2021–22 USPHL Premier season

2021–22 USPHL Premier season
League	United States Premier Hockey League Premier
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	Regular season September 11, 2021 – March 3, 2022 Post-season March 2022
Games	50–43
Teams	64
Regular season
Season champions	Utah Outliers
USPHL Premier Playoffs
Finals champions	Rockets Hockey Club
Runners-up	Metro Jets
USPHL Premier seasons
← 2020–21 2022–23 →

The 2021–22 USPHL Premier season was the 9th season of the Premier Division of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The regular season ran from September 11, 2021 to March 3, 2022 with an unbalanced schedule. The Utah Outliers won the regular season championship. The Rockets Hockey Club defeated the Metro Jets 3–2 in the Championship game.

Member changes

• On February 24, 2021, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights announced that they were restarting their junior program after a two-year pause.^[1] The Organization would operate clubs in the Premier and Elite Divisions this season followed by the addition of an NCDC team in 2022–23.

• On the same day, the Hershey Cubs were also announced as an expansion franchise.^[2] The team was founded by Bruce Boudreau who was also the owner of the Minnesota Blue Ox at the time.

• In early March, the USPHL approved the addition of the Palm Beach Typhoon to the Premier and Elite Divisions as expansion franchises.^[3] Both teams began this season.

• After finishing their season, the Buffalo Thunder announced that they were withdrawing from the league and disbanding. Shortly afterwards, the Buffalo Stampede were approved as a new franchise to fill the void.^[4]The new club had the same ownership group as the Columbus Mavericks.

• At the end of the month, the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones were announced as an additional expansion team.^[5]

• On April 21, the Lake Tahoe Lakers were announced as a new expansion team for this season.^[6]

• On May 8, the Anaheim Avalanche were purchased by Emerson Etem. The new owner relocated the team and renamed them as the Long Beach Shredders.^[7]

• In Late May, the Ontario Jr. Reign were added as expansion franchise for the Premier Division.^[8]

• During the summer, the Charleston Colonials were removed from the league. They would later rejoin the league in 2025.^[9]

• Additionally, the Rochester Vipers and the Skipjacks Hockey Club also withdrew from the league. The latter would continue to operate an U18 squad until 2024.

• The Jersey Shore Whalers returned from a 1-year hiatus as the Jersey Whalers.

Regular season

The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:^[10]

Note: x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched regular season title

Standings

Atlantic East Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Rockets Hockey Club	44	31	7	6	68	222	113
x – New York Aviators	44	31	11	2	64	249	121
x – Philadelphia Hockey Club	44	25	17	2	52	160	140
x – Jersey Whalers	44	24	17	3	51	136	128
Jersey Hitmen	44	17	24	3	37	121	192
P.A.L. Jr. Islanders	44	16	24	4	36	141	195
Connecticut Jr. Rangers	44	11	32	1	23	107	191

Atlantic West Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights	44	39	3	2	80	228	89
x – Utica Jr. Comets	44	26	15	3	55	174	142
x – Hershey Cubs	44	11	30	3	25	104	193
x – Buffalo Stampede	44	8	32	4	20	145	272
Elmira Jr. Enforcers	44	8	33	3	19	113	229

Florida Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Florida Eels	44	33	8	3	69	198	112
x – Tampa Bay Juniors	44	31	10	3	65	186	128
x – Florida Jr. Blades	44	18	20	6	42	187	170
x – Atlanta Madhatters	44	18	25	1	37	143	188
Palm Beach Typhoon	44	8	33	3	19	126	250

Great Lakes Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Metro Jets	44	39	4	1	79	327	67
x – Toledo Cherokee	44	35	6	3	73	253	76
x – Columbus Mavericks	44	30	11	3	63	190	108
x – Pittsburgh Vengeance	44	21	20	3	45	168	175
x – Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones	44	19	23	2	40	165	193
x – Lake Erie Bighorns	44	10	30	4	24	115	260
Wooster Oilers	44	4	39	1	9	68	346

Midwest East Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Chicago Cougars	44	30	11	3	63	202	98
x – Fort Wayne Spacemen	44	28	13	3	59	206	124
x – Metro Jets Development Program	44	28	16	0	56	180	118
x – Detroit Fighting Irish	44	22	19	3	47	196	190
x – Midwest Blackbirds	44	15	25	4	34	120	201
x – Decatur Blaze	44	13	30	1	27	131	234
x – Motor City Hockey Club	43	3	36	4	10	79	299

Midwest West Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Minnesota Blue Ox	44	37	6	1	75	246	108
x – Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings	44	32	7	5	69	163	91
x – Hudson Havoc	44	28	10	6	62	172	88
x – Minnesota Moose	44	23	17	4	50	183	133
x – Steele County Blades	44	22	18	4	48	168	174
x – Minnesota Mullets	44	18	24	2	38	131	164
x – Rum River Mallards	44	11	31	2	24	143	245
x – Dells Ducks	44	4	39	1	9	94	333

Mountain Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xyz – Utah Outliers	50	38	7	5	81	199	113
x – Ogden Mustangs	50	31	13	6	68	211	128
x – Pueblo Bulls	50	29	20	1	59	171	137
x – Northern Colorado Eagles	49	20	26	3	43	154	168
x – Provo Predators	50	7	41	2	16	82	279

New England Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
x – Northern Cyclones	44	37	3	4	78	197	90
x – South Shore Kings	44	28	12	4	60	154	108
x – Bridgewater Bandits	44	27	15	2	56	149	117
x – Boston Junior Bruins	44	23	14	6	52	132	103
x – Springfield Pics	44	25	17	2	52	135	125
x – Islanders Hockey Club	44	21	19	4	46	116	119
x – New Hampshire Junior Monarchs	44	20	22	2	42	164	151
x – Twin City Thunder	44	19	21	4	42	119	143
Boston Advantage	44	17	22	5	39	140	180

Pacific Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Fresno Monsters	44	30	11	3	63	307	163
x – Las Vegas Thunderbirds	44	29	14	1	59	213	192
x – Lake Tahoe Lakers	44	22	21	1	45	198	183
x – Ontario Jr. Reign	44	19	23	2	40	183	234
San Diego Sabers	44	17	23	4	38	154	187
Long Beach Shredders	44	11	29	4	26	149	276

Southeast Division

Team	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
xy – Charlotte Rush	44	31	10	3	65	169	109
x – Richmond Generals	44	29	13	2	60	159	111
x – Hampton Roads Whalers	44	27	12	5	59	150	113
x – Carolina Jr. Hurricanes	44	21	17	6	48	138	119
Potomac Patriots	44	16	23	5	37	125	182

Premier Division playoffs

Teams are reseeded after the quarterfinal rounds.

Divisional Round

Atlantic East

	Semifinals (Best-of-3)					Final (Best-of-3)
	1	Rockets Hockey Club	2
	4	Jersey Whalers	0
						1	Rockets Hockey Club	0
						2	New York Aviators	2
	2	New York Aviators	2
	3	Philadelphia Hockey Club	0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Atlantic West

	Semifinals (Best-of-3)					Final (Best-of-3)
	1	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights	2
	4	Buffalo Stampede	0
						1	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights	2
						2	Utica Jr. Comets	0
	2	Utica Jr. Comets	2
	3	Hershey Cubs	1

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Florida

	Semifinals (Best-of-3)
	1	Florida Eels	2
	4	Atlanta Madhatters	0
	2	Tampa Bay Juniors	1
	3	Florida Jr. Blades	2

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Great Lakes

	Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)					Semifinals (Best-of-3)
						1	Metro Jets	2
	3	Columbus Mavericks	2			4	Pittsburgh Vengeance	0
	6	Lake Erie Bighorns	0
						2	Toledo Cherokee	2
	4	Pittsburgh Vengeance	2			3	Columbus Mavericks	0
	5	Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones	0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Midwest East

	Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)					Semifinals (Best-of-3)
						1	Chicago Cougars	2
						4	Detroit Fighting Irish	1
	2	Fort Wayne Spacemen	2
	7	Motor City Hockey Club	0
	3	Metro Jets Development Program	2
	6	Decatur Blaze	1
						2	Fort Wayne Spacemen	1
						3	Metro Jets Development Program	2
	4	Detroit Fighting Irish	2
	5	Midwest Blackbirds	0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Midwest West

	Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)					Semifinals (Best-of-3)
	1	Minnesota Blue Ox	2
	8	Dells Ducks	0
						1	Minnesota Blue Ox	2
						4	Minnesota Moose	0
	2	Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings	2
	7	Rum River Mallards	0
	3	Hudson Havoc	2
	6	Minnesota Mullets	1
						2	Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings	2
						3	Hudson Havoc	1
	4	Minnesota Moose	2
	5	Steele County Blades	0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Mountain

	Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)					Semifinals (Best-of-3)					Finals (Best-of-3)
						1	Utah Outliers	2
	4	Pueblo Bulls	2			5	Pueblo Bulls	0
	5	Provo Riverblades	0								1	Utah Outliers	2
											5	Northern Colorado Eagles	0
						2	Ogden Mustangs	1
						3	Northern Colorado Eagles	2

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

New England

	Quarterfinals (Best-of-3)					Semifinals (Best-of-3)
	1	Northern Cyclones	2
	8	Twin City Thunder	1
						1	Northern Cyclones	2
						7	New Hampshire Junior Monarchs	0
	2	South Shore Kings	0
	7	New Hampshire Junior Monarchs	2
	3	Bridgewater Bandits	1
	6	Islanders Hockey Club	2
						4	Boston Junior Bruins	0
						6	Islanders Hockey Club	2
	4	Boston Junior Bruins	2
	5	Springfield Pics	1

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Pacific

	Semifinals (Best-of-3)					Final (Best-of-3)
	1	Fresno Monsters	2
	4	Ontario Jr. Reign	0
						1	Fresno Monsters	2
						2	Las Vegas Thunderbirds	0
	2	Las Vegas Thunderbirds	2
	3	Lake Tahoe Lakers	0

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

Southeast

	Semifinal (Best-of-3)
	1	Charlotte Rush	2
	4	Carolina Jr. Hurricanes	1
	2	Richmond Generals	2
	3	Hampton Roads Whalers	1

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

National Round

The 16 qualifying teams were sorted into four separate pools for Round Robin play. The top two teams from each pool would advance to the Championship round.

Round Robin

Pool A MET FJB IHC WBS 1 Metro Jets 2–0 7–4 1–4 2 Florida Jr. Blades 0–2 8–4 0–3 3 Islanders Hockey Club 4–7 4–8 2–3 4 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 4–1 3–0 3–2 Rank Team W OTW OTL L Pts GF GA 1 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 3 0 0 0 9 9 3 2 Metro Jets 2 0 0 1 6 10 7 3 Florida Jr. Blades 1 0 0 2 3 8 9 4 Islanders Hockey Club 0 0 0 3 0 10 18

Pool B FLE CHC HUD RHC 1 Florida Eels 4–2 6–0 1–2 2 Chicago Cougars 2–4 3–4 2–6 3 Hudson Havoc 0–6 4–3 1–7 4 Rockets Hockey Club 2–1 6–2 7–1 Rank Team W OTW OTL L Pts GF GA 1 Rockets Hockey Club 3 0 0 0 9 15 4 2 Florida Eels 2 0 0 1 6 11 4 3 Hudson Havoc 1 0 0 2 3 5 16 4 Chicago Cougars 0 0 0 3 0 7 14

Pool C NOR CHA MDP UTA 1 Northern Cyclones 1–5 4–0 5–1 2 Charlotte Rush 5–1 4–2 2–3 3 Metro Jets Development Program 0–4 2–4 1–4 4 Utah Outliers 1–5 3–2 4–1 Rank Team W OTW OTL L Pts GF GA 1 Charlotte Rush 2 0 1 0 7 11 6 2 Northern Cyclones 2 0 0 1 6 6 6 3 Utah Outliers 1 1 0 1 5 8 8 4 Metro Jets Development Program 0 0 0 3 0 3 12

Pool D RIC MBO TOL FRE 1 Richmond Generals 1–4 1–2 5–4 2 Minnesota Blue Ox 4–1 1–2 4–2 3 Toledo Cherokee 2–1 2–1 5–4 4 Fresno Monsters 4–5 2–4 4–5 Rank Team W OTW OTL L Pts GF GA 1 Toledo Cherokee 2 1 0 0 8 9 6 2 Minnesota Blue Ox 2 0 0 1 6 9 4 3 Richmond Generals 0 1 0 2 2 7 10 4 Fresno Monsters 0 0 2 1 2 10 14

Games in italics indicate overtime or shootout results.

Championship round

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Championship
	1	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights	2*
	8	Minnesota Blue Ox	1
						1	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights	1
						6	Metro Jets	8
	2	Rockets Hockey Club	5
	7	Northern Cyclones	3
											6	Metro Jets	2
											2	Rockets Hockey Club	3
	3	Toledo Cherokee	1
	6	Metro Jets	3
						2	Rockets Hockey Club	3
						5	Florida Eels	2
	4	Charlotte Rush	1
	5	Florida Eels	2*

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

References

1. "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights To Join USPHL Premier, Elite Divisions For 2021-22". USPHL. February 24, 2021. Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
2. "Bruce Boudreau names new USPHL team the Hershey Cubs, reveals team logos". RMNB. February 24, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
3. "Palm Beach Typhoon To Join USPHL Premier, Elite Divisions For 2021-22 Season". USPHL. March 2, 2021. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
4. Peach, Ben (March 17, 2021). "Stampede Bring New Face to Junior Hockey in Buffalo". USPHL. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
5. "Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones To Join USPHL Premier Division In 2021-22". Ohio Hockey Digest. March 30, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
6. "Lake Tahoe Lakers to Join USPHL Premier's Pacific Division". USPHL. April 21, 2021. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
7. "Feature: Shredders Bring Hockey Back to Long Beach". The 562. September 29, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
8. "Inland Empire's Ontario Jr. Reign to provide opportunities for junior players in '21-22 with new USPHL franchise". CA Rubber. May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
9. "Three Teams Joining USPHL Elite For 2025-26". USPHL. February 8, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
10. "USPHL Standings". United States Premier Hockey League. Retrieved May 30, 2025.

• General reference

External links

• Official website of the USPHL Premier Division