The USPHL and NCDC have announced their weekly player awards, with a handful from California.

South Shore Kings blueliner Jason Zaccari is the NCDC New England Division Defenseman of the Week, Northern Cyclones forward Josh Bruno is the New England Elite Division Forward of the Week, the Cyclones’ Nick Cowles is the New England Elite Division Goaltender of the Week, and Chicago Cougars forward Joshua Roman is the Midwest Elite Division Forward of the Week.

Zaccari, an ‘05 from Santa Ana, put up three assists as the Kings split with the Boston Jr. Bruins last weekend. He was the No. 1 blueliner all around for the Kings on the weekend, leading the team in average ice time (21:25 per game), plus-minus (plus-4) and takeaways (25).

He now has 28 points in 37 games.

Back home, Zaccari skated for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks.

Bruno, a 2004 birth year from Glendora, was immense in going with four goals and seven assists for 11 points in just four Northern Cyclones Showcase games last weekend. He helped his team clinch the New England Division title as they went 3-0-1-0 at their own hosted event.

Bruno improved to 58 points in 30 games this season.

During his youth hockey career, Bruno skated for the Empire Hockey Club, Orange County Hockey Club and the Los Angeles Jr. Kings.

Cowles, an ‘05 Irvine product, doesn’t take no for an answer. He stopped all 20 shots he faced against the Rockets Hockey Club, helping the team shut out the eventual career record-breaker John Crowdell on Feb. 8. Two days later, he came in on relief during what was a 3-3 game against the North American Prep Hockey League’s Crystal Beach Academy. He stopped all 10 shots he faced the rest of the way in that game and the Cyclones won decisively in the end.

Prior to junior hockey, Cowles played for the Jr. Ducks and JSerra and Irvine United high schools.

Roman, an ‘05 from Covina, put up four goals and two assists for six points in a busy stretch of four games for the Cougars, over which they went 3-1 including two wins over Fort Wayne Spacemen, a team they’re chasing for better playoff positioning.

Roman now has 28 points in 29 games in this, his first junior season.

In California, Roman played for the California Wave and Empire Hockey Club.

— USPHL Staff

(February 19, 2024)