USHL Honors - Week 25

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the weekly award winners for the 25th week of the 2011-12 USHL regular season.

Award winners include forward Vince Hinostroza of the Waterloo Black Hawks, named recipient of CCM Offensive Player of the Week; defenseman Mike Matheson of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, selected as CCM Defensive Player of the Week; and Adam Wilcox of the Tri-City Storm who earned Reebok Goaltender of the Week.

Hinostroza scored six points (5g, 1a) and posted a plus-five rating over two victories for the Black Hawks. He netted the first goal of the game less than three minutes into the contest of Friday’s 6-5 overtime win against Youngstown. The 17-year-old then had a career night scoring four goals and dishing out an assist in Saturday’ 8-3 victory over Dubuque. After scoring early in the second period, he scored three consecutive goals in the third period to record the second four-goal game in the USHL this season. The big night came almost exactly a year after John Siemer scored four goals for Waterloo on March 23rd, 2011. Hinostroza is a native of Bartlett, Illinois and is currently third on the team in scoring with 35 points (14g, 21a) in 45 games.

Matheson collected three points (2g, 1a) over three games for the Fighting Saints. The defenseman scored a goal and dished out an assist in Thursday’s 4-1 win over Team USA. He also equaled a season high when he finished the contest with a plus-three rating. Matheson completed the weekend scoring his ninth goal of the season in Saturday’s loss to Waterloo. He also helped the Saints successfully deny 12-of-13 opponent power play chances during the three-game stretch. The 18-year-old from Pointe-Claire, Quebec has put up 22 points (9g, 13a) in 45 games during his first USHL season. A top prospect for the 2012 NHL Draft, Matheson is tied for third among all League defensemen with nine goals.

Wilcox posted a 1.00 goals-against-average and .973 save percentage as the Storm completed a two-game weekend sweep of Fargo. He stopped 36 shots in Friday’s 5-1 win and again made 36 saves in Saturday’s 2-1 victory. The 19-year-old from South St. Paul, Minnesota has won 21 games this season, ranking sixth among USHL goaltenders. Fourteen of those wins have come in a Storm uniform after being acquired by the team earlier in the season. Wilcox currently holds a .915 SV% which is tied for the third best mark in the League. He was selected in the 2011 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning following his first USHL season.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)