Tuesday, September 24, 2013

NAHL announces Easton Divisional Stars of the Week

Press Release

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) today announced the Divisional Stars of the Week presented by Easton for the week ending September 22, 2013.  The Divisional Stars of the Week is a weekly feature during the 2013-14 regular season that honors the top performing players in each of the four NAHL divisions as nominated by their respective teams. Only players that are nominated by their respective teams will be considered for the Divisional Players of the Week award.

Central Division Star of the Week: Jay Dickman, forward, Austin Bruins

Veteran Austin Bruins forward Jay Dickman, 20, was a one-man wrecking crew at the NAHL Showcase this past week. The Shoreview, Minnesota native helped the Bruins to a perfect 4-0 record and a share of the Showcase title thanks to his eight-point (6 goals, 2 assists) week. Dickman (6’6/225) started the Showcase off with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win over Port Huron. On Thursday, he had a goal in a 5-2 win over Lone Star.  Friday, Dickman had an assist in a come-from-behind 6-4 win over Michigan. He saved his best game for last on Saturday as he had four goals in a 5-1 win over Wichita Falls. He was also a remarkable +8 during the week.

2nd Star: Guillaume Leclerc, forward, Austin Bruins

Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Henry Dill, goaltender, Aberdeen Wings – Dillon Eichstadt, defenseman, Aberdeen Wings.

Midwest Division Star of the Week: Zach Quinn, goaltender, Kenai River Brown Bears

Of the three teams that went 4-0 at the NAHL Showcase, the only one that had the same goaltender win all four games was Kenai River and goaltender Zach Quinn. The 19-year-old from Westland, Michigan, helped the Brown Bears to a perfect 4-0 record, which included two shootout wins. For the week, Quinn (6’2/175) faced a total of 85 shots in the four games and stopped 79 of them, good for a 92.9% save percentage and a goals against average of 1.51 during the week. His best performance of the Showcase came in a 4-1 win over the defending Robertson Cup Champion Amarillo Bulls, in which he made 28 saves. “Zach really provided a spark for the rest of the team because he plays with such confidence,” said Brown Bears head coach Geoff Beauparlant. “Zach doesn’t give up a lot of rebounds and makes the crucial saves when he needs to in all types of situations.”

2nd Star: Jake Bushey, defenseman, Kenai River Brown Bears

Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Chase Perry, goaltender, Wenatchee Wild – Doug Rose, defenseman, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Colton Wolter, forward, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Richard Zehnal, forward, Coulee Region Chill – Jake Zeleznikar, defenseman, Coulee Region Chill.

North Division Star of the Week: Joe Drabin, forward, Johnstown Tomahawks

The Johnstown Tomahawks put together a 2-1-1 record at the NAHL Showcase and 18-year-old forward Joe Drabin led the way. The Rochester, New York native picked up a goal and five assists for a six-point week to lead the Tomahawks. Drabin (6’0/180) started the week with two assists in a 6-3 loss to Amarillo. The next night he had an assist in a 6-5 overtime loss to Topeka.  On Friday, Drabin had an assist in a 3-0 shutout of Aberdeen.  On the final day, Drabin had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Bismarck. He was also a +6 for the week. “Joe plays like a beast.  He is strong in the corners and really brings a physical presence to the team,” said Tomahawks head coach Jason Spence. “It pays off for him because he works hard and his determination leads to some scoring opportunities.”

2nd Star: Robin Hoglund, forward, Janesville Jets

Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Sandro Aeschlimann, goaltender, Springfield Jr. Blues - Jordan Himley, forward, Janesville Jets - Mitch Maloney, forward, Port Huron Fighting Falcons – Max Milosek, goaltender, Port Huron Fighting Falcons - Brandon Reinholz, forward, Johnstown Tomahawks – Trevor Stone, forward, Springfield Jr. Blues

South Division Star of the Week: Mike Gornall, forward, Topeka RoadRunners

The Topeka RoadRunners sit atop of the South Division thanks to a successful week in which they played five games, including four at the NAHL Showcase. Three of those games were wins and leading the way was 18-year-old rookie forward Mike Gornall. The Irwin, Pennsylvania native chimed in with five points (all assists) in the five games and was a +2 last week.  All of Gornall’s (5’11/200) points came in the three Topeka wins. He had two assists in Monday’s 6-0 home shutout of Odessa.  He had two more assists in a 6-5 win over Johnstown. He added another assist in a 2-1 win against the Soo Eagles. “Mike is a top athlete.  He works very hard on and off the ice,” said RoadRunners head coach Scott Langer. “He came to us as one of the top midget players in the country last season. Mike is of the hardest working guys and has unlimited potential to be a really special player.”

2nd Star: Olli Kalkaja, goaltender, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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