The Whalers kicked off preparations for the 2015-16 USPHL campaign with a trip to West Chester, PA, home of the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, for their annual Pre-Season showcase in which the Whalers compete against competition in the Eastern Hockey League(EHL) and Metropolitan Jr. Hockey League (MET).  The Whalers were joined by 3 other USPHL organizations as the Potomac Patriots, Richmond Generals, and Jersey Shore Whalers all made the pre-season trek. 

It was a good weekend for USPHL teams, as the USP3/Elite teams had a combined record of 13-5-0-3 against EHL Premier & MET competition at the Showcase.

The Whalers USPHL- Elite team goes 3-0 against EHL Premier competition, out scoring teams 13-3.  The Whalers defeated the NJ Rockets, NY Apple Core, and Philadelphia Revolution.

The Whalers USPHL- USP3 team goes 2-0-0-1 against MET competition, out shooting teams a combined 112 to 58.  The Whalers defeated the NJ Rockets and Philadelphia Revolution, while dropping a shootout loss to the Long Island Royals.

Whalers ELITE 5- NJ Rockets EHL Premier 1

The Whalers would kick off the 2015-16 pre-season campaign in West Chester, PA at the Jr. Flyers pre-season showcase on Friday night with a match-up against the New Jersey Rockets of the EHL Premier division.  The Rockets would capitalize early, just over 5 minutes into the contest to go up 1-0, but it was all Whalers from there on out.  Tim O’Connor jump-started the Whalers offense with a PPG from Ryan Bochert at 17:03 of the 1st half to tie things up.  Bochert would then add his 1st goal with a tally at 13:37 from O’Connor to give the Whalers a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.  In the 2nd half, the Whalers offense struck 3 times to pull away.  At 23:50 it was Dominic Moore from Jacob Gerson and Radoslaw Sawicki to make it 3-1, then Kyle Perkowski would handle things on his own going end to end for the finish and 4-1 lead just 8 seconds later.  Jacob Gerson would finish the scoring with :12 seconds left from Seamus O’Kane and Jayson Dimizio for the 5-1 win.  Veteran Sean Tannenbaum was steady between the pipes, making 18 saves for the win.  The Whalers held a 31-19 shot advantage.

Whalers ELITE 5- NY Apple Core EHL Premier 1

3 Goals in the 1st ten minutes was all the Whalers needed to cruise to an easy 5-1 victory over the NY Apple Core EHL Premier Division team on Saturday afternoon.  Jacob Lainesse scored just 1:12 into the contest from Henry Hearon to go up 1-0, then captain Jacob Gerson went back to back at 19:42 and 15:03 to make it 3-0.  Lainesse, Radoslaw Sawicki, and Kyle Perkowski assisted on the Gerson goals.  In the 2nd half, the Whalers would use back to back goals from Sawicki to ice away the contest at 11:21 and 4:04 with assists going to Gerson, Hearon, and Seamus O’Kane.  JT Ketzenberger stopped 18 of 19 shots for the win.  The Whalers outshot Apple Core 43-19.

Whalers ELITE 3- Philadelphia Revolution EHL Premier 1

The Whalers wrapped up the showcase on Sunday morning with a tight battle against the Philadelphia Revolution of the EHL Premier Division in which the Whalers won 3-1 and finished the weekend with a perfect 3-0 record.  Radoslaw Sawicki scored the lone goal in the 1st half at 14:19 on a great deflection from Travis Volmert and Jacob Lainesse to give the Whalers a slim 1-0 lead at the half.  In the 2nd, the Revolution tied things up 1-1 at 22:07 on the PP.  Just over 3 minutes later Dominic Moore would respond with a beautiful PPG from the top of the right circle over the shoulder of the Rev netminder from Seamus O’Kane.  Ten minutes later Billy Brock would score his 1st career junior goal to give the Whalers a 3-1 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.  Jayson Dimizio picked up the lone assist.  Nick Levesque stopped all 8 shots he faced in the 1st half, while Sean Tannenbaum picked up the win with 8 saves in the 2nd half.  The Whalers outshot Philadelphia 17-13 in a defensive affair.  

Whalers USP3-6 vs. NJ Rockets (MET) 0

The Whalers would kick off the 2015-16 pre-season campaign in West Chester, PA at the Jr. Flyers pre-season showcase on Friday night with a match-up against the New Jersey Rockets of the MET League.  The Rockets would offer little resistance to the Whalers, as they peppered former teammate Ian Crosbie and the Rockets with 34 shots and dominated en route to a 6-0 win.  Forward Caelan Bolanowski got the scoring party started with a PPG at the 21:39 mark from Peyton Midgette.  Kyle Prestis would snipe one home shortly after wards at 13:46 from Cody Wilson to make it 2-0 and then it was John Moncovich at 9:48 to make it 3-0 after the 1st half from Nick Gimbel.  Despite 6 minor penalties in the 2nd half, the Whalers were able to tally 3 more times, twice shorthanded, while killing off all 6 penalties.  It was Brandon Osmundson shorthanded at 20:18 unassisted, capitalizing off a Rockets turnover, then it was Nick Gimbel shorthanded from Bolanowski to make it 5-0.  John Moncovich would finish the scoring with his 2nd of the night at 7:59 from Christian Johansen. The Whalers held a 34-19 shot on goal advantage.  Zach Alvarado got the win and shutout in net with 19 saves.

Whalers USP3-3 vs. Long Island Royals 4- Shootout

On Saturday morning the Whalers learned a hard lesson.  Despite outshooting the Long Island Royals 52-21, they dropped the game 4-3 in an 8 round shootout.  After a 6 penalty 2nd half Friday night, the Whalers followed up with 8 penalties in the 1st half on Saturday, conceding the first 2 goals of the game on five on three penalty kills.  The Whalers showed some resiliency as they closed within one at the end of the 1st half at 1:55 when Brandon Osmundson finished off a nice 3 on 1 from Gary Eastlack and Brendan Stengel.  The boys would tie things up in the 2nd half early at 17:25 on a John Moncovich tally from Peyton Midgette and Caelan Bolanowski.  Once again penalties would prove costly, as the Royals popped the go head goal at 5:18 to go up 3-2 with time ticking away.  Again, it was resiliency from the Whalers, as Caelan Bolanowski buried a back door pass from Moncovich and Osmundson to tie things at 3 all.  In the shootout, Brandon Osmundson and James Boisvert converted, but the Royals scored the winner in round 8 for the win.  Trevor Hawkes took the SO loss in goal with 18 saves in regulation, and 5 of 8 saves in the shootout.

Whalers USP3- 4 vs. Philadelphia Revolution MET 3

On Sunday the Whalers finished off a strong weekend with a 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Revolution.  The Whalers played a strong 1st half, scoring 3 times, only allowing 6 shots, but only held a slim 3-2 lead after 25 minutes of play.  Cody Wilson’s 1st career junior goal put the Whalers up 1-0 at 21:24 from Brendan Stengel and Kyle Prestis.  The Rev responded at 19:37 on the PP, converting just 3 seconds into their powerplay.  Brandon Osmundson restored the Whalers lead to 2-1 at 15:54 on a nice redirection from Alex Ouellet and Gary Eastlack.  Eastlack would then extend the lead to 3-1 at 11:14 on the PP from Wilson and Prestis.  Philadelphia would close the gap late, taking advantage of a defensive miscue at 4:29 to make it 3-2 after the 1st half.  In the 2nd half the Rev wasted little time tying the game 3-3, scoring on their 1st shot of the period at 21:58.  The game would remain that way until inside the last ten minutes of the period, when Caelan Bolanowski scored on the PP off a nice tip in front from Alex Ouellet and Brandon Osmundson to make it 4-3.  The Whalers would hold on from there for the win.  The Whalers outshot the Rev 22-18.  Mitch Volmert stopped 4 of 7 shots in goal.  Zach Alvarado picked up the win in relief, stopping all 11 shots he faced.