NA3HL Announces Week 2 Stars of the Week

The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is pleased to announce the Divisional Stars of the Week for week 2 of the 2026-27 season. This weekly award recognizes the top-performing players from each of the league’s six divisions, as nominated by their head coaches, for their outstanding contributions on the ice. 

Please note the West and East divisions have not played yet. 

 

Central Division Star of the Week: Parker Holloway, Forward, Wisconsin Woodsmen

Wisconsin Woodsmen returner Parker Holloway led the team in their opening weekend in total points scored. During two games, he tallied six total points- four assists and two goals. The Woodsmen matched up against the Peoria Mustangs on Friday and Saturday for a two game series. They dropped the first game on Friday in overtime fashion. In this game, Holloway recorded two assists. His big performance of the weekend came on Saturday, where he tallied two assists and two goals. He found goals in the second and third periods. 

Jon Vaillancourt, head coach of the Woodsmen, talked about Holloway's playing style. 

"Parker is able to play in multiply situations for us using his vision, size and skill to create game changing plays," he said.

2nd Star: Brendan Miller, Forward, Peoria Mustangs

3rd Star: Ty Paulios, Forward, Wisconsin Woodsmen

 

Frontier Division Star of the Week: Lex Steckelberg, Forward, Bozeman Icedogs

Lex Steckelberg has returned to the Icedogs for the fourth consecutive year in a row. They kicked off their season over the weekend with two matchups, one against the Gillette Wild and one against the Helena Bighorns. Steckelberg, the Icedogs lead scorer last year, wasted no time leading the team in goals for the weekend. He tallied five total goals across both games. On Friday he scored two against the Wild, and recorded three goals against the Bighorns on Saturday. 

Mike Perkins, the general manager and head coach of the Icedogs talked about Steckelberg's impact on the team.

"Lex's five goals this weekend were obviously huge for us, but what he means to our team goes far beyond the scoresheet. He's our captain because of his character, his work ethic, and the way je leads our group every day. Lex has been instrumental in helping us get off to a strong start- not just because he's producing, but because our guys follow him. He represents exactly what we want a Bozeman Icedog to be," Perkins said.

2nd Star: Cameron Kimmerly, Forward, Helena Bighorns

3rd Star: Jackson Hepper, Defenseman, Badlands Sabres

 

South Division Star of the Week: Otaro Inoue, Forward, Phoenix Inferno

Otaro Inoue led the Phoenix Inferno to two wins during their inaugural season debut. They matched up with the Tulsa Oilers in a two game series, and Inoue recorded six total points throughout the entire weekend. The Inferno rallied to an impressive 10-2 win in Friday’s matchup. On Saturday, the Oilers put up a fight and forced the game into overtime. The Tokyo, Japan native scored the game winning overtime goal, completing a hatntrick and leading the Inferno to the win.

Troy Mick, co head coach of the Inferno, talked about his outstanding performance. 

“Otaro has an incredible weekend for us. Four goals and two assists, including an overtime hat trick goal, speaks for itself. He came up big when we needed him most and played a huge role in helping us start the season 2-0,” said Mick.

2nd Star:  Brody Ososki, Forward, New Mexico Ice Wolves

3rd Star: Sammy Albano, Forward, New Mexico Ice Wolves

 

Southeast Division Star of the Week: Dayton Ruppel, Defenseman, Louisiana Drillers

Louisiana remained a dominant presence as they took on a three game matchup against the Bayou State Rougarou. Defenseman veteran Dayton Ruppel had a standout weekend as he tallied an impressive 13 assists and a single goal. He appeared in all three games. His goal came on Friday when he found the back of the net in the third period. 

Chris Francis, head coach of the Drillers, talked about Ruppel’s impact during the weekend.

“Dayton has been a major part of our team’s success. His consistency, leadership, and ability to impact the game every night make him incredibly deserving of this recognition. He continues to set the standard for what it means to be a Louisiana Driller,” said Francis.

2nd Star: Andrew Kozhushko, Forward, Louisiana Drillers