Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Players of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 22. Hall scored five goals with four assists for nine points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.

Hall and the Spitfires opened up their first round playoff series with the Owen Sound Attack Wednesday night in Windsor with a 7-4 win. Hall assisted on two goals by Rob Kwiet including the game-winner and later added an empty net goal to complete his three-point game. On Friday night on the road in game two, Hall scored two goals including one on the power play late in the second period and the game-winner in the first minute of the third period. He also tallied an assist on the insurance marker and was named second star of the game in the 7-5 win over the Attack. The series shifted back to Windsor for game three on Sunday and Hall led the way offensively with two goals and one assist as first star of the 6-1 win over the Attack. The Spitfires lead the first round series 3-0.

Hall, a 17-year-old from Kingston, ON is in his second OHL season with the Spitfires. The sophomore led the Spitfires in scoring and finished ranked sixth in the league with 90 points including 38 goals and 52 assists in 63 games. This is the second time this season Hall is the recipient of this award last winning for the week ending October 26, 2008. Hall is eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Also considered for the award this week is Cody Hodgson of the Brampton Battalion. He tallied eight points including three goals and five assists in two games highlighted by a hat-trick performance with an assist as first star of a 5-4 overtime win on Sunday over the Peterborough Petes. Nazem Kadri scored four goals and three assists for seven points in two games including a five-point and first star game Saturday with a hat-trick and two assists in an 8-1 win over the Erie Otters. In goal, Dan Spence of the Sarnia Sting made 52 saves Saturday to shutout the Plymouth Whalers 2-0 as first star of the game.

2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the Week

Mar. 23 – Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires
Mar. 16 – Logan Couture, Ottawa 67’s
Mar. 9 – John Tavares, London Knights
Mar. 2 – Mark Katic, Sarnia Sting
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 Matt Lowry of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Lowry picked up five points, scoring one goal and four assists to go with a +1 rating in two games over the last week, helping the Brandon Wheat Kings jump out to a 2-0 series lead over the Kootenay Ice in the 2009 Husky WHL Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals best-of-seven series.

On Friday, March 20th, the Wheat Kings (3) hosted the Kootenay Ice (6) at Westman Place in Brandon for game one of 2009 WHL Playoffs opening round series. Lowry picked up three assists as the Wheat Kings downed the Ice 7-2 and was also named the games 2nd Star.

Game two of the opening round series went the following evening, Saturday, March 21st, in Brandon. Lowry scored one goal and added an assist as the Wheat Kings defeated the Ice 4-1 in game two. He was also named the games 1st Star.

The Brandon Wheat Kings currently have a 2-0 series lead over the Kootenay Ice, with games three and four set in Cranbrook, British Columbia at the Recreation Complex on Tuesday, March 24th and Wednesday, March 25th at 7:00 pm (MST).

Lowry, from Neepawa, Manitoba, is currently playing his 20-year-old season with the Brandon Wheat Kings. After three full years in the Western Hockey League, starting with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Lowry has appeared in 209 regular season games, accumulating 160 points (47 goals, 113 assists).

The WHL has also nominated Martin Jones of the Calgary Hitmen for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Jones posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, allowing just one goal on 46 shots for a 0.500 goals-against average and .978 save percentage.

Jones, a 19-year-old (playing his 18-year-old season) from North Vancouver, British Columbia, is in his third season with the Calgary Hitmen. Jones was first among all WHL goaltenders at the conclusion of the regular season with 45 wins and third in the WHL with a 2.08 GAA.

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

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