Skinner wins honor

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that forward Jeff Skinner of the Kitchener Rangers is the Boston Pizza CHL 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 began his week with a two goal effort at home Tuesday night against the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. The Rangers forced a late comeback but fell to the Majors 5-4 in overtime. Despite the loss Skinner was named first star of the game. Skinner repeated as first star of the game Friday night with his best offensive performance of the week scoring two goals and one assist to upset the Saginaw Spirit 6-2. He also contributed an assist in a 7-4 loss Saturday to the Sarnia Sting before finishing the week strong on Sunday against the London Knights where he scored two points including a late third period goal to tie the game and force overtime. The Rangers would lose 3-2 to the Knights.

Skinner, a 16-year-old rookie from Markham, ON, is the youngest recipient of the award so far this season. In his first year with the Rangers he has compiled 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points in 51 games which has him ranked 10th in OHL rookie scoring. He has scored a point in eight consecutive games and leads the OHL in goals in the month of February with 11 in seven games.

Last week’s winner Yannick Riendeau was considered for the award again this week. The Drummondville Voltigeurs’ forward scored five goals including two game-winners plus two assists for seven points in three victories. Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen was also considered from the WHL after scoring five goals and six assists for 11 points in four games. Kozun scored two goals and one assist twice on the week and was named first star of the game both times including Tuesday night in the 8-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers and Saturday in a 5-2 win over the Regina Pats.

2008-09 Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week

Feb. 17 – Jeff Skinner, Kitchener Rangers
Feb. 10 – Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Feb. 3 – Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
Jan. 27 – Paul Byron, Gatineau Olympiques
Jan. 20 – Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings
Jan. 13 – Steven Anthony, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jan. 6 – Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Dec. 16 – Robert Slaney, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Dec. 9 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Dec. 2 – Andrej Nestrasil, Victoriaville Tigres
Nov. 25 – Scott Glennie, Brandon Wheat Kings
Nov. 18 – Mathew Sisca, Niagara IceDogs
Nov. 11 – Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Nov. 4 – Dana Tyrell, Prince George Cougars
Oct. 28 – Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 21 – Matthew Pistilli, Shawinigan Cataractes
Oct. 14 – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting
Oct. 7 – Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie Colts
Sept. 30 – Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Sept. 23 – Michael Stinziani, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Maxim Gougeon of the Rimouski Océanic is the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 15. Gougeon went 2-0-0-0 with one shutout for a goals-against-average of 0.48 and a .978 save percentage.

Gougeon and the Océanic began play on Wednesday night at home against a tough opponent the Quebec Remparts. Gougeon was perfect between the pipes stopping all 20 shots to lead the team to a 5-0 upset win where he was named first star of the game. The shutout was his fourth of the season. On Friday night Gougeon faced another challenge in the high-powered Moncton Wildcats. He stopped 25 shots including 14 in the third period and two in the extra frame before earning the win 2-1 in a shootout. The win marked the 10th straight victory for the Océanic.

Gougeon, a 20-year-old from Valleyfield, QC, is in his third QMJHL season and first with the Océanic. He is tied for fourth in the league with 28 wins this season and has posted a goals-against-average of 2.79 and a save percentage of .895. With their current winning streak the Océanic, hosts of the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup, have climbed their way to sixth place in the QMJHL standings with 71 points.

Jeremy Smith of the Niagara IceDogs was the top goaltender in the OHL this week posting a 2-0-0-1 record with a goals-against-average of 1.30 and a save percentage of .967 stopping 119 shots in three games. Also considered for this award is Juha Metsola of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Finnish native was perfect this week making 18 saves in a shutout win over the Kamloops Blazers 2-0 on Friday.

Celebrating its 134th anniversary, ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, is the largest provider of electronic security services to more than six million commercial, federal and residential customers throughout North America. ADT's total security solutions include intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control, critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated systems. ADT's web site addresses are www.adt.com or www.adt.ca.

2008-09 ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week

Feb. 17 – Maxim Gougeon, Rimouski Océanic
Feb. 10 – Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
Feb. 3 – Raffaele D’Orso, Val d’Or Foreurs
Jan. 27 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 20 – Matt Hackett, Plymouth Whalers
Jan. 13 – Olivier Roy, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Jan. 6 – Martin Jones, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 16 – Michael Hutchinson, Barrie Colts
Dec. 9 – Chet Pickard, Tri-City Americans
Dec. 2 – Torrie Jung, Edmonton Oil Kings
Nov. 25 – Antoine Lafleur, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Nov. 18 – Martin Jones, Calgary Hitmen
Nov. 11 – Tyson Sexsmith, Vancouver Giants
Nov. 4 – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls
Oct. 28 – Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
Oct. 21 – Brandon Foote, Brampton Battalion
Oct. 14 – Calvin Pickard, Seattle Thunderbirds
Oct. 7 – Olivier Roy, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Sept. 30 – Andrew Engelage, Windsor Spitfires
Sept. 23 – Jamie Tucker, Vancouver Giants


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