CHL Players of the Week

QMJHL Press Release

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, September 29, 2008 – Shawinigan Cataractes forward Nicholas Petersen and Montreal Juniors goaltender Jake Allen today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from September 22 to 28.

In three Cataractes wins, Petersen registered three goals, including a game-winner, on fourteen shots and chipped in four assists while maintaining a +1 (plus/minus) differential. The right-winger enjoyed his best game of the week on Tuesday, collecting five points in a 7-1 rout of the Victoriaville Tigres. Shawinigan trails Drummondville by only one point in the TELUS Central division standings.

Garbriel Lévesque (Huskies), Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll (Cataractes) and Matt Fillier (Junior) were also considered.

The defensive player of the week award goes to Juniors goaltender Jake Allen. In two games, he earned two wins while posting a 1.50 goals-against-average and .955 save percentage. Friday, the St. Louis Blues draft pick stopped 32 shots in a 6-3 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs. Then, on Sunday, Allen kicked away 31 pucks to guide Montreal to a 5-0 victory over the Gatineau Olympiques. It was the backstop’s third career shutout.

Nicola Riopel (Wildcats), Marc-André Bourdon (Huskies) and Alex Wall (Junior) were also strong candidates.

OHL Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Luke Pither of the Guelph Storm is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending September 28 after scoring three goals and three assists for six points in three games.

Pither led the Midwest Division leading Guelph Storm to three wins on the week, scoring in each game. He scored a goal to help defeat the Erie Otters 5-1 on Friday and had a goal and two assists and was the second star of the game in a 5-3 road win against the Plymouth Whalers on Saturday. Pither capped off the weekend with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win at home over the London Knights on Sunday. He was the third star of the game finishing the week with a plus-1 plus-minus rating.

Pither, a 19-year-old from Burketon, ON is in his fourth OHL season and third with the Storm. He scored 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in 51 games last season.

John Tavares also had an impressive week with three goals and three assists for the Oshawa Generals in three games while Ottawa 67’s rookie Tyler Toffoli had a goal and four assists in three games.

WHL Press Release

CALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Joel Broda of the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Broda picked up six points, scoring five goals and one assist to go with a +4 rating, in three games over the past week, helping the Warriors post a 3-0 record in that span.

Broda returned to the Warriors from Washington Capitals training camp just in time to join his Club on the road Wednesday, September 24th in Prince Albert to take on the Raiders. In his first game back, Broda netted a shorthanded goal as the Warriors downed the Raiders 4-3. He was also named the games 1st Star.

On Friday, September 26th the Warriors travelled to Westman Place in Brandon to face the Wheat Kings. Broda scored two goals and an assist as the Warriors defeated the Wheat Kings 6-3. He was also named the games 1st Star.

On Saturday, September 27th the Warriors hosted the Wheat Kings at the Civic Centre for the second half of the home and home series. Broda added two more goals to his weekly total and helped his Warriors down the Wheat Kings for the second time in as many nights, 5-2. He was also named the games 3rd Star.

Broda, an 18-year-old from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, is in his fourth season of play in the Western Hockey League, a career that began with the Tri-City Americans prior to joining the Warriors at the start of last season. He was selected in the 5th round at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals.

The WHL has also nominated Kent Simpson of the Everett Silvertips for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award.

On Friday, September 26th, Simpson made his first ever WHL Regular Season start as his Silvertips hosted U.S. Division rivals the Portland Winter Hawks. Simpson stopped all 28 shots faced as the Silvertips defeated the Winter Hawks 2-0. He was also named the games 1st Star.

The Brandon Wheat Kings have acquire James Priestner from the Kamloops Blazers for a 3rd round selection in the 2009 Bantam Draft.

That's My Take

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)