Imports take the honors

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Andrei Loktionov of the Windsor Spitfires is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending May 3. Loktionov recorded five points in two games with three goals and two assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

Loktionov and the Spitfires began the Rogers OHL Championship Series against the Brampton Battalion Wednesday night at the WFCU Centre in Windsor. Loktionov opened the scoring at 6:22 of the first period of game one to give the Spitfires the early lead in front of a sellout crowd of 6,480 fans. After a Battalion goal to tie the game on the power play at 11:48 of the first, Loktionov responded notching the game-winner at 17:12 of the first period. He would also add a first period assist on the insurance marker to complete his three-point game in the 10-1 victory as second star of the game. On Friday night in game two, Loktionov was named first star of the game with an assist on the opening goal at 10:51 of the first period, and for delivering the game-winner at 13:50 of the second period to lead the Spitfires to a 5-3 win and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Championship Series.

Loktionov, an 18-year-old from Voskresensk, Russia, is in his first OHL season with the Spitfires. He is currently tied for second in playoff scoring with nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 17 games. He finished the regular season with 66 points including 24 goals and 42 assists in 51 games. He was selected in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Kings at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Taylor Hall of the Spitfires was also considered for scoring two goals and three assists for five points in two games, highlighted by a third star performance in the 10-1 Spitfires game one win Wednesday night with a goal and two assists. Honourable mention goes to Matt Kang of the Brampton Battalion who scored two goals as second star of the 5-3 loss to the Spitfires in game two Friday night. In goal, Andrew Engelage won both games for the Spitfires posting a goals-against-average of 2.00 and a save percentage of .922.

Press Release

The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Mikael Backlund of the Kelowna Rockets.
Backlund picked up six points, scoring five goals and one assist to go with a +4 rating in three games over the last week, helping the Kelowna Rockets claim the Kal Tire Western Conference Championship title over the Vancouver Giants, and open up the WHL Championship Series with two road victories over the Calgary Hitmen.

On Monday, April 27th, the Rockets hosted the Vancouver Giants at Prospera Place in Kelowna leading the Western Conference Championship 3-2. Backlund netted his first career hat-trick, which included the over-time winner, as the Rockets defeated the Giants 5-4 to advance to the WHL Championship Series. He was also named the games 1st Star.

Games one and two of the 2009 WHL Championship Series went at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary on Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd. In game one Backlund picked up an assist on the Rockets first power play goal as Kelowna downed the Hitmen 3-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. In game two Backlund found the back of the net twice, which included the game winner, as the Rockets jump out to a 2-0 series lead in the WHL Championship Series with a 5-2 win over the Hitmen.

The 2009 WHL Championship Series now shifts to Kelowna, B.C. with the Rockets holding a 2-0 edge on the Hitmen. Games three and four are set at Prospera Place on Monday, May 4th and Wednesday, May 5th at 7:00 pm PT.

Backlund, from Vasteras, Sweden, is playing his 19 year-old-season with the Kelowna Rockets. The Rockets selected Backlund 43rd overall at the 2007 CHL Import Draft but did not make his debut in the WHL until this January following the 2009 World Junior Championships in Ottawa. The first round – 24th overall selection of the Calgary Flames at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft appeared in his first NHL game on January 8th prior to joining the Rockets on January 12th.

The WHL has also nominated Mark Guggenberger of the Kelowna Rockets for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Guggenberger posted a 3-0 record this past week, allowing seven goals on 75 shots for a 2.280 goals-against average and .907 save percentage.

Guggenberger, a 19 year-old from Richfield, Minnesota, is in his second season of play in the WHL. After joining the Kelowna Rockets from the Swift Current Broncos earlier this year he posted an impressive 17-3-1-2 record to close out the regular season. Thus far in the playoffs Guggenberger’s record stands at 14-4 with a 2.130 GAA and .911 save percentage.

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