Monday, February 23, 2009

Weekly Awards

Press Release

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, February 23, 2009 – Quebec Remparts forward Mikhail Stefanovich and Moncton Wildcats goaltender Nicola Riopel today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from February 16 to 22.

Stefanovich recorded six goals on twenty-six shots and added three assists to help the Remparts win three out of four games. Moreover, he posted a +5 rating. The Russian forward enjoyed his best game of the week on Sunday, scoring four goals in an 8-4 victory over the Mooseheads in Halifax. The Remparts are first in the TELUS Eastern division standings with 93 points.

Jordan Caron (Océanic), Dmitri Kugryshev (Remparts) and Yannick Riendeau (Voltigeurs) were also considered.

On defence, goaltender Nicola Riopel wins the award for a seventh time this season. In three starts, the Wildcats backstop earned three wins while posting a 1.31 goals-against-average and .954 save percentage. He faced an average of 28 shots per game. Finally, Riopel enabled Moncton to defeat teams with impressive regular season records, including Shawinigan and Cape Breton.

Sébastien Piché (Océanic), Mickael Audette (Huskies) and Maxime Ouimet (Océanic) were also strong candidates.

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Matt Caria of the Plymouth Whalers is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 22. Caria scored two goals with eight assists for 10 points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

On Friday night Caria scored one goal and two assists as part of a five-goal first period for the Whalers as they defeated the Sarnia Sting on the road 8-3. Caria would add a second period goal to complete his four-point night and was named third star of the game. On Saturday the Whalers had their six-game winning streak snapped against the Erie Otters losing 7-4. Caria contributed two assists in the loss. On Sunday he would put together another four-point game, assisting on every goal as the Whalers beat the Saginaw Spirit 4-1. Caria was named second star of the game.

Caria, a 20-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, ON, is in his fourth OHL season and first with Plymouth joining the Whalers midway through the 2008-09 campaign. He is currently tenth in league scoring with 22 goals and 50 assists for 72 points in 58 games. The Whalers, 8-2 in their last 10 games, have jumped to fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

Also considered this week was Brett Parnham of the Oshawa Generals who scored six goals and four assists for 10 points in four games. Parnham had a four-point night and was first star in a 7-5 win over the Saginaw Spirit last Monday. Brandon Biggers of the Erie Otters scored five goals and two assists for seven points in three games including a hat-trick and an assist for first star honours in the 7-4 win over the Plymouth Whalers on Saturday. In goal, Michael Hutchinson was perfect making 25 saves to shutout the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 6-0 Friday as third star of the game.

2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the Week
Feb. 23 – Matt Caria, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 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 Tyler Ennis of the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Ennis picked up eight points, scoring five goals and three assists in three games over the past week, helping the Tigers post a 2-1-0-0 road record in that span.

On Wednesday, February 18th, the Tigers hosted the surging Brandon Wheat Kings at the Medicine Hat Arena. Ennis picked up one assist in the contest as the Tigers fell 4-1 to the Wheaties.

On Friday, February 20th, the Tigers travelled down ‘Highway 3’ to face WHL Central Division rivals the Hurricanes at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge. Ennis netted a power play goal and added an assist as the Tigers downed the Hurricanes 6-3. The next evening, Saturday, February 21st, the second half of the home-and-home series was played out between the Tigers and ‘Canes at the Arena in Medicine Hat. Ennis scored four goals and added an assist as the Tigers swept the weekend series with an 8-3 win. He was also named the games 1st Star.

Ennis’ 8 points over the last three games has him sitting 14th among all WHL scorers with 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists) in 52 games and extends his point scoring streak to 6 games. The Tigers have won four of their last five games and sit fourth in the WHL Eastern Conference with a record of 33-23-4-3 for 73 points.

Ennis, a 19-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta is currently playing his fourth full season in the Western Hockey League with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He was selected in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres and recently helped lead Canada to its fifth straight Gold medal at the 2009 World junior Championships.

The WHL has also nominated Adam Brown of the Kelowna Rockets for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Brown posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week, stopping 56 of 57 shots faced for a 0.460 goals-against average and .982 save percentage.

Brown, a 17-year-old rookie from Yorba Linda, California, is in his first season of play in the Western Hockey League. He has appeared in 27 games for the Rockets this season posting a 17-4-0-1 record with two shut-outs, 2.01 GAA and a 0.912 save percentage.

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
Feb. 16 – Feb. 22: Tyler Ennis, Medicine Hat Tigers

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

No comments: