2018-19 USPHL-Premier Season

This is the 2018-19 United States Premier Hockey League Premier League season.

Membership Changes

 * On December 1, 2017 the league announced that they were adding the Auburn, Maine based Twin City Thunder to the New England Division of the Premier League for the 2018-19 season. The team will be based out of the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn.
 * After not being able to secure a lease at the Spooner Civic Center, the Wisconsin Muskies folded
 * An expansion team was added in Kasson, Minnesota where they were to be named the Dodge County Wildcats but they would later be renamed the Kasson Vipers to give them a separate identity from the youth hockey program that is based out of the same arena and that they were affiliated with.
 * On May 16, 2018 it was announced on the Ironwood Fighting Yoopers facebook page that the organization had been sold and would be relocating to Isanti, Minnesota and the team would be known as the Rum River Mallards.
 * The league added the Philadelphia Hockey Club who are based out of the Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey.
 * The whole East Division from 2017-18 North American 3 Hockey League withdrew from that league and joined the USPHL Premier Division. The Lansing Wolves, Metro Jets, Pittsburgh Vengeance, Southern Tier Xpress, Toledo Cherokee, and Wooster Oilers were announced on April 19th that the teams joined the United States Premier Hockey League and would form a Great Lakes Conference within the Premier Division.
 * The newly added Southern Tier Xpress were force to relocate when the Philadelphia Rebels of the North American Hockey League relocated to Jamestown, New York and the Xpress franchise was sold to Lake Erie Eagles owner who closed up the Eagles operations, relocated the Xpress franchise to the Erie Bank Sports Park in Summit Township, Pennsylvania where they were renamed them the Lake Erie Bighorns.
 * The former Midwest Blackbirds who sat out the past two seasons return as the Midwest Blackbirds.
 * The Rochester Monarchs add a team to their organization that was added to the premier division for 2018-19.
 * The Daytona Racers were renamed to DME Hockey Academy which is the name of the organization that has been running the team.  The team would later be renamed the DME Swamp Rabbits
 * The Niagara Falls PowerHawks of the North American 3 Hockey League added a team to the league, the Niagara Falls Thunder also to be based out of the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion.
 * The Syracuse Stars announced they would move their NCDC, Premier, and U-18 Tier 1 - to the Adirondack Bank Center at Utica Memorial Auditorium in Utica, New York while retaining the Syracuse Stars name.
 * The Lake Erie Bighorns and P.A.L. Jr. Islanders would withdraw prior to the star of play.
 * The Metro Jets appear to have added their developmental team (known as the MJDP Academy) to the league as well, listed below as the MJDP.

Format
Division playoffs are done until two teams remain. The final two teams advance to the national tournament where the sixteen teams are paired into four pools of four teams which play in a round robin. Each pool winner advances to the semifinals. Semifinal winners meet in the championship game.

Quarterfinals

 * South Shore Kings defeated Twin City Thunder 2 games to none
 * New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs defeated Islanders Hockey Club 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs defeated Northern Cyclones 2 games to 1
 * Boston Bandits defeated South Shore Kings 2 games to none

Quarterfinals

 * Syracuse Stars defeated Rochester Monarchs 2 games to none
 * Connecticut Jr Rangers defeated Niagara Falls Thunder 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * Connecticut Nighthawks defeated Connecticut Jr Rangers 2 games to 1
 * Syracuse Stars defeated Springfield Pics 2 games to none

Quarterfinals

 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Jersey Shore Whalers 2 games to none
 * New Jersey Rockets defeated Philadelphia Hockey Club 2 games to none

Semifinals

 * New York Jr. Aviators defeated New Jersey Rockets 2 games to 1
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Skipjacks Hockey Club 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Carolina Eagles 2 games to none
 * Charlotte Rush defeated Richmond Generals 2 games to none

Semifinals

 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Tampa Bay Juniors 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * Metro Jets defeated Lansing Wolves 2 games to none
 * Pittsburgh Vengeance defeated MJDP 2 games to none

Quarterfinals

 * Midwest Blackbirds defeated Tri-City Ice Hawks 2 games to none
 * Decatur Blaze defeated Detroit Fighting Irish 2 games to none

Semifinals

 * Chicago Cougars defeated Decatur Blaze 2 games to none
 * Motor City Hockey Club defeated Midwest Blackbirds 2 games to 1

Quarterfinals

 * Minnesota Moose defeated Kasson Vipers 2 games to none
 * Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings defeated Minnesota Mullets 2 games to none
 * Minnesota Blue Ox defeated Rum River Mallards 2 games to 1
 * Dells Ducks defeated Hudson Havoc 2 games to 1

Semifinals

 * Minnesota Moose defeated Dells Ducks 2 games to none
 * Minnesota Blue Ox defeated Wisconsin Rapids RiverKings 2 games to none

Results

 * Chicago Cougars defeated Connecticut Nighthawks 2-1
 * Florida Jr. Blades tied Metro Jets 2-2
 * Metro Jets defeated Chicago Cougars 5-1
 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Connecticut Nighthawks 3-2
 * Metro Jets defeated Connecticut Nighthawks 7-1
 * Florida Jr. Blades defeated Chicago Cougars 4-1

Results

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Syracuse Stars 4-0
 * Pittsburgh Vengeance defeated Florida Eels 4-2
 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Pittsburgh Vengeance 5-1
 * Syracuse Stars tied Florida Eels 4-4
 * Florida Eels defeated Hampton Roads Whalers 3-1
 * Syracuse Stars defeated Pittsburgh Vengeance 2-1

Results

 * Minnesota Blue Ox defeated New York Aviators 6-3
 * Charlotte Rush defeated New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 1-0
 * New York Aviators defeated New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 2-0
 * Minnesota Blue Ox tied Charlotte Rush 3-3
 * Charlotte Rush defeated New York Aviators 3-1
 * Minnesota Blue Ox defeated New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs 2-1

Results

 * Boston Bandits defeated Motor City Hockey Club 7-1
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Minnesota Moose 2-1
 * Minnesota Moose defeated Motor City Hockey Club 9-1
 * Boston Bandits defeated Jersey Hitmen 6-1
 * Boston Bandits defeated Minnesota Moose 4-3
 * Jersey Hitmen defeated Motor City Hockey Club 8-0

Semifinals

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Boston Bandits 5-1
 * Metro Jets defeated Minnesota Blue Ox 7-1

Final

 * Hampton Roads Whalers defeated Metro Jets 5-2