CHL Players of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that forward Drayson Bowman of the Spokane Chiefs is the Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 15. In two games Bowman tallied eight points including three goals and five assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

Bowman had a tremendous week offensively and led the Chiefs to two wins and was named first star of the game on both nights. On Wednesday night he recorded his first of two back-to-back four-point games with one goal and three assists as the Chiefs downed the visiting Everett Silvertips 7-2. On Friday night he scored two goals including a shorthanded marker plus two assists in a 5-2 victory over U.S Division rivals the Tri-City Americans. The defending Memorial Cup Champion Chiefs sit fourth place in the WHL’s Western Conference with 93 points.

Bowman, a 19-year-old from Littleton, Colorado, is in his fourth season in the WHL with the Chiefs. He is 15th in league scoring with 46 goals and 36 assists for 82 points in 61 games. He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in the third round, 72nd overall.

Joël Champagne of the QMJHL’s P.E.I Rocket was considered after he scored three goals and five assists for eight points in three games highlighted by a five-point game Wednesday night with two goals including the game-winner plus three assists as first star in a 7-5 win over the Halifax Mooseheads. Logan Couture of the Ottawa 67’s scored five goals and three assists for eight points in three games highlighted by a hat-trick performance as first star Sunday afternoon in a 5-3 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. His goals earned 67’s Hall of Fame Head Coach Brian Kilrea his 1193rd win in his 2156th and final regular season game behind the bench.

2008-09 Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week
Mar. 17 – Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
Mar. 10 – John Tavares, London Knights
Mar. 3 – Benjamin Casavant, P.E.I. Rocket
Feb. 24 – Matt Caria, Plymouth Whalers
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 Nicola Riopel of the Moncton Wildcats is the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 15. Riopel, a three-time winner of this award, posted a 1.33 goals-against-average with a .943 save percentage in three wins on the week. He completed the regular season by establishing a new QMJHL record for the lowest goals-against-average in a season with an outstanding mark of 2.01.

Riopel opened his week Tuesday night making 24 saves in a 5-2 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. On Friday night, Riopel made 17 saves and the Wildcats were victorious over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 4-1 and were crowned the Atlantic Division Champions. Riopel finished his record-setting week and regular season on Sunday with a 25 save performance as the Wildcats beat division rivals the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Riopel’s mark of 2.01 surpasses the previous record of 2.09 held by Patrick Couture during the 1997-98 season with the Val d’Or Foreurs and Quebec Remparts. The new record also helped the Wildcats establish a new QMJHL team record for fewest goals-against with 149 ahead of the 164 figure previously held by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles during the 2003-04 season.

Riopel, a 20-year-old from St-Pie-De-Bagot, Quebec, is in his fourth QMJHL season with the Wildcats. In addition to his record goals-against-average of 2.01 he led the league in wins with 43 and save percentage at .931. He also posted five shutouts.

Mike Murphy of the OHL’s Belleville Bulls received consideration for this award leading the Bulls to first place in the Eastern Conference Standings with three wins including one shutout. In three games he made 109 saves with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .965. Mark Friesen of the Chilliwack Bruins was the WHL nominee this week. The 18-year-old from Winkler, Manitoba won two games with a goals-against-average of 1.92 and save percentage of .939.

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2008-09 ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week
Mar. 17 – Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
Mar. 10 – Jaroslav Janus, Erie Otters
Mar. 3 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Feb. 24 – Adam Brown, Kelowna Rockets
Feb. 17 – Maxim Gougeon, Rimouski Oceanic
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)