Friday, January 3, 2014

OHL Top Performers for December

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the Top OHL Performers of the Month for December, 2013, including Max Domi of the London Knights, defenceman Roland McKeown of the Kingston Frontenacs, rookie Andrew Mangiapane of the Barrie Colts, and goaltender Franky Palazzese of the Sudbury Wolves.

OHL Player of the Month – Max Domi (London Knights):
Max Domi of the London Knights is the OHL’s Player of the Month after leading the league in scoring with 23 points in 10 games including 11 goals and 12 assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.  The Phoenix Coyotes prospect recorded a point in the Knights’ final nine games of December and is currently on a 10-game point-streak which is the fourth longest active streak in the OHL and one game short of his career-high 11-game point-streak to commence the 2012-13 season.  Domi collected seven multi-point games during his point-streak last month including three four-point performances including two for the week ending December 15 when he was named OHL Player of the Week highlighted by a first star performance with two goals and two assists in a 6-4 win over the Kingston Frontenacs.

Domi, an 18-year-old from Toronto, ON, is playing in his third OHL season with the Knights.  Selected in the first round, 12th overall, by the Coyotes in the 2013 NHL Draft, Domi is currently tied for ninth in OHL scoring with 53 points in 32 games including 20 goals and 33 assists.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Roland McKeown (Kingston Frontenacs):
Roland McKeown of the Kingston Frontenacs led all blueliners in scoring in December to claim OHL Defenceman of the Month honours.  The 2014 NHL Draft prospect scored three goals with eight assists for 11 points in eight games and produced a plus-minus rating of plus-9.  McKeown produced a point in five of his eight games played last month including three multi-point games including his final two games before the holiday break.  He scored a goal and two assists as third star of a 4-1 win over the Peterborough Petes on December 19, then one day later December 20 when he tied a career-high with four points scoring two goals and two assists as first star of an 8-5 win over the Ottawa 67’s.

McKeown, a 17-year-old from Listowel, ON, is playing in his second career OHL season with the Frontenacs.  Selected second overall in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, McKeown is eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft and will compete with Team Cherry at the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on January 15 in Calgary.  He is 10th in scoring among OHL defencemen with 27 points in 34 games and holds the ninth highest plus-minus rating in the league at plus-26.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Andrew Mangiapane (Barrie Colts):
Andrew Mangiapane of the Barrie Colts is the OHL Rookie of the Month for December after leading all rookies in scoring with 16 points in 10 games.  He scored eight goals and eight assists and produced an impressive plus-minus rating of plus-13 which was tied for third highest among all players last month.  He produced five multi-point games scoring his first career hat-trick on December 14 as first star of a 4-3 win over the Windsor Spitfires, then followed that performance with his first career four-point game on December 19 with two goals and two assists as second star of a 7-2 win over the Sarnia Sting.

Mangiapane, a 17-year-old from Bolton, ON, committed to the Colts as a free agent prior to this season.  The former Toronto Jr. Canadiens forward is eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft and is currently third in OHL rookie scoring with 29 points in 38 games including a rookie-high 15 goals.

Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month – Franky Palazzese (Sudbury Wolves):
Franky Palazzese of the Sudbury Wolves is the Vaughn OHL Goaltender of the Month after posting an 8-1-0-0 record including seven straight wins in December that helped boost the Wolves into first place in the Central Division standings.  He earned one shutout victory and posted a goals-against-average of 2.19 with a save percentage of .928 while finishing fifth in the league in saves last month with 258.   The overage netminder was recognized five different times as a star of the game including three first star honours including December 10 with 34 saves in a 4-2 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, December 15 when his 25 saves blanked the North Bay Battalion, and on New Year’s Eve when he made 41 saves in a big 2-1 shootout victory over the northern rival Battalion.

Palazzese, a 20-year-old from Toronto, ON, is playing in his fourth full OHL season and second season with the Wolves after joining the club midway through last season.  In 32 games this season he hold an 18-10-2-2- record with two shutouts, a goals-against-average of 3.25 and a save percentage of .910.


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

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