MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Alek John’s goal at 7:29 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie and the Metro Jets went on to defeat the Red River Spartans 6-3 Saturday night at Mount Clemens Ice Arena to open the 2024-25 USPHL season.

Just 33 seconds later, Tim Monaghan scored to make it a two-goal lead and Luka Pivec’s goal at 10:15 finished out the scoring for the Jets.

The Spartans opened the scoring at 6:42 of the first period on a goal from Brayden Goncalves. Metro answered at 17:23 on an AJ Zaccagni goal and Harry Dembowski gave the Jets a 2-1 lead at 18:35 before Red River’s Gino Indelicato tied it 2-2 at 19:30.

Joseph Martin netted the only goal of the second period, sending the Jets into the second intermission up 3-2 until Jesse James Aitken scored 6:35 into the third period, setting the stage for John’s game-winning tally.

In goal, Austin Muirhead made 24 saves for the win, while Andrew Young stopped 37 in taking the loss for the Spartans. Muirhead also had the secondary assist on Martin’s goal.

River Lewis, Jaxon Stone, Pierce Ashcroft, and Isaiah Winters collected two assists apiece, and Pivec added a helper for a two-point game.

This week, the Jets are home for two more games, hosting the Battle Creek Kernels Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. and the Toledo Cherokee Saturday night at 7 p.m.

In addition, the MJDP kicks off its season Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. at home against the Fort Wayne Spacemen and the Jets Elite team also drops the puck on its new season Thursday at home at 11:30 a.m., also hosting Fort Wayne.

All USPHL games are available on FloHockey.tv.

ADVANCEMENT ALERT

We have HUGE news to share!

Our own Tina Ciraulo has accepted an assistant coaching position at the NCAA Hockey Division I level with Union College!

Tina was with the #MetroJets in many roles since 2020. Most notably, she was the first woman to win a junior hockey game which she was the head coach (Nov. 8, 2020, MJDP defeated Wooster 8-2 on the road).

She was a director of the Metro Jr. Jets Girls program, which she helped build up and increase participation every year.

From her passion to her work ethic, she will be missed around these parts.

Congrats, Coach Tina, and best of luck! We look forward to watching you at the NCAA D-I level continuing to make your mark!

“We want to extend our congratulations to Tina and to Union College. They are getting a valuable piece to a winning culture. She is a hard worker, invested, and has an experienced hockey background proving her value. Much like ‘Mo’ (Adam Morrison) who took a job in the USHL, Tina is deserving of the offers she receives. We are all excited for her and wish her the best.” – Jets GM Justin Quenneville

#PlayLikeBray #OnceAJetAlwaysAJet ✈️

The United States Premier Hockey League is previewing each Elite Division ahead of this Friday’s start date of the 2024-25 Elite season.

Order is 2023-24 regular season finish

Metro Jets

Season Opener: Sept. 26 vs. Fort Wayne Spacemen

The Metro Jets won the historic first Midwest Division regular season title and also earned one of the division’s berths to the National Championships in 2024. With 31 wins, fifth most in the league, the Jets proved themselves as a team to be reckoned with right from the outset. What are the Jets looking for Year 2 to bring?

“Our expectations would ultimately be to repeat as Midwest Champions. But our goal is to focus on the process of development one week and one day at a time,” said General Manager Justin Quenneville. “We pride ourselves on our program’s ability to stay on the path and we know the challenges ahead. Our division is consistent from top to bottom and teams get better every game.”

The Jets are looking like a younger squad than the team that averaged 19 years old and 77 days last year.

“We have several eligible returners from our Elite team,” said Quenneville. “However, we are much younger this year and we will likely have more opportunities and movement in the rosters this season.”

Chicago Crush

Season Opener: Oct. 4 at Fort Wayne Spacemen

The Chicago Crush are set to launch their second season in the USPHL Elite division, starting with their opener against the host Fort Wayne Spacemen on Oct. 4. Last season, the Crush finished a strong second in the division, trailing only their rivals, the Metro Jets, and earned a spot in the USPHL Nationals tournament, showcasing their competitive edge.

General Manager and Head Coach Phil Bushbacher is optimistic about the upcoming season, emphasizing the team’s growth and potential.

“We are looking forward to another competitive season this fall. The level of play was a pleasant surprise last season, and we know that every game is going to be a battle,” he stated.

The Crush return key players, including goaltender Johnny Augusta, a 2023-24 Midwest Division All-Star, who is expected to provide stability in net. Veteran forwards Cole Darlas, Vinny Cerrentano, and Niko Dougan will help integrate new talent into the lineup.

“Their experience from last season is going to help our newcomers acclimate to the pace of play quickly,” Bushbacher added.

In terms of player development, the Chicago Crush Elite team had a standout season, successfully advancing seven players to collegiate and professional hockey.

“This USPHL Elite level gives players the opportunity to break out and take that first step into the junior hockey world, with a focus on getting to the next level,” said Bushbacher. “The Crush were able to move on many players last season, both to college and to multiple Swedish and Finnish professional leagues.”

With a commitment to player development and a strong team culture, the Crush are eager to build on last year’s success and challenge for the championship this season.

Motor City Gamblers

Season Opener: Oct. 4 at Decatur Blaze

The Gamblers are back and are hoping to build off a strong 24-win performance from their first Elite season. The addition to their Premier program helped build the depth of the program.

“We are very excited for the second season of Elite in our program’s history,” said GM/Head Coach Jason McCrimmon. “Our first season was very successful and we are looking forward to building off that. We have a number of new players that have the skill level to keep us moving in the right direction. The Elite Midwest Division was strong in its first year. We expect it to be even stronger this season.”

The Gamblers are looking forward to returning ’07 goaltender Tyler Houle. “We are expecting him to be a huge part of our success again,” added McCrimmon.

Up front, the Gamblers are looking forward to returning ’04 Brandon Thomas and ’07 Markus Reynolds launch the offense as veteran leaders.

“They will have huge roles in making us a contender,” McCrimmon said.

He also mentioned that the Gamblers are proud to see former Elite players Ignacy Drozd (who saw time at forward and defense last year) and defenseman Isaac Bunk moving up to the Premier squad this year. The Gamblers Elite team also sent five players to college hockey teams.

The team reloaded with several strong Michigan-born players, and specifically Detroit metropolitan area talent.

“We have great local talent as well as great players from all around the nation. We are excited to watch them develop on and off the ice this season. Motor City will definitely make a statement as we go look to lead the Division and make Nationals. The boys are ‘#Allin’”

Fort Wayne Spacemen

Season Opener: Sept. 20 vs. Chicago Cougars

The Spacemen had a strong first season, but they are still hoping to improve upon their 22 wins from last year and also want to make sure they can send more players to the two-time Nationals-qualifying Premier Spacemen team.

“We feel we are in a great position to compete for the division title this season. We have a lot of new faces on our Elite team this year so there will be a learning curve for our guys,” said Elite Spacemen Head Coach Cam Wirick. “The division last year was competitive, and we expect the same again this season.”

Landyn Ringenberg (’04) returns after finishing fifth in team scoring last year with 27 points. Rylan Wempe was a top 10 scorer, and he is rejoining along with fellow ’05 forward Cooper Angelelli.

“All three of those forwards are expected to make an impact again this season and should see some Premier time, as well,” added Wirick.

On defense, a pair of ’05’s in Sam Baldry and Fort Wayne native Jack Backstrom “are looking to build off successful rookie season’s last year and will see Premier time, too.”

The Spacemen Elite team is proud that Danylo Shpak and Dylan Davis are pushing up to the Premier this year.

They are excited to work with newcomers Eli Kolasa (’07), joining out of Michigan high school hockey, and Alex Kryukov (’06) coming from Virginia’s Ashburn Xtreme. The Spacemen will work with them and all the players to push them to great scores on the ice and great advancement off the ice.

Chicago Cougars

Season Opener: Sept. 20 at Fort Wayne Spacemen

The Chicago Cougars are moving into a new era, once again. One year after starting their USPHL Elite team, the Cougars are excited to welcome aboard former Dells Ducks USPHL Premier Head Coach Anthony Rohde to guide Chicago’s young junior development team.

“Anthony’s experience at the Premier Level will give the Cougars our leg up on the competition. He is a great man and we are excited to have him on board helping us build this club,” said Pete Olson owner of the Cougars. “Last year with the introduction of the Elite Level in the Midwest, we had a lot to learn.

“This season, we hope to expand on that and really work on moving players between the two levels much more with the hope that it will create greater club competition in practice, making all players compete day in and day out to make the Premier roster each week!”

The Cougars are also excited about another added benefit of their team for players – the Cougars players get to work with three-time NHL Stanley Cup Champion Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Goodman. He and his wife Susan Goodman, along with Dr. Ashley Johnson, will all help the Cougars off the ice with strength and conditioning as well as injury prevention and leveling up their nutritional game.

“The Cougars’ primary focus is to develop through daily hard work to move these players up to the next level within the season,” Olson said.

Decatur Blaze

Season Opener: Oct. 4 vs. Motor City Gamblers

The Blaze entered a young team for their first foray into the USPHL Elite last year, and that group (averaging 18-1/2 years old) ended up facing a lot of learning experiences in a tough season, standings-wise.

General Manager/Head Coach Zac Pearson took note of last year’s lessons, and pivoted a bit for an older Blaze team for 2024-25.

“We are looking to build off of a first year in which we were too young. I know our division has made strides and will have older players in the Midwest Elite division, so we are looking to get older.”

The entire Blaze are returning just nine players between their Premier and Elite teams, so there are a lot of newcomers.

Gavin Meisner, a late ’08, was among the youngest players in the Elite last season, but he’s coming back already as a seasoned veteran, and will “build off what he started last year.” A pair of ’06 forwards in Dylan Kennedy and Jesse Eggleston also returned to Decatur.

“We are looking for Dylan and Jesse to take steps in the right direction, as well,” Pearson added.

In terms of newcomers, Pearson likes what he has seen from Michael Sauer, an ’06 forward who has represented his native country South Africa multiple times in IIHF tournaments, and has earned medals with that team, as well, and now brings his skill set to the United States.

Order is 2023-24 regular season finish

Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP)

Season Opener: Sept. 26 vs. Fort Wayne Spacemen

The Metro Jets, as an organization, have been able to field two teams that have each won 28 games or more every season since 2020-21. The Metro Jets Development Program have been able to qualify for each Nationals tournament over that same stretch. The Jets organization pride themselves on having well over 50 strong, determined and dedicated USPHL Premier players every season.

“We are excited about this upcoming season as it is another rebuild, like it is every season for our Development Program team,” said General Manager Justin Quenneville. “Our expectations remain the same every year and that is to be the best versions of ourselves on Week 1 and continue to build from there. Our division is competitive and every game is a battle, so we don’t expect anything less again this season.”

The Jets opened their training camp in early September, as they don’t begin play until Sept. 26, so roster-wise, all spots are still up for grabs on the MJDP. “We are currently in the process of evaluating,” Quenneville confirmed.

“We are going to be a very young, energetic and hungry team this year,” said Quenneville. “We have a few players joining our program with existing junior experience, but they are all here to invest in themselves and become the best versions of themselves.”

Fort Wayne Spacemen

Season Opener: Sept. 26 vs. Fort Wayne Spacemen

The Spacemen have enjoyed a pair of consecutive National Championship trips since 2023, and they hope to keep that record up, even with a team featuring less veteran players than they’ve had in the past.

“We expect to be very competitive. It’s definitely an opportunity for new players to step up. Our division has improved drastically the last few years. Advancing two teams to the Elite eight last year is a step in the right direction. The Chicago Crush were also right there and will compete with anyone in the league,” said Head Coach Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock, of his 2024-25 squad.

The Spacemen were able to see some of their junior-eligible players advance on to Tier II hockey, “which will give an opportunity for new guys to step in and fill roles right away.”

Up front, watch for Tucker Tone, Brody Burge and Jackson Cothron to have an impact on the offensive side, while third-year defenseman Michael Scully provides stability on the blue line. Another returning player, Thomas Cheeney, brings great versatility.

“Thomas Cheeney is another one who can play both forward or defense. He’s looking to rebound off an outstanding rookie year,” said Schrock.

The Spacemen also brought in some strong junior veterans to help build a base for leadership and guidance.

“Brody Vachon and Antoine Bonin both played Premier last year and will be joining us this season. We needed to revamp our D-core after losing some age-outs. We feel like they can provide veteran leadership,” said Schrock. “We also brought Maksym Maiuk in who showcased himself very well at Pueblo’s NCDC camp. He’ll start the year here and he’s a kid we can develop into a Tier 2 defenseman.”

Newcomers to watch include 6-foot-7-inch 2007-born goaltender Herman Zippeldt, along with Rex ’05 Woolington, and forwards ’07 Colin Robison – a Fort Wayne native – and ’05 Hayden Stratman.

“Replacing Max Zinchenko won’t be an easy task, but Herman has the size and athleticism to play at a higher level. Rex is an Indiana kid with skill who sees the ice well. He will be a top six-defenseman off the bat,” added Schrock. “Colin and Hayden will look to make the Premier roster. Both are rookies to junior we really like and will make in impact.”

Several players will be moving up from the Elite Spacemen of last year, including Dylan Shpak, Will Moynahan, Dylan Davis, Jack Backstrom and Sam Baldry.

“Shpak will start on the Premier roster. Davis and Moynahan work extremely hard and had great Elite rookie seasons,” said Schrock. “We’re expecting Backstrom to get Premier games after a year of Elite development. Baldry, Captain of our Elite team last year, took the off-season seriously and will have a Premier opportunity. We’ll have some very difficult decisions, but we like where we are, talent-wise.”

Chicago Crush

Season Opener: Oct. 12 vs. Chicago Cougars

As the 2024-2025 USPHL Midwest Premier season approaches, the Chicago Crush are eager to build on last year’s success with a roster that blends veteran leadership and emerging talent. Coaches Steve Maltais and Phil Bushbacher are confident that this year’s squad has the depth and drive to compete for the Midwest Division title.

“We are very eager to start the season and build off of what was a tremendous 2023-2024 season,” said Maltais. “As a club, we took a huge step forward and are looking to solidify our place as one of the top organizations in the league.”

The Crush return key veterans, including fan favorite Spencer Kauke (45 points), Logan Fernandes, William Kenny, Ryan Brown, Austin Kessel as well as defensive standouts Cyler Brogle and Brody Luzbetak. These seasoned players will be joined by top performers moving up from the Elite Squad, such as the scrappy Cole Darlas, Vincent Cerrentano, Jace Levine, Niko Dougan, Chris Frachalla, and Johnny Augusta.

“We are fortunate enough to return a number of key contributors from last season,” Bushbacher said. “Players like Johnny Augusta, a Midwest All-Star goaltender last season, will provide us with leadership on and off the ice. The experience and talent of these players will make us stronger across the board.”

With a focus on continuing player development and creating a winning culture, the Crush have set high expectations for the season.

“We know that we have to improve each day if we want to accomplish our goals as a group,” added Maltais.

To the USPHL community and fans, the Chicago Crush are ready for an exciting season of competitive hockey. The blend of experienced veterans and fresh talent from within the organization ensures a dynamic and formidable team that is prepared to challenge for divisional supremacy.

– By Chicago Crush Staff

Chicago Cougars

Season Opener: Oct. 12 at Chicago Crush

Chicago Cougars USPHL Season Preview: Building on Last Season’s Success

As the Chicago Cougars enter their 10th season in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), the team is looking to build on last year’s accomplishments with a mix of returning talent, promising new additions to the team including welcoming Coach Anthony Rohde to the staff.

Premier General Manager and Head Coach Josh Dallmann is optimistic about the team’s prospects for the upcoming season.

As the Cougars prepare for the upcoming season, Coach Dallmann and Rohde are focused on building team chemistry and continuing the development of his young players.

“Our goal is to improve every day and compete for a championship,” Dallmann stated. “We have the talent and the work ethic to make some noise in the USPHL this season.”

The Cougars’ net is well-protected with the return of ’06 goaltenders Cameron Boville and Sam Burcal.

“Our goaltending situation is strong,” Dallmann said. “Both Cameron and Sam gained valuable experience last year, and we’re expecting them to be cornerstones for our defensive efforts this season.”

The Cougars’ defense will be anchored by returning ’05’s Trey Henderson and Aiden Middendorf. “Trey and Aiden give us a solid foundation on defense,” Dallmann added. “Their experience and leadership will be crucial as we integrate some of our younger players into the lineup.”

The Cougars are very excited about the return of ’04 forward Ben Moak, who will be returning for his third season with Chicago. Last year, in an injury-shortened 20-game stint, he scored 10 points.

“Having Ben back at 100 percent is huge for us,” Dallmann emphasized. “His experience and scoring touch will be invaluable to our offensive production.”

There are a number of new players joining with prior junior experience, including a pair coming up from last year’s Elite Cougars team. Jack Schejbal (’07) scored 19 points in 30 Elite games last season, and Caleb Schulz (’06) put up 11 points in 35 games last year at the Elite level. Another former Elite player, from the Crush Elite team that went to Nationals, is ’05 Leo Riani, who put up 17 points.

Owen Plumert, an ’05 forward, joins with 22 points in 42 USPHL Premier games already under his blades.

“We’re thrilled with the mix of returning players and new additions to our forward group,” Dallmann said. “The combination of experience and young talent should make us a dangerous team offensively.”

With a solid goaltending tandem, experienced defenders, and a mix of veteran savvy and youthful energy up front, the Chicago Cougars are poised for an exciting and competitive 2024-25 USPHL season.

Motor City Gamblers

Season Opener: Oct. 9 vs. Metro Jets Development Program

The Gamblers are continuing to put together some of their strongest teams in their now eight-year Premier history. As recently as 2022-23, they matched their franchise wins record of 26. General Manager/Head Coach Jason McCrimmon – the U.S. recipient of the NHL’s 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award – is excited with the direction of the Gamblers.

“We are very excited for the season to start. I feel that we are well-balanced at every position. We have a good mix of veterans and newcomers that will compete every day,” said McCrimmon. “The Midwest Division continues to get stronger every year, and it’s going to be even stronger this season. We are prepared to battle for the top spot. The Motor City Gamblers are Ready to Roll!”

There is a healthy number of Gamblers program veterans coming back, such as Ignacy Drozd, Chris Wilson and Isaac Bunk. All played key roles on the Elite team last year and are expected to make a big impact at the Premier level. Bunk scored at an average rate of a point per game in his time with the Premier last year.

“We have a handful of returners that we are excited to have back to lead the way,” McCrimmon said. “I’m looking forward to watching them play huge roles in our success this season.”

The Gamblers also were able to sign a large group of junior-experienced players who will also help steer the newcomers to becoming top junior players and college hockey prospects.

“We will have a strong core of junior experienced players coming in from solid programs from around the country. Aiden Vestal, Ethyn Fultz, Alex Khammo, RJ Graziano, Jonah Stern, Landon Shirley, Isaac Mansfield, Wyatt Bolling, Billy Hamilton, Trevor Balagna, Fischer Smith, Christian Jackson, Alex Yueng, Alexei Spence, and Seamus McCoy will all have a major impact in our locker room and on the ice!” added McCrimmon.

With more than a month until their first game, the newcomers are all still working to show McCrimmon and his staff what they are capable of, and why they should be Premier players from the get-go.

“We have a great group of younger players coming in, they are working hard to contribute on and off the ice,” McCrimmon added. “I’m excited to see their development throughout the season.”

Decatur Blaze

Season Opener: Oct. 19 vs. Chicago Crush

The Decatur Blaze will keep working back up to the point where they are a Nationals-level team, as the Blaze had qualified for the ultimately canceled 2020 Nationals. Owner, GM and Head Coach Zac Pearson knows what it takes to win in the Premier, and he is working the long game towards becoming a top team in the league.

“The Blaze are in Year 2 of the rebuild with only nine returning players,” said Pearson. “We have added quite a few new players who are international players. We will look for them to help take us on the next step of this rebuild.”

Connor Wilson returns to the Blaze for a third season after serving as Captain in 2023-24. He scored 27 points last season, and “will be a great leader for us as he is a hard worker.”

That theme continues with Tyler Suva, an ’05 forward who won the Hardest Worker team award. That is the characteristic that Pearson is looking for out of his 2024-25 team.

“That is what our motto will be: Outwork Our Opponents,” added Pearson.

The United States Premier Hockey League is previewing each Premier Division ahead of their start dates in the 2024-25 season.

Order is 2023-24 Regular Season Finish

Metro Jets

Season Opener: Sept. 21 vs. Red River Spartans

The Metro Jets are hoping to keep up their streak of qualifying for the USPHL Nationals every year of their USPHL existence, which dates back to 2018. General Manager Justin Quenneville is certainly optimistic one month out from puck drop.

“This is an exciting year for us. We had a record off-season in college commitments and are now rebuilding. Our focus remains on the process and it’s up to these young men to buy into that if they want to be associated with the level of play we historically have seen in our lineups,” said Quenneville.

A key veteran presence for the Jets will be ‘04 goaltender Rostislav Efrimov, who put up a combined .914 save percentage between the regular season and playoffs.

“Rosti is our big returner. He will get an opportunity to play an entire season this time around. He was a big addition to our team last season and he is eager to get started here soon. He has been training hard and noticeably driven,” said Quenneville.

The Jets will have a new look up and down the lineup, and Quenneville is excited to see what this mix of newcomers to the program and promotions from the Metro Jets Development Program can accomplish.

“What’s exciting about our program is how many new exciting players joined our family. We have a solid core of players coming in with junior experience including players in our program already,” Quenneville added. “Just like every other year, we have several players from our Development Program team making the move to the Jets in the Great Lakes Division.”

Speaking of the Great Lakes overall, Quenneville sees the circuit as “the most competitive division from top to bottom.”

“We would not expect anything less from Red River and Toledo, who were strong from the start last season. They look to have reloaded with a more experienced lineup which will be a challenge like it is every year,” Quenneville added. “We welcome the competition and are excited to see our entire Great Lakes group.”

Red River Spartans

Season Opener: Sept. 13 vs. Columbus Mavericks

The Spartans made their Nationals debut in March 2024, an amazing accomplishment for an organization founded in 2022. Here in 2024, they have moved to a new home in Clarksville, Tenn., and will move on as the Red River Spartans.

Last year, the Spartans were loaded with league veterans and a number of top NCAA-bound standouts, and GM/Head Coach Liam Tully expects the team to again be a tough draw every time out.

“Our expectations for the upcoming season is to be a very difficult team to play against. Our goal is to build off of the momentum we created last season and compete at a high level every time we step on the ice,” added Tully.

Tully likes the “great core group” of returning veterans including ‘04 forwards C.J. Davidson, Brayden Goncalves, Thomas Durrett and ‘05 forward Gino Indelicato.

“They were all key players that contributed to the team’s success last season. We are incredibly excited to have this group for the upcoming season and look forward to helping them advance to college hockey,” said Tully.

Blake Martino (‘04) is a three-year Premier veteran forward and ‘04 Jesse Aitken has two years of Premier experience in joining the Spartans.

“They are two 20-year-olds we are really excited to have on our roster, and we expect themto have a big impact on the team’s success this season,” Tully added. Additionally, ‘05 forward Alexander Atchison and ‘06 defenseman Marcus Gill are already two-year Premier veterans and “will also bring a lot of junior hockey experience to the team.”

In terms of newcomers, Tully is excited about ‘07 forward Hendrick van Neck, a 6-5, 205-pound native of Netherlands who the coach expects will be “one of the most exciting young prospects in the USPHL.” Additionally, ‘05’s David King and Seeger Trendley – both standing 6-2 – bring good size and skill to the Spartans.

Toledo Cherokee

Season Opener: Sept. 14 vs. Battle Creek Kernels

The Toledo Cherokee come into the 2024-25 season certainly optimistic with the largely new team they’ve put together – and although many players may be new, a veteran junior presence will push the Cherokee to challenge for the top spot in the division throughout.

“I really like the team we have recruited. We should be an older team with a lot of junior experience. That was our main goal when we started recruiting after last season ended,” said GM/Head Coach Kenny Miller.

In addition to newer players joining, the Cherokee will lean heavily upon returning ‘04 veterans goaltender Austin Nowak (‘04), defensemen Leo Crawford and Zane Myler and forward Anthony DiFlora.

Miller is excited to bring in several Premier-experienced players, such as three-year veteran ‘04 forwards Caden Glamkowski and Gerdas Paulauskas and three-year veteran defenseman Jace Weimer; two-year ‘04 veteran forward Cameron Krause; ‘05 Premier veteran defenseman Landon Edwards, and two-year NA3HL veteran ‘04 forward Aidan Besedic.

In terms of junior newcomers, the Cherokee have “been impressed with defenseman Jay Cormier (younger brother of former Cherokee goalie Joey Cormier), local guys Ryan Beard and Brendan St. Julian.”

Cormier is an ‘06 from Trenton, Mich., Beard is an ‘05 defenseman from Toledo and St. Julian is an ‘05 blueliner from Oregon, Ohio, who recently played with the Cleveland Barons AAA team.

Miller’s expectations of the Great Lakes Division is to see no easy nights from essentially any team out there.

“I would expect the Jets and Spartans to be really solid as usual and I’ve kept a close eye on the likes of Columbus and Battle Creek and it looks like they are recruiting a good class of players to help them be better this year,” he said. “It’s always fun playing in the Great Lakes Division, so we are really looking forward it.”

Columbus Mavericks

Season Opener: Sept. 6 vs. Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones

Mavericks Owner/GM/Head Coach Joey Recktenwald put in a ton of miles to build the 2024-25 Mavericks, and he not only hopes but fully expects this team to be one of the Mavs’ best yet.

“We’ve put together a group that I expect to be tough to play against night in and night out. This was my first actual off-season as Head Coach and GM and I hit five countries, 12 states, and traveled over 25,000 miles in the last year to put this team together,” said Recktenwald. “Assistant GM Jaime Antello and myself wasted no time as soon as last season’s playoffs ended. We set our sights on skilled, high-character players. We feel we have a group that can match up well in a skill game, in a speed game, or if anyone wants to play old-time hockey.”

Dalton Zulka, an ‘04 forward with two Premier seasons of junior experience, is the only returning Maverick who played the full 2023-24 season. Alexander Brown and Carson Meade (‘05 defensemen), Thomas Eggleston (‘05 forward) and Jacob Hatem (‘07 forward) all saw action with the Mavs as well last year, as well. The Mavericks also bring back former player Ethan O’Malley from the 2022-23 season after he played a season of ACHA hockey this past year.

The Mavericks also brought in two key players from the former Buffalo Stampede, two-year veteran forward and Great Lakes All-Star Caden Cavalieri and Kobe Rickabaugh, who brings a strong blue-collar style of play at forward.

“Coach Antelo and I are also excited for forwards Cade Bohn (‘06) and Christopher Vinck (‘04), who bring point-per-game numbers from the Barrhead Bombers (CAJHL) last season,” said Recktenwald.

“Our rookie group will be expected to contribute immediately as the group boasts a handful of guys that averaged a point per game or better in AAA or High School leagues,” Recktenwald said.

Columbus natives Jacob Webb, Brady Gedman and Reed Hinton join the team, while the Mavericks’ own 16U team will yield new junior Mavs Jacob Hatem and Ben Marquardt. Additionally, Czechia’s Michal Jansa brings size and mobility, and fellow defenseman Kessler Bettenson of Alberta is looking to make a mark as well.

“As we enter our sixth season in the league and division, we now find ourselves as part of the old guard. The division was very top heavy last season and saw the upper three pull away, while the bottom three fought for the fourth playoff seed,” said Recktenwald. “I do expect there to be much more parity this season and we’re up for the challenge. I’m excited to turn the page with some of our familiar division rivals and open up new chapters with the addition of Battle Creek and Fresh Coast.”

Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones

Season Opener: Sept. 6 at Columbus Mavericks

The Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones saw their share of struggles in 2023-24, but that page has been turned, then pulled out and shredded. Head Coach Lee Lansdowne sees a very different Jr. Cyclones team about to take the ice in the USPHL Premier’s very first game on Sept. 6 against Columbus.

“The Cyclones are excited for a bounceback year this season. We expect to compete every night and make sure other teams leave knowing they had to be at their best,” added Lansdowne. “We are excited for the challenge of playing in such a difficult division but most of all, providing an environment for our players to showcase their talents to scouts within such a strong division.”

The team doesn’t have many returners from last year, but they did bring back Great Lakes Division All-Star ‘04 defenseman Tyler Hilliker. Additionally, third-year Cyclone forward Evan Smith (‘04) and returning ‘05 forward Noah Geggie “will play great leadership roles, but all our vets will be looked upon to help make Cincinnati into a positive culture within the division.”

Among this veteran group is new Cyclone ‘04 forward Cameron Coogan, who brings two years of USPHL experience under his blades.

Much of the Cyclones team will be new to the team and to the USPHL.

“We are excited by all our incoming talent this season. We have a core of Canadian players as well as some good talent from across the U.S. that are coming to us with a fresh opportunity at the Premier level,” said Lansdowne. “All of our new incoming players come to us with a new energy and enthusiasm to see us be competitive every night.”

Like many other coaches here, Lansdowne sees the Jets, Spartans and Cherokee as the top teams – and not just in the Great Lakes, but the Premier overall.

“However, I believe the division will have a new life this season with the Cyclones, Columbus, Fresh Coast and Battle Creek all in the mix and I expect the division to be a tight one, where anyone can take points from anyone,” he said. “Metro, Toledo and the Spartans set a standard last season and I strongly believe the rest of the teams in the division worked tremendously hard to really shrink that gap. I think the Great Lakes will be very tight in 2024-25.”

Battle Creek Kernels

Season Opener: Sept. 14 at Toledo Cherokee

The Kernels are new to the Great Lakes Division for the 2023-24 season, and come in with two prior years of experience after being founded in 2022.

They won’t be going in cautiously, but are hoping to be more of a bull in a china shop, breaking the fortunes and dreams of their opponents.

“The expectation is to be competitive within an uber-talented division. With teams like Toledo, Metro and the Spartans, you have to earn your seat at the big boy table,” said Owner/GM/Head Coach Triston Jensen. “We intend to do that. We were given an opportunity to compete with some of the best USPHL programs in the country and with us being a Premier-only program, it made sense for us to make the move now and try our hand against the big dogs. I expect it to be a dogfight every single night to secure two points.”

The Kernels are a largely new group for this year, but Jensen has a lot of faith in the “core three” group, “all of whom have been with us since our inception.” This includes Captain ‘04 forward Nate Fricke, and ‘05 defensemen Josh Getson and Owen Miller.

“I expect Nate to have a big age-out season,” Jensen added. “Josh and Owen really embody our blue-collar mentality.”

Returning goaltender Joe Weber (‘05) joins two newcomers in ‘04’s Lennart Critzmann (Germany) and Gary Wiles (a Texan who played in Sweden last year). Jensen is excited with the potential of this trio of goalies.

As for newcomers, “we are chock full of young, talented players,” and he is especially excited for what is to come from a pair of ‘07’s.

“Morgan Postelli will look to be a huge part of our defense core. We truly feel he has a

Tier 2 ceiling. Up front, Zane Wobig will look to make an immediate impact with his high IQ and speed,” Jensen said. “Both will, for sure, be exciting to watch.

Fresh Coast Freeze

Season Opener: Sept. 20 at Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones

Jake Lainesse and Kyle Gagneau joined forces to purchase the former Buffalo Stampede, and relocate the franchise to Holland, Mich., rebranding as the Fresh Coast Freeze, a regional nickname for the central Lake Michigan coast in the namesake state.

Lainesse, the Co-Owner and General Manager, is looking forward to Game 1 and every game thereafter to introduce the Freeze to the USPHL world at large and to shake up the Great Lakes Division, as well.

“We’re expecting to come in and compete. We’re in a tough division, so no matter what we are going to have our work cut out for us,” Lainesse added.

Among the junior veterans signed for the Freeze, ‘04 forward Grant Coykendall from nearby Kentwood, Mich., is a former Grand Rapids Catholic Central player who has two years of NA3HL experience. He’s also played with the full-season New Jersey Titans NAPHL 18U team.

The Freeze will be young this season, and Lainesse and Gagneau are looking forward to seeing which players rise up and take the reins of on-and off-ice leadership.

“We are going to be very rookie-heavy so I think every rookie is a player to watch this early,” said Lainesse. “It will be interesting to see who can figure out the pace and produce the quickest.”

UTICA, N.Y. – The Metro Jets, MJDP and Metro Jets Elite teams ventured to USPHL Nationals last week, playing 10 games at the Utica University Nexus Center.

And while each team came up short in bringing some hardware back to Mount Clemens, that didn’t mean the season was a flop.

Quite the opposite, actually.

“As we close the chapter on another incredible season and run at nationals, we reflect on the stories, successful showcases and great opportunities our players have next year,” said Jets head coach and general manager Justin Quenneville. “With all the college commitments and more to announce, we are even more excited about the continued growth of our program and opportunities we create for our players. Although it was a heartbreak ending and many thought this was another year we could win another national championship, we have to look at the positives. We had three teams win their divisions with one of the most challenging schedules, we had multiple Tier II call-ups, several NCAA and college commitments, and our development team made it to the semifinals of the national championship, proving the depth of our program.

“I would personally like to thank all the coaches, staff, and volunteers that help make our program so professional and a reason why our brand gets the attention it does every year. We are excited about the future and things we have planned next year, and already have several players signed, committed and ready to go next season.”

In Utica, the MJDP earned a spot in the semifinals after a thrilling 4-3 double-overtime win last Sunday over the Potomac Patriots as Jake Taylor tallied the winning goal.

Opening up the event in the seeding round, the MJDP defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 1-0 last Thursday as Andrew Parmentier pitched the shutout and then fell 5-1 to the Florida Eels last Friday. The MJDP then beat the Utica Jr. Comets 4-2 in the round of 16 and then Potomac in the quarterfinals before falling 5-2 to the eventual champion Connecticut Jr. Rangers 5-2 Monday afternoon.

The Jets toppled the Islanders Hockey Club 7-1 and the Minnesota Squatch 6-2 in the seeding round before beating the Squatch again, 7-3, in the round of 16 and losing 4-3 to the Islanders in the quarterfinals. The Islanders made it to the championship game, falling in overtime to the Jr. Rangers.

The Jets Elite team fell 8-1 to the Atlanta Mad Hatters, 5-2 to Potomac and then 2-1 to the Chicago Crush to end their nationals run.

Stay tuned to MetroJetsHockey.com and all of our social media pages for all offseason news as we head to the 2024-25 season!

The Metro Jets Development Program saw just how much fun their organizational brethren the Metro Jets had in making the Nationals and the National Championship Game in 2019, they just had to join them.

Since 2021, a year after the Jets also qualified for the eventually canceled 2020 Nationals, the Jets have continued to make their presence known at the Nationals – and the MJDP has qualified with them four straight times now.

“We are excited for our group to have another chance to qualify for Premier Nationals, and it is a testament to the hard work that has been put in day in day out this season,” said Jake Howie, the Associate Head Coach of the MJDP. “But at the end of the day, we also know that making Nationals isn’t the end goal, but more of a step on the path to the ultimate goal of winning a National Championship.”

This year, as with most years, that could go through their Jets brethren – but MJDP actually has taken a victory in that match-up. On Oct. 13, in the first-ever Jets vs. MJDP match-up, the MJDP won 3-2. The Jets got back at MJDP on Oct. 27, winning 6-0.

From there, the MJDP continued to scratch and claw their way within the Midwest East Division until finally in February, they finished with the title, just two points ahead of fellow Nationals qualifiers the Fort Wayne Spacemen. The MJDP and Spacemen are the Midwest East representatives for a second straight year.

With the division title in hand, the MJDP got a bye past the first round and ended up facing the No. 5 seed Motor City Gamblers, who had upset the No. 4 Chicago Cougars to draw MJDP. The MJDP then left little doubt who was in charge at the home Mount Clemens Ice Arena, winning 5-0 and 8-5 last Sunday and Monday.

“We were happy with the way we played in our playoff series against Motor City,” said Howie. “I thought we played with a lot of pace and managed the puck well, which in turn gave us a lot of good offensive looks. We played 200 feet and made Motor City earn their opportunities, and our special teams continued to be really good, which you need in playoff hockey.”

The Jets and MJDP have one of the busiest travel schedules of the entire USPHL, going to four very different showcases. They went this year to the USPHL Las Vegas Showcase, the USPHL Tampa Showcase and the Northern Cyclones Showcase in Hudson, N.H. This is in addition to hosting their own USPHL Detroit Showcase in November. So, they’ve already gotten experience against a wide array of Nationals qualifiers.

Along with a 1-1 mark against the Jets and 1-2-0-1 against the Fort Wayne Spacemen, they’ve gotten a regulation win against the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings, taken a shootout loss to the Bold City Battalion, and fallen in regulation to the Utica Jr. Comets and Islanders Hockey Club to 3-5-0-2 against Nationals qualifiers.

They will get a chance for revenge against the Florida Eels, who defeated MJDP in an edge-of-seat 1-0 shootout at the 2023 Nationals. That is on Friday, while they’ll open with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights on Thursday.

“The fun part about Nationals is you’re going to play the best of the best from across the entire country,” said Howie. “Every team has had to fight and earn their right to be in Utica, and now we’re left with 16 of the best teams across the country, all looking for a chance to lift the trophy at the end.”

At Nationals, watch for Austin Combs, who was otherworldly in putting up eight points in just two games against Motor City. Lucas Millmine was right behind at seven points, and Jacques Lavrack registered five points from the blue line. Defenseman Jake Taylor was No. 4 in scoring with three points in two games.

Across the Jets organization, a lot of success comes from outstanding goaltending depth. Andrew Parmentier registered the shutout with 26 saves, and Austin Muirhead stopped 27 of 32 in the 8-5 victory.

All these players went back to work after the series victory against Motor City, with just 10 days between games.

“For us getting ready for Nationals, nothing changes. We come to the rink everyday looking to work hard and get better,” said Howie. “Our process is to develop our players for their next steps in their career and that doesn’t change whether it’s September or March.”

Six years as a member of the USPHL Premier Conference have yielded USPHL Nationals trips, but they are still looking for the highest glory. They’ve made the National Championship game twice, but have fallen just short in each of 2019 and 2023.

The Jets, within the time they’ve been in the league, are the all-time leaders in USPHL Premier winning percentage following the 2023-24 regular season (.874 off of a 225-29-7-1 record since 2018-19). That’s all well and good to the organization, but it’s not a National Championship. The veteran Nationals organization knows just how tough it is in this grinder of a tournament.

“All 16 teams have a chance to win. This is a very tough format. It’s six games of tough, playoff hockey played in six days. It’s not necessarily the best team that will win, it will be the team that plays best that day,” said Jets Associate Head Coach Jamie Lovell. “You need to be focused, get your rest when you can, and probably have a little luck too. We look forward to the challenge. It’s the best time of year for our players.”

The Jets, who won their fifth Great Lakes Division title in their six seasons, were able to take a bye past the first round as the No. 1 seed. They drew the No. 5 Buffalo Stampede, who defeated the No. 4 Columbus Mavericks in two games. Metro clinched the Nationals berth with a pair of double-digit goal wins against the Stampede.

“We’re happy for our guys, but this is just one more step and a great opportunity for our players to showcase themselves against the best teams in the league,” said Lovell. “We’re a development league and our program prides itself in moving players on to the next level. The national tournament at the end of the season is the best platform for that type of exposure.

“We played well [against Buffalo]. We’ve played well all season long but will need to continue to elevate our game if we want to be successful in Utica. It’s a tough format with very little room for error,” Lovell added.

The Jets come into Nationals with the third-most career man-games played in the Nationals field, at 1,726. Only the Florida Eels and Connecticut Jr. Rangers bring more career Premier games to the table in their rosters.

The experienced has shone through all season, but in particular in the Buffalo series. Third-year Jets Alex Bedenko and Carson Finney (his first year being in the MJDP) each scored five points. At the same time, newcomers Jack Waldo (eight points in two games) and Lucas Cassel (five points in two games) were also at the forefront of the attack.

Taylor White (15 saves) and Carson MacKenzie (14 saves) each had a shutout against Buffalo. With 12 regular season and playoff shutouts, White is tied with former Jet Will Augustine for the all-time career lead in the USPHL.

All of these above stats and history don’t mean much when it comes to Nationals. Everyone is 0-0 going into the Seeding Round and you have two games to try to work your way to the top of a 16-team pack. That lends itself to some hard practices heading in.

The Jets will face the Islanders Hockey Club on Thursday and the Minnesota Squatch on Friday. In their only meeting with one or the other, they defeated the Squatch decisively in a shutout at the USPHL Detroit Showcase. In other showdowns with Nationals teams, the Jets are 1-1 against their organizational brethren the Metro Jets Development Program (MJDP) and 3-1-0-0 against the other Great Lakes Division representative at Nationals, the Nashville Spartans. They’ve also defeated the Ontario Jr. Reign, Utica Jr. Comets, Florida Eels and – in an epic shootout win at the USPHL Tampa Showcase, the Charlotte Rush.

“Nothing really changes for us. We approach each week the same throughout the season— which always centers around developing our players both on and off the ice,” said Lovell. “Fortunately for us, we have three teams all heading to Utica and we can recreate competition with controlled scrimmages, mini-games, and situational drills against each other.”

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – The Metro Jets, MJDP and Metro Jets Elite teams all took care of business at Mount Clemens Ice Arena in the second round of the USPHL playoffs and have advanced to USPHL Nationals next week in Utica, N.Y.

The Jets shut out the Buffalo Stampede in two straight games last Thursday and Friday, while the MJDP swept the Motor City Gamblers in a Sunday-Monday set and the Jets Elite won two straight in overtime over the Decatur Blaze, also winning both Sunday and Monday.

McKenna Baker was the OT hero for the Jets Elite Sunday afternoon, scoring on the opening shift 11 seconds into extra time to lift the Jets to a 5-4 victory.

Hunter Folgmann did the honors Monday afternoon, tallying his winner 9:37 into overtime for a 3-2 win.

“The boys wanted it in two, and they played hard to the very end of each game,” said Jets associate coach Tina Ciraulo. “We knew going into the second game that Decatur was going to come with everything they got with their season on the line. We kept pushing and didn’t let up. And got the bounces in OT. Now it’s back to work to get ready for what the ultimate goal has been all season.”

In Sunday’s game, John Spiridonakos netted two goals with an assist, Peter Spiridonakos collected a goal and two assists, Baker added an assist for a two-point game, and Matt Hopersberger also scored. Zach Robert finished with 29 saves in goal.

Connor Weiskerger scored two goals for Decatur, Connor Wilson and Trevor Peterson had one each, and goaltender Morgan Heck stopped 34 shots.

Wrapping it up Monday, John Spiridonakos popped the other two goals. Eliot Duerr made 50 saves between the pipes and also stopped Jakub Tomecek on a penalty shot late in the second period.

Wilson and Tomecek scored for the Blaze and Heck collected 49 saves.

For the MJDP, Andrew Parmentier turned aside all 26 shots he faced in a 5-0 win Sunday afternoon. Lucas Millmine went for two goals and an assist, Austin Combs a goal and two assists, Jacques Lavrack a goal and a helper, and Enrick Fournier also scored in the win.

Motor City goaltender Michael Massaro made 35 saves.

In Monday’s clinching game, Combs tallied two goals and three assists and Lavrack added two goals and a helper in a 8-3 win. Millmine posted a goal and three assists, Jack Noonan a goal and an assist, and Oliver McClough and Royal St-Cyr also scored. Austin Muirhead made 27 saves in goal.

Kohen Dixson scored twice with an assist and Jake Knieling and Shaun Zatelli each had a goal with an assist. John Kotsolidis also scored and Massaro finished with 22 saves.

“I thought we played a really good series and and executed our game,” Jets associate coach Jake Howie said. “Thought the entire series we played north with a lot of pace and limited the Motor City transition. Our special teams were huge, capitalizing on our power play chances, and our penalty kill was really good, too. Couldn’t be more excited for this group for punching their ticket to Utica and a chance to compete for the ultimate goal of a national championship. Now it’s back to work to get ready and clean a couple things up for when the puck drops in Utica.”

The Jets defeated Buffalo 12-0 Thursday afternoon and 11-0 Friday afternoon to close out their series.

Jack Waldo had two goals and three assists in the opener to go along with two goals and an assist from Alex Bedenko and two goals from Robert Vanderdonck. Ugo Lollier potted a goal with two assists, Emrik Froding, Carson Finney and Tyler Husted all had a goal and an assist, and Mason Cole and Luke Gaffney also scored. Alex Blankenship collected three assists, while Carson Redd and Brock Hart added two assists each to back Taylor White’s 15-save shutout in net.

Buffalo goalies Liam Letters and Charley Healey combined on a 47-save effort.

Cole and Waldo each registered two goals and an assist in Monday’s win, while Lucas Cassel chipped in four assists. Finney and Ethan Hellman each had a goal and two assists, Hart, Bedenko, Tyler Bautko and Viktor Sandell each had a goal and an assist, and Husted also found the back of the net. Gaffney tacked on two assists and Carson MacKenzie made 14 saves for the win in goal.

Letters and Lucas Prince made 37 saves in net for the Stampede.

The schedule for USPHL Nationals will be released Wednesday.

All USPHL games are available on FloHockey.tv.

The Metro Jets Development Program has been just as regular a team as their fellow USPHL Premier brethren in the Metro Jets team in the Great Lakes Division. MJDP made three straight trips between 2021 and 2023 and hope for four in a row.

Prior to some tough years earlier in this decade, the Motor City Gamblers were part of the first two Nationals in 2018 and 2019. They’re hoping for a renaissance in a resurgence that began with a drastic improvement in 2022-23.

GM Chase Crawshaw is excited about the prospects of bringing a more experienced and skilled team potentially to Nationals than Motor City has had in five years.

“We are looking at our older guys to continue to lead us through this series,” said Crawshaw. “Leaning on forwards such as Shaun Zatelli and Brian Bell as well as our defensive core driven by Jake Mullins will give us a chance in any series. Logan Givens played extremely well in relief last series against Chicago, and I know he and the rest of our goalies, whoever has their name called, will be ready to help us battle this weekend.”

While the Gamblers defeated the Chicago Cougars in two games – winning the second in OT – the MJDP won the Midwest East regular season title and earned the first round bye.

“You know for us I expect full 60-minute, 200-foot efforts that is tough to play against,” said Associate Head Coach Jake Howie. “Motor City is a very pesky team that just keeps coming. This series will probably have a good amount of physicality and should be a fun playoff series. But overall, we’re just really excited for the opportunity in front of our group and a chance to punch a ticket to Nationals.”

MJDP put up a 4-1-0-1 record during the season series against Motor City. The Gamblers won 2-1 in January, the only one-goal game between the teams.

“For MJDP, we don’t want to change anything. We want to show up to the rink ready to work everyday and staying consistent. With it being playoff hockey now, we’re putting an emphasis on being hard to play against in the dirty areas of the ice, and just being really sound defensively to give Motor City nothing offensively,” said Howie. “And lastly, there’s a huge emphasis on special teams in playoff hockey. Not only staying disciplined and not giving them chances on the power play, but killing off the chances we do give them, and then capitalizing when we get our shot on the power play.”

Gamblers Head Coach Jason McCrimmon certainly liked what he saw from his team in the series against the Cougars.

“I think our guys went on the road and performed really well on both sides of the puck in game one. They showed heart and grit in the second game to battle back from three down,” he said. “I really feel we are rolling into the this series with the momentum needed to put us in great position.”

Motor City has some strong program veterans, such as 2023 All-Star and second-year forward Brian Bell, who’s scored 44 points in 42 games. Bell is the No. 1 center, winning 61 percent of his total draws (467 wins). Bell also posted five points in the two playoff games so far to lead the way.

Returning forward Shaun Zatelli improved from 27 points last year to 42 this year. Veteran defenseman and returning All-Star Jake Mullins was good for 35 points in 30 games this year, giving him 118 points in 99 games over three Premier seasons. Zatelli had four points against the Cougars and both Mullins and Angelo Massaro had three points.

Dustin Fretter, who joined the Gamblers from the Toledo Cherokee – a 2023 Nationals team – was the team’s leader in plus-minus at +8. First-year ‘05 defenseman Brody Vachon led the Gamblers in blocked shots with 47.

The tale of the tape in net features some very good goaltenders. The Gamblers welcomed back Robert Allport, who had played the full season in 2022-23 before joining the Casper Roughnecks this year. He was reacquired after the New Year and went 5-3-0-0 with a .920 save percentage back with the Gamblers.

Allport and Logan Givens both earned wins for their team.

Leading MJDP this year were three 40-point scorers in Austin Combs (45 points), Royal St-Cyr (43) and defenseman Jake Taylor (40). Andrew Parmentier and Austin Muirhead each had 15 wins this year, and Muirhead led with a .939, while Parmentier put up .921.

Midwest East Division

Motor City Gamblers (5) at Metro Jets Development Program (1)

All Games At Mount Clemens Ice Arena, Mount Clemens, MI

Sunday, March 10, 2:30 p.m. EST

Monday, March 11, 2 p.m. EST

Tuesday, March 12, 2 p.m. EST (If Necessary)