Tuesday, October 22, 2013

MJHL Announces Three Stars of the Week

Press Release

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – The Metropolitan Junior Hockey League is pleased to announce its “Three Stars of the Week” for the period ending October 19, 2013. The three stars program is a weekly award given to the top performers in MJHL games, regardless of position, for the previous week. The awards are scored on a 5-3-1 point basis to assist in determining top performers for the year-end awards.

This week, Northern Cyclones goaltender Jimmy Poreda (’96 birth year/Tonawanda, NY) is the league’s 1st Star, New York Apple Core defenseman Brian Hurley (’94 birth year/Long Beach, NY) is the league’s 2nd Star and New York Saints goaltender Phil Babb (’96 birth year/Old Tappan, MA) is the league’s 3rd Star.

Poreda takes home this week’s top honor after having a 2-0 week, defeating the Boston Bandits in a shootout, and the Junior Titans. Poreda allowed four goals on eighty-two shots and was especially sharp against the Bandits, making forty-three saves in handing the Bandits their second overtime defeat.

“Jimmy Poreda was excellent this week,” said Cyclones Head Coach Frank O’Connor. “On Wednesday against the Bandits, he controlled the game in net making some very acrobatic saves. He kept us in the game and ultimately won the game for our team. He had a shaky start to his game on Saturday against the Titans, but was able to battle through that adversity to help us win on a total team effort.”

The league’s second star is Hurley, a high-scoring defenseman for the New York Apple Core and Head Coach Jon Sandos. After picking up five points (2G 3A) in the Core’s two game sweep over the Brewster Bulldogs this weekend, as part of the “Core for a Cure” fundraiser, Hurley is now second on the team in points and tied for first on the team in goals. Hurley is currently tied for second in scoring among MJHL defensemen,

“Brian is someone I look for on the bench, in all situations,” said Apple Core Assistant Coach John Petito. “Not only has he been dynamic in all three zones, he’s got natural leadership qualities. He has the mindset where he wants teams to fear him, but more importantly respect him, both on and off the ice, and he’s established that.”

Rounding out this week’s stars of the week is Babb, a first year goalie for the New York Saints. Babb was outstanding in the Saints 2-1 shootout victory over the Hartford Junior Wolfpack, enabling the Saints to get a split in their home and home weekend series. Babb made twenty-seven saves and was unscored upon in the shootout to put the Saints in position to pick up their third win of the year.

“Babb was ‘a wall’ in his performance on Sunday,” said Saints Head Coach Ken Scarpa. “He made multiple saves of the highlight reel. His most outstanding one came in the second when he robbed the Hartford player camped on the left post by extending his left pad while positioned on the other post. He also stopped all seven attempts in the shootout providing the backbone in the eventual win. His lateral ability and his focus on not allowing rebounds all pointed his securing the win and rebounding off a previous disappointing game.”
Receiving honorable mention this week:

·       Boston Bandits goaltender Nick Cambria (’94 birth year/West Bridgewater, MA)
·       Philadelphia Little Flyers forward Ryan Camp (’95 birth year/Lawrenceville, NJ)
·       Connecticut Junior Oilers forward Tommy Green (’96 birth year/Cos Cob, CT)
·       New York Apple Core forward Keiran Hurley (’96 birth year/Long Beach, NY)
·       Philadelphia Junior Flyers forward Eric Kantner (’95 birth year/Temple, PA)
·       Boston Bandits goaltender Tyler Miller (’95 birth year/Worcester, MA)
·       Cranston Reds forward Michael Pesola (’94 birth year/Coventry, RI)
·       Cranston Reds forward Michael Ranalli (’97 birth year/East Greenwich, RI)
·       Boston Junior Rangers forward Tommy Royer (’94 birth year/South Burlington, VT)
·       Cranston Reds forward Connor Rubin (’95 birth year/Newport, RI)
·       New York Saints goaltender Tyler Stark (’93 birth year/Suffern, NY)
·       Philadelphia Little Flyers defenseman Alexander Tan (’95 birth year/Newark, DE)

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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