Monday, February 10, 2014

NOJHL announces three stars of the week

Press Release

SUDBURY – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s 3 Stars of the week for the time period wrapping up Feb. 9 are Kirkland Lake Gold Miners defenceman Jonathon Langford, Soo Thunderbirds forward Gavin Burbach and  North Bay Trappers rookie goaltender Even Cormier.

JONATHON LANGFORD, (D) KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS – It was an impressive week that was for Langford as the Gold Miners’ defenceman almost double his season point total by scoring five times and adding a pair of assists helping Kirkland Lake go 2-0-1 in three games.

He began by connecting twice, including burying the game-winner, against Abitibi this past Wednesday.

Friday night he tacked on two more markers in a 4-3 overtime defeat to Elliot Lake and then rounded out his run by adding another goal along with a pair of helpers in a 7-3 win over the Espanola Rivermen on Saturday.

In all the North Cobalt, Ont., product who is in his last season of junior hockey has seen his side go 7-0-1 in contests in which he registers at least one point.

GAVIN BURBACH, (F) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – As the No. 1 ranked team in all of the 128-team Canadian Junior Hockey League rolls along, leading the way for the Soo Thunderbirds is their captain Gavin Burbach.

In two more Thunderbirds’ victories last week the 20-year-old veteran forward tacked on another five points as he increased his overall league-leading total to 78.

He started with a pair of tallies and an assist in a 5-1 victory over Elliot Lake on Wednesday.

Three nights later at Blind River he notched his NOJHL-best 42 goal of the season and set-up another in a 5-2 win over the Beavers.

Burbach has now scored at least one goal in 10 consecutive outings and is riding an 11-game point streak overall.

EVAN CORMIER, (G) NORTH BAY TRAPPERS – In his club’s lone start of the week the rookie netminder turned in a solid 39-save performance to backstop North Bay to a much-needed 3-1 triumph over Espanola on Sunday afternoon.

That comes off an impressive 55-stop night a week previously in a tough 1-0 setback to Sudbury.

On the season the 16-year-old native of Bowmanville, Ont., has faced the second most shots against in the NOJHL at 1,044.

Cormier also sits second in the league in save percentage at .915.

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

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