Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that rookie forward Jeff Skinner of the Kitchener Rangers is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 15. Skinner scored five goals and three assists for eight points in four games with a plus-minus rating of plus-7.
Skinner and the Rangers began play on Tuesday at home to the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. He scored the first two goals for the Rangers who made a late comeback to force overtime before falling to the Majors 5-4. Skinner was named first star of the game. His best game of the week came on Friday night when he would repeat as first star of the game on home ice, this time scoring two goals and adding an assist in the 6-2 win over the Saginaw Spirit. He recorded an assist on Saturday in a 7-4 loss to the Sarnia Sting before finishing the week by scoring a third period goal to tie the game plus one assist Sunday night despite a 3-2 overtime loss to the London Knights.
Skinner, a 16-year-old rookie from Markham, ON has registered a point in eight straight games for the Rangers and leads the OHL in goals scored this month with 11 through seven games. He currently ranks 10th in rookie scoring with 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points in 51 games. Skinner was a first round selection by the Rangers at the 2008 OHL Priority Selection.
Logan Couture of the Ottawa 67’s was also considered for the award this week after scoring two goals and five assists for seven points in three games. On Sunday he scored two goals and one assist plus the shootout winner as first star in the 5-4 win over the Owen Sound Attack. Josh Brittain of the Barrie Colts scored five goals and an assist for six points in three games highlighted by a hat-trick on Thursday night to lift the Colts past the Attack 3-2 in overtime as first star of the game. Jeremy Smith of the Niagara IceDogs led the way between the pipes with two wins posting a goals-against-average of 1.30 and a league-best save percentage of .967. Smith made 119 saves in three games.
2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the WeekFeb. 16 – Jeff Skinner, Kitchener Rangers
Feb. 9 – Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 2 – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 26 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 19 – Brett Parnham, Oshawa Generals
Jan. 12 – Marcus Carroll, Owen Sound Attack
Jan. 5 – Eric O’Dell, Sudbury Wolves
Dec. 15 – Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Dec. 8 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Dec. 1 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Nov. 24 – Eric Tangradi, Belleville Bulls
Nov. 17 – Mathew Sisca, Niagara IceDogs
Nov. 10 – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion
Nov. 3 – Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires
Oct. 27 – Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires
Oct. 20 – Brandon Foote, Brampton Battalion
Oct. 13 – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting
Oct. 6 – Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie Colts
Sept. 29 – Luke Pither, Guelph Storm
Sept. 22 – Matt Lyall, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Press Release
CALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen.
Kozun picked up 11 points, scoring five goals and six assists to go with a +9 rating in four games over the past week, helping the Hitmen post a 4-0-0-0 road record in that span.
On Tuesday, February 10th, the Hitmen played host to the Kamloops Blazers at the Pengrowth Saddledome. Kozun netted two goals and an assist as the Hitmen downed the Blazers 8-1. He was also named the games 1st Star.
On Friday, February 13th, the Hitmen began a three game road trip through the prairies with the first stop at Westman Place in the Keystone Centre to face the Brandon Wheat Kings. Kozun picked up one assist in the 4-2 victory over the Wheaties. The next night, Saturday, February 14th, the Hitmen were in Regina to take on the Pats. Kozun had another two goal performance and picked up an assist as the Hitmen downed the Pats 5-2 and earned 1st Star honors following the game.
The Hitmen rounded out three games in three nights at the Civic Centre in Moose Jaw on Sunday, February 15th, taking on the Warriors. Kozun scored one goal and three assists with the Hitmen defeating the Warriors 8-4. He was also named the games 2nd Star.
Kozun’s 11 points over the last four games has him sitting second among all WHL scorers with 96 points (37 goals, 59 assists) in 62 games and extends his point scoring streak to 12 games. The Hitmen have extended their winning streak to eight games along with a regulation unbeaten streak of 13 games (12-0-1-0). With a record of 51-7-3-1 the Calgary Hitmen continue to lead the WHL Central Division, Eastern Conference and entire WHL with 106 points, just 14 points shy of their Club record 120 points during the 1999-2000 season.
Kozun, an 18-year-old from Calgary, Alberta is currently playing his second full season in the Western Hockey League and with the Calgary Hitmen. He has appeared in 142 regular season games with the Hitmen collecting 57 goals, 94 assists for a career total of 151 points.
The WHL has also nominated Juha Metsola of the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Metsola posted a 1-0-0-0 record this past week with a shut-out, stopping all 23 shots faced for a 0.000 goals-against average and 1.000 save percentage.
Metsola, a19-year-old import from Tampere, Finland, is in his second season of play in the Western Hockey League and helped lead the Hurricanes to last year’s 2008 WHL Eastern Conference title. He was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 25th overall, at the 2007 CHL Import Draft.
Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week
Sept. 18 – Sept. 21: Jordan Weal, Regina Pats
Sept. 22 – Sept. 28: Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Sept. 29 – Oct. 5: Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Vancouver Giants
Oct. 6 – Oct. 12: Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
Oct. 13 – Oct. 19: Jay Fehr, Brandon Wheat Kings
Oct. 20 – Oct. 26: Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 27 – Nov. 2: Dana Tyrell, Prince George Cougars
Nov. 3 – Nov. 9: C.J. Stretch, Kamloops Blazers
Nov. 10 – Nov. 16: Andy Smith, Chilliwack Bruins
Nov. 17 – Nov. 23: Scott Glennie, Brandon Wheat Kings
Nov. 24 – Nov. 30: Taylor Procyshen, Tri-City Americans
Dec. 1 – Dec. 7: Brett Sonne, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 8 – Dec. 14: Ian Duval, Moose Jaw Warriors
Dec. 15 – Dec. 28: Brandon Kozun, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 29 – Jan. 4: Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Jan. 5 – Jan. 11: Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
Jan. 12 – Jan. 18: Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings
Jan. 19 – Jan. 25: Keith Seabrook, Calgary Hitmen
Jan. 26 – Feb. 1: Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
Feb. 2 – Feb. 8: Matt Calvert, Brandon Wheat Kings
Feb. 9 – Feb. 15: Brandon Kozun, Calgary Hitmen
Press Release
BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, February 16, 2009 – Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Yannick Riendeau and Rimouski Océanic goaltender Maxim Gougeon today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from February 9 to 15.
Riendeau takes home the award for a second consecutive week. The winger registered five goals, including two game-winners, and added two assists in three Voltigeurs wins, becoming the first player to reach the 100-point mark. Furthermore, he posted a +4 rating. Drummondville has now won seven straight contests. Riendeau has collected 47 goals and 105 points in 53 games so far this season.
Tomas Knotek (Mooseheads), Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll (Cataractes) and Sergey Ostapchuk (Huskies) were also considered.
On defence, goaltender Maxim Gougeon is the award-winner. In two starts, Gougeon helped the Océanic defeat two of the League’s top teams: The Quebec Remparts and the Moncton Wildcats. He posted a 0.48 goals-against-average and .978 save percentage during that span. Moreover, he collected a shutout versus the Remparts. Rimouski is on an eleven-game winning streak.
François Lévesque (Saguenéens), Dmitry Kulikov (Voltigeurs) and Patrik Prokop (Voltigeurs) were also strong candidates.
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)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment