Tuesday, October 29, 2013

NAPHL announces Franklin Peak Performers for October

Press Release

The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) announced its Franklin Virtual High School Peak Performers for the month of October.  The players were selected based upon their performance at the second NAPHL event of the season, which took place at Sharks Ice in San Jose, California from October 18-21, 2013.

18U Franklin Peak Performer (Offense) – Hunter Stanley, forward, California Titans

The California Titans 18U club was able to climb the NAPHL standings thanks to a 3-1-1 showing in San Jose earlier this month at the NAPHL West Showcase. 17-year-old forward Hunter Stanley led the way with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in the five games on his way to being named as the Franklin Virtual High School 18U Offensive Peak Performer from the event. The native of Camarillo, California began the event with a shorthanded assist in a 3-2 win over previously unbeaten Anaheim. After going scoreless in their only regulation loss of the event to Phoenix, Stanley (6’3/190) then went off for four goals and an assist in a 7-2 win over Cleveland, in which he also had the game-winning goal. That same day, Stanley then scored two goals and added two assists in a 5-2 win over San Jose. He finished the event with two assists and a shootout goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Pikes Peak Miners. For the 2013-14 season, Stanley not only leads the Titans 18U team in scoring, but also shares the NAPHL 18U scoring lead with 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in 10 games played to date. “Hunter uses his size well. He is strong on the puck and that allows him to be successful at this level,” said Titans head coach Luc Beausoleil. “He is a very hard worker. He works just as hard in practice as he does a game.”

#2 Star: Teemu Runsala, forward, California Titans

#3 Star: Elijah Barriga, forward, Anaheim Jr. Ducks

18U Franklin Peak Performer (Defense) – Joseph Recktenwald, goaltender, Esmark Stars

The Esmark Stars 2,300-mile trip to San Jose was well worth it as they were the only team in the 18U Division to post a perfect 5-0 record at the event. Backstopping the team was first-year 18U goalie Joseph Recktenwald.  The 17-year-old native of South Park, Pennsylvania, won Franklin Virtual High School 18U Defensive Peak Performers honors for his solid work in San Jose. Recktenwald (5’11/155) went 3-0 at the event with a 1.33 goals against average and a 92.7% save percentage. He began the event with a 17-save performance in a 5-2 win over the San Jose Jr. Sharks. Recktenwald was even better two days later as he allowed just a single goal in a 3-1 win over the Pikes Peak Miners, where he also made 21 saves. On the final day, Recktenwald made 13 saves in a 5-1 win over the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks. To date, Recktenwald has a 4-1-1 record his season in NAPHL play with a 2.00 goals against average and a 90.2% save percentage. “Joseph did a real good job of maintaining focus during the event,” said Esmark 18U head coach Dave Kosick. “He is very sound technically and has great reflexes, which are making him an elite goaltender at this level.”

#2 Star: Samu Suominen, defenseman, California Titans

#3 Star: Rock Boynton, goaltender, Anaheim Jr. Ducks

16U Franklin Peak Performer (Offense) – Cody Key, forward, California Titans

Like the 18U club, the 16U California Titans also posted a 3-1-1 record in San Jose. Offensively, there was no one better at the event than Titans 16U forward Cody Key.  The 16-year-old from Fresno, California, had an event to remember as he racked up 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) in just five games. Key (6’0/160) started the event in grand style with a five-point game, which included a goal and four assists in a 14-1 win over Phoenix. In the second game, Key added another goal and two assists in a 7-0 win over the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks. Later that day, he had a goal in regulation and another in the shootout in a 4-3 shootout loss to Anaheim. In the fourth game, he had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Pikes Peak Miners. On the final day, he had two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist in a 3-1 win over the Esmark Stars. Key’s 23 points to date not only leads the Titans 16U team in scoring, but the entire NAPHL as well. “Cody has taken on a leadership role since the beginning of the season,” said Titans coach Luc Beausoleil. “Last year, he was overshadowed a bit because we had a lot of talent, but this year he has proven he is that top-level guy. His work ethic on and off the ice has been outstanding and he is focused on developing into a premier level junior hockey player one day.”

#2 Star: Evan Pace, forward, San Jose Jr. Sharks

#3 Star: Matthew Ebertin, forward, San Jose Jr. Sharks

16U Franklin Peak Performer (Defense) – Devin Cooley, goaltender, San Jose Jr. Sharks

Last month, it was teammate Jacob Acton who was honored as the 16U Defensive Peak Performer, but this month San Jose goaltender Devin Cooley, 16, has been tagged with the award thanks to his perfect performance in San Jose. The Los Gatos, California native played in two games in San Jose and posted shutouts in both of them, helping the Jr. Sharks post the only perfect 5-0 record at the event for any 16U team. Cooley’s (6’3/151) first game of the event was his best, as he stopped all 25 shots that came his way in a 1-0 win over the Pikes Peak Miners. A day later he stopped all 12 shots that came his way in a 14-0 shutout of Cleveland. In total, Cooley faced 37 shots at the event and stopped all of them. Cooley is part of a Sharks goaltending tandem that has allowed just 14 goals in the first 10 games of the season. “Devin came up big for us in San Jose. He was the best player for us in each game he played,” said San Jose assistant coach Mike Janda. “Whenever you win a game 1-0, the first guy you look to is your goalie. Devin has had continued success because of his size and his athletic ability, both of which help him make the routine and spectacular saves.”

#2 Star: Austin Pickford, defenseman, California Titans

#3 Star: Zach Fobar, defenseman, San Jose Jr. Sharks

The NAPHL is comprised of six regular-season events leading up to its Championship Tournament Series in which the top teams at each level compete for a league championship. The third NAPHL event of the 2013-14 season will take place from November 8-10 at Canlan Ice Sports in Romeoville, Illinois. It will feature all 16 of the NAPHL’s 18U teams, each playing in four games.

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

No comments: