Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ellis Player of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that defenceman Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 19. Ellis led the OHL with seven points including two goals and five assists in three games with a plus minus rating of plus-1.

Ellis and the Spitfires opened the Rogers Western Conference Championship Series Wednesday night at home to the London Knights. Trailing 3-1 to the Knights in game one, Ellis led the charge in the third period with a power play blast from the point to bring the Spits to within one. He assisted on an Andrei Loktionov power play goal one minute later which tied the game. In overtime on the power play, Ellis rifled another shot from the point through traffic which found the back of the net to give the Spitfires a 4-3 win. With three points, Ellis was named first star of the game. Game two shifted to London Friday night where the Knights evened the series at one game apiece with a 6-5 overtime win. Ellis contributed two assists in the second period despite the loss. On Sunday night back in Windsor, Ellis had another two assists as he set up the game-tying goal at 18:09 of the third period and the overtime winner at 8:52 of the extra frame to give the Spitfires a 5-4 win and a 2-1 series lead over the Knights.

Ellis, an 18-year-old from Freelton, ON, is in his second OHL season and is currently tied for first in league playoff scoring with teammate Taylor Hall with 24 points including eight goals and 16 assists in 13 games. He is ranked 16th overall amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft which takes place this June.

Also considered for the award this week is Nick Palmieri of the Belleville Bulls who scored three goals and three assists in three games with a week highlighted by a five-point game Sunday night in a 6-2 win over the Brampton Battalion. His hat-trick and two assists gave him first star of the game honours as the Bulls grabbed a win in the Rogers Eastern Conference Championship Series where they trail the Battalion 2-1. John Carlson of the London Knights also scored three goals and three assists in three games. In goal, Andrew Engelage of the Windsor Spitfires won two games and lost one in overtime making 96 saves in three games.



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

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