-against average and .894 save percentage, which including two shutouts in eight starts.

 

16U Showcase

Forward – Tyler Ramm, Northeast Generals

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

5

5

8

13

Ramm’s 13-point performance during the Generals’ run to the 16U Showcase final was highlighted in Northeast’s 5-2 semifinal victory over Monument in which he scored twice and assisted on his club’s other three goals. That was his second five-point game of the playoffs, having equaled the feat in a 10-goal rout of the Titans 15U squad. Ramm finished the season atop the division scoring ranks with 18-16-34 totals, averaging two points per game.

Defense – Marcus Buckwalter, West Coast Renegades

GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

5

1

3

4

Buckwalter proved a shutdown force on the blue line for the 16U Showcase division champion Renegades, who blanked four opponents in five playoff games, surrendering a mere two goals. He also chipped in offensively with a goal and three assists during the preliminary round, capping his season with 4-6-10 totals in 17 games. 

Goaltender – Tyler Lambert, Monument Hockey Academy

 

GAMES

 

RECORD

GOALS AGAINST

 

GAA

 

SAVE %

4

3-1-0

6

1.50

.933

Lambert registered back-to-back shutouts in victories over Elite Hockey Program (4-0) and Mercer Chiefs Showcase (5-0) during the preliminary round, leading Monument to the 16U Showcase semifinals before falling to the Northeast Generals. For the season, Lambert posted a 10-3-0 record with an excellent 1.62 goals-against average, stellar .941 save percentage, and three shutouts.

Tag(s): Home