Nick Abruzzese scored twice in Chicago’s game in Sioux Falls on Friday before dishing out three assists to help the Steel to a 5-3 victory over the Sioux City Musketeers on Saturday night. With his five-point weekend, the Harvard commit climbed to the top of the USHL scoring race and now leads the league with 54 points (18G, 36A) through just 41 games.
His 36 assists are second among all USHL players, he is tied for the team lead with his 18 goals and he leads the Steel with his 36 assists and 54 points, 10 assists and 19 points more than the next highest total. Since Jan. 1, Abruzzese has recorded 20 points (10G, 10A) in just 13 games, tied for the second-highest point total among all USHL players during that stretch.
There have only been 10 games this season in which he has not recorded a point, compared to the 16 times this year in which he has recorded multiple points in a game. This is the second time this season Abruzzese has been named USHL Forward of the Week, as he previously earned weekly honors on Dec. 3.
The Slate Hill, NY native is in his second USHL season and put up 36 points (13G, 23A) during the 2017-18 campaign. He was ranked 200th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s January Midterm Rankings and was acquired by Chicago on May 3, 2017 after originally being drafted by the Lincoln Stars in the 15th round, 241st overall in the 2016 USHL Phase II Draft. Prior to his time in the USHL, Abruzzese played for the New Jersey Junior Titans (NAHL) and North Jersey Avalanche (T1EHL).
