News in the CHL

QMJHL Telus Players of the Week

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, October 20, 2008 – Shawinigan Cataractes forward Matthew Pistilli and teammate Simon Lacroix today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from October 13 to 19.

In three Cataractes victories, Pistilli collected six goals and four helpers while posting a +4 rating. He enjoyed his best game of the week on Friday, registering three goals and two assists in an 8-3 win over the Rimouski Océanic. It was Pistilli’s fourth career hat-trick and helped him extend his goal-scoring streak to four games. The Montreal native is one point short of the 200-point mark.

Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll (Cataractes), Félix Petit (Drakkar) and Alexandre Labonté (Tigres) were also considered.

The defensive player of the week is none other than Simon Lacroix. In three games, the blueliner collected four goals, including a game-winner, and added five assists while posting a +4 rating. Of note, he registered three points in each Shawinigan win. Lacroix had his best outing of the week on Saturday, scoring both the game-tying goal and the game-winner in a 7-5 victory over the struggling Foreurs. Thanks to four consecutive wins, the Cataractes are tied for first place in the TELUS Central division standings with the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Mark Barberio (Wildcats), Timo Pielmeier (Cataractes) and Nicola Riopel (Wildcats) were also strong candidates.

Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that goaltender Brandon Foote of the Brampton Battalion is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 19. In four games Foote backstopped the Battalion to a 4-0-0-0 record with two shutouts, a goals-against-average of 1.75 and a 0.929 save percentage.

Foote began the week by making 16 saves Monday afternoon to shutout the Sudbury Wolves 4-0 in Brampton where he was named the third star of the game. On Thursday night he made 37 saves in a 5-4 Battalion victory over the Barrie Colts. On Friday night Foote recorded his second shutout of the week and season when he made 23 saves in a close 1-0 road win over the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors and received first star of the game honours. His week concluded with a 16 save performance in a 5-3 home win over the Majors on Sunday.

A native of Whitby, ON, Foote is in his rookie season with the Battalion. The 17-year-old leads all rookie goaltenders this season with six wins, two shutouts, and a 2.35 goals-against-average.

Other top performers receiving consideration this week included Joey Hishon of the Owen Sound Attack who scored five goals and two assists for seven points in three games. Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires scored three goals and five assists for eight points in four games and ranks first amongst defencemen in scoring. Justin DiBenedetto of the Sarnia Sting followed up his Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week performance of last week with three goals and six assists for nine points in two games this week.

Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week

CALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Jay Fehr of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Fehr picked up nine points, scoring five goals and four assists to go with a +5 rating, in three games over the past week, helping the Wheat Kings post a 2-0-1-0 record in that span.

On Thanksgiving Monday, October 13th, the Wheat Kings were at Rexall Place in Edmonton taking on the Oil Kings. Fehr scored two goals and two assists in a game that saw the Wheat Kings fall to the Oil Kings 6-5 in overtime. He was also named the games 2nd Star.

On Friday, October 17th, two days after the Wheat Kings were selected to host the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup, they were back in the friendly confines of Westman Place hosting the Portland Winter Hawks. Fehr netted another two goals and added two assists as the Wheat Kings downed the Winter Hawks 5-1. He was also named the games 1st Star.

The next evening, Saturday, October 18th, East Division rivals the Swift Current Broncos paid a visit to Brandon to face the Wheat Kings. Fehr picked up one goal as the Wheat Kings defeated the Broncos 3-1.

With the two victories and overtime loss the Brandon Wheat Kings are starting to creep up the WHL East Division and Western Conference standings with a 7-4-1-0 record.

Fehr, a 19 year-old centreman from Morden, Manitoba, is in his third season with the Wheat Kings. Last season in 64 games played he scored 16 goals and added 31 assists for 47 points.

The WHL has also nominated Martin Jones of the Calgary Hitmen for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Jones posted a 3-0-0-0 record this past week with a shut-out, allowing just four goals on 68 shots for a 1.330 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.

Jones, an 18 year-old from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is in his third season with the Calgary Hitmen. After going unselected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Jones was offered a free agent try-out with the Los Angeles Kings later in the summer. Following a great rookie camp and tremendous main camp the Kings decided to sign Jones to a three year entry level NHL contract.

That's My Take

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