NA3HL announces Bauer Divisional Stars of the Week
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) today announced the Divisional Stars of the Week presented by Bauer Hockey for the week ending January 14, 2018. The divisional stars of the week is an award given each week of the regular season to the top performing players in each of the eight divisions of the NA3HL as nominated by their head coaches.
Central Division Star of the Week: Will Graves, Goalie, La Crosse Freeze
Graves, 20, had himself a really good weekend for the La Crosse Freeze as they split with the North Iowa Bulls. The highlight of the weekend came on Saturday night as Graves became the first goaltender ever to shutout the Bulls at their home barn. Graves stopped all 32 shots that North Iowa threw his way in a 2-0 Freeze win. Graves is currently 11-5-1 with three shutouts.
2nd Star: Brendan Earls, G, Wisconsin Whalers
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Colin Cain, G, North Iowa Bulls – Connor Clemons, F, North Iowa Bulls – Zane Marshman, F, Wisconsin Whalers
Coastal Division Star of the Week: Nate Jefferys, Forward, Cape Cod Islanders
The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan had his best weekend of the season as he tallied three points in a series split with the Long Beach Sharks. On Friday night, Jefferys scored a goal and an assist in a 4-1 Islanders victory. His goal proved to be the game winner. On Saturday, the 19-year old found the scoresheet again, netting his fifth goal of the season. He also had a plus-3 rating over the weekend.
2nd Star: None
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): None
East Division Star of the Week: Sean Finstrom, Goalie, Lansing Wolves
Lansing goaltender Sean Finstrom continued his hot streak as he picked up two wins this past weekend. On Friday he shutout the Toledo Cherokee, stopping 22 shots. It was his third shutout of the season. On Sunday, the native of Wixom, Michigan shut down one of the hottest teams in the league in the Pittsburgh Vengeance. Finstrom stopped 26 of 27 in a 2-1 Lansing victory. Over his last nine starts, Finstrom has eight wins and has allowed one goal or fewer in all eight of those wins.
2nd Star: Mike Forman, F, Lansing Wolves
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Anthony Cinato, F, Metro Jets – Jhuwon Davis, F, Metro Jets – Brian Grant, F, Southern Tier Xpress
Frontier Division Star of the Week: Carter Johnson, Forward, Yellowstone Quake
The Yellowstone Quake picked up a sweep over second place Helena this weekend and it was Carter Johnson leading the way for his team. In his team’s 4-1 victory on Friday, the forward from Meteetsee, Wyoming scored a goal and added an assist. He finished with a plus-3 rating on Friday. The following night, the 19-year old had another assist in the Quake’s 2-1 overtime win. For the season, Johnson had 36 points in 34 games played.
2nd Star: Nick Battaglia, G, Helena Bighorns
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Riley Buller, F, Yellowstone Quake – Duncan McGarrah, F, Bozeman Ice Dogs
Midwest Division Star of the Week: Rory Scott, Forward, Evansville Jr. Thunderbolts
Scott, 19, was a one man show on Sunday as he scored all three of the Jr. Thunderbolts’ goals in a 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Capitals. It is his first hat trick of the season and he now has nine goals on the season. For the year, the forward from Fort Wayne, Indiana has 16 points in 17 games this season in Evansville.
2nd Star: Blake Finley, F, Peoria Mustangs
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Dante Jones, F, St. Louis Jr. Blues – Jack Hatton, F, St. Louis Jr. Blues
Northeast Division Star of the Week: Matthew Minichiello, Forward, Niagara Falls PowerHawks
The 16-year old from Toronto, Ontario was on fire this weekend as Niagara Falls swept the Oswego Stampede. Saturday, Minichiello scored two goals, including the overtime winner, and had two assists in the PowerHawks’ 4-3 victory. The following day, Minichiello tallied three assists to finish the weekend with seven points. He finished the weekend with a plus-7 rating and now has nine goal and nine assists this season.
2nd Star: Brandon Schwieckert, F, Niagara Falls PowerHawks
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Eddie Cannon, F, Oswego Stampede – Tommy Kilway, F, Oswego Stampede – Jeremy Wilber, F, Binghamton Junior Senators
South Division Star of the Week: Tyler Myers, Goalie, Texas Brahmas
2018 has been a perfect year so far for Texas Brahmas goaltender Tyler Myers. After picking up a shutout in the first weekend of the new year, the Thornton, Colorado native was a brick wall once again. Myers picked up two shutouts against the College Station Spirit. He stopped 20 shots on Friday night and then stopped another 25 on Sunday to cap off a three game sweep for Texas. The now 20-year old is 11-4 this season with six shutouts.
2nd Star: Brody Nielsen, F, Atlanta Capitals
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Joey Bernardini, G, Point Mallard Ducks – Vincent Dekumbis, F, Texas Brahmas – Matt Goodman, F, Point Mallard Ducks – Nick Sheridan, F, Mid Cities Jr. Stars – Brandon Speights, F, Mid Cities Jr. Stars
West Division Star of the Week: Braden Altena, Forward, Granite City Lumberjacks
The leading scorer for the Granite City Lumberjacks put his team back in first place in the West Division after a fantastic weekend on the ice. In a win over Willmar on Friday, Altena scored twice and had two assists as well in a 6-1 victory. Then on Saturday against New Ulm, the veteran forward from St. Cloud, Minnesota had two assists in a 6-3 win. For the season, Altena has scored 15 goals to go with 32 assists for a total of 47 points in 32 games.
2nd Star: Jared Fladebo, F, Breezy Point North Stars
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Kieran Brosnan, F, Breezy Point North Stars – Kaden Ericson, G, Willmar Warhawks – Austin Langworthy, F, New Ulm Steel – Jack Parks, F, New Ulm – Owen Sikich, F, Granite City Lumberjacks
