OHL's Top Proformers for December

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Performers of the Month for December, 2008.

All Weather Windows OHL Player of the Month – Chris Terry, Plymouth Whalers

Chris Terry scored seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 10 games with a plus-minus rating of plus-2. He led the Plymouth Whalers to a December record of 7-4-1-0 which included a season-high four game winning streak to start the month. He recorded a point in nine of 10 games and had four multi-point games. He was named second star of the game on four different nights including December 13 when he scored the game-winning goal and added two assists in the 5-2 win over the Kitchener Rangers. He also scored two power play goals and added an assist in a 6-5 overtime loss on December 19 to the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.

Terry, a 19-year-old from Brampton, ON is in his fourth season with the Whalers and has 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 27 games this season. Last season he registered 101 points including 44 goals and 57 assists to finish sixth in league scoring. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes.

Kal Tire OHL Rookie of the Month – John Carlson, London Knights
John Carlson scored four goals and 10 assists for 14 points on defence in 10 games leading the London Knights to a December record of 9-1-0-0. Carlson recorded points in eight games with three multi-point games. His month was highlighted by a second star performance in a 5-2 win December 14 over the Sarnia Sting where he recorded one goal and three assists for the first four-point game of his career. On December 19 he scored a goal and an assist in a 5-4 overtime win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds where he was named first star of the game.

Carlson, an 18-year-old from Colonia, New Jersey, is in his first OHL season and is currently ranked third in rookie scoring with nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points in 31 games. His 37 points also has him ranked fifth amongst all defencemen. Carlson was drafted in the first round, 27th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

OHL Defenceman of the Month – Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Cameron Gaunce led all OHL defencemen in December scoring with four goals and 12 assists for 16 points and has a plus-minus rating of plus-5 in 11 games for the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. Gaunce led the Majors to a December record of 8-2-1-0 which included a season-high seven game winning streak. Gaunce had five multi-point games, scoring three points in four different games. He was named third star of the game twice and second star of the game two different times including his two goal and one assist performance in a 7-5 win over the Kitchener Rangers on December 28. Gaunce was named the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending December 14.

Gaunce, an 18-year-old from Markham, ON is in his second season with the Majors. His 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points in 37 games rank him sixth amongst OHL defencemen in scoring. Gaunce was selected in the second round, 50th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls
Mike Murphy carried his strong play between the pipes into December after also receiving this award for his efforts in November. He posted a 5-2-0-0 record for the Bulls with one shutout and with a goals-against-average of 1.72 and a league-best save percentage of .955. His shutout win came on December 11 when he made 34 saves and was the third star of the 4-0 road win over the OHL’s top ranked Windsor Spitfires. Murphy was also named first star of the game on December 28 when he made 35 saves in the 4-1 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. In two other victories this month Murphy was recognized as the second star of the game for his solid play in goal.

Murphy, a 19-year-old from Inverary, ON, is the reigning OHL Goaltender of the Year and currently has the lowest goals-against-average in the league at 2.03 and the best save percentage at .943 through 33 games this season with three shutouts. Murphy was selected in the sixth round, number 165 overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

2008-09 OHL Performers of the Month
All Weather Windows OHL Player of the Month
December – Chris Terry, Plymouth Whalers
November – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion
October – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting

Kal Tire OHL Rookie of the Month
December – John Carlson, London Knights
November – Evgeny Grachev, Brampton Battalion
October – John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves

OHL Defenceman of the Month
December – Cameron Gaunce
November – T.J. Brodie, Saginaw Spirit
October – Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires

OHL Goaltender of the Month
December – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls
November – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls
October – Andrew Engelage, Windsor Spitfires

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