The USPHL has announced its weekly player awards, with four coming this week from California.

South Shore Kings blueliner Jason Zaccari is the New England NCDC Division Defenseman of the Week, while Lake Tahoe Lakers defenseman Carver Alford is the Pacific Premier Division Defenseman of the Week, Bakersfield Roughnecks goalie Jakob Barcelona is the Pacific Premier Division Goaltender of the Week, and Northern Cyclones netminder Nick Cowles is the New England Elite Division Goaltender of the Week.

Zaccari, an ‘05 from Santa Ana, returns to this honor after winning it to close September’s action. He registered three assists over the course of two wins against the Islanders Hockey Club. His efforts have helped the Kings to a 7-1-0-0 record for 14 points, good for second place overall in the entire NCDC.

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

Returning Laker Alford, an ‘05 out of Lake Tahoe, was the Premier’s overall leading scorer between Oct. 8-14 with two goals and 10 assists for 12 points, getting in on 12 of the 18 goals scored by the Lakers against Fresno over the weekend. The 12-point weekend pushed Alford into eighth on the all-time Lakers scoring leaderboard, and his 33 assists rank fourth for the Lakers, who joined the league in 2021-22.

Prior to junior hockey, Alford played for Tahoe Prep Academy, the Golden State Elite Eagles and Vegas Jr. Golden Knights. He also spent part of the 2023-24 USPHL season with the Las Vegas Thunderbirds (now Henderson Force) and the Lakers.

Another local product who has done well for his team, the ‘05 Bakersfield native Barcelona registered his fourth win – tied for fourth overall in the Premier – when he stopped 41 of 43 shots against the Long Beach Bombers on Oct. 12.

A returning member of the defending Elite national champions, Cowles, an ‘05 from Irvine, had a huge second win for his season when he stopped 27 of 28 shots from the rival Islanders Hockey Club.

In California, Cowles played for the Jr. Ducks and JSerra and Irvine United high schools.

— Joshua Boyd/USPHL.com

(October 20, 2024)