2016-17 USP3HL Season

This is the '''2016-17 United States Premier 3 Hockey League season. '''This is the league's 2nd season under this name and 4th overall. The league was known as the USPHL Empire Division for 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Membership Changes

 * The league would add 9 members from the USPHL Midwest Division which was merged into the USP3HL and USPHL Elite Division
 * The P.A.L. Jr. Islanders withdrew their team from this level
 * The Marquette Royales ceased operations on August 31, 2016
 * The Frederick Freeze and Michigan Wild were dropped from the league in mid-September
 * With the elimination of the USP3HL for the 2017-18 season, as of April 16, 2017 all of the members of the league except the Alpena Flyers appear to have members in the USPHL Elite League for the 2017-18 season.
 * The Seattle Ravens withdrew from the USPHL and joined the Western States Hockey League as the Kent Ravens for the 2017-18 season.
 * The West Sound Warriors also withdrew from the USPHL and announced they were suspending operations for 2017-18; but the former Vancouver Rangers of the Western States Hockey League would move to Bremerton, Washington and assume the identity of the Warriors under the ownership of the original Vancouver team

Member Teams
The USP3HL consists of 27 organizations located along the East Coast spanning from Massachusetts to Florida and in upper mid-western United States and the Pacific Northwestern United States.

North Conference
Top four teams qualify. One team advances to USP3HL Final

Semifinals

 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Jr. Bruins 2 games to 1
 * Islanders Hockey Club defeated Jersey Shore Whalers 2 games to none

Final

 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Islanders Hockey Club 2 games to 1

South Conference
Top Eight teams qualify. Two teams advance to USP3HL Final

Quarterfinals

 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Florida Eels 2 games to none
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Palm Beach Hawks 2 games to none
 * Atlanta Jr. Knights defeated Carolina Eagles 2 games to none
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Richmond Generals 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Atlanta Jr. Knights 2 games to none
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Hampton Roads Whalers 2 games to none

Midwest Conference
Top seven teams qualify. Two teams advance to USP3HL Final

Quarterfinals

 * Decatur Blaze defeated Tri-City Ice Hawks 2 games to none
 * Motor City Hawks defeated Kalkaska Rhinos 2 games to none
 * Alpena Flyers defeated Ironwood Fighting Yoopers 2 games to none

Semifinals

 * Traverse City North Stars defeated Alpena Flyers 2 games to none
 * Decatur Blaze defeated Motor City Hawks 2 games to 1

Pacific Conference
Top two teams qualify. One team advances to USP3HL Final.

Final

 * Eugene Generals defeated Seattle Ravens 2 games to none

USP3HL Championship
Held at New England Sports Center in Marlborough, MA

Format
The six qualifying teams are paired off as follows: A modified round robin tournament is held on March 8th and 9th with the teams from one pool playing the teams from the other pool once. The top two teams in each pool advances to the semifinals held the evening of the 9th.
 * Pool A: Florida Jr. Blades, Traverse City North Stars, Eugene Generals
 * Pool B: Jersey Hitmen, Charlotte Rush, Decatur Blaze

Round Robin Results

 * Charlotte defeated Eugene 3-1
 * Florida defeated Decatur 7-3
 * Jersey defeated Traverse City 6-5 (ot)
 * Florida defeated Eugene 6-0
 * Decatur defeated Jersey 6-1
 * Traverse City defeated Charlotte 6-5
 * Eugene defeated Decatur 2-1
 * Charlotte defeated Jersey 2-1
 * Traverse City defeated Florida 4-1

Semifinals

 * Traverse City defeated Decatur 7-2
 * Florida defeated Charlotte 4-1

Final

 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Traverse City North Stars 2 games to none