NA3HL Announces Week 5 Stars of the Week
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is pleased to announce the Divisional Stars of the Week for week 5 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.
Central Division Star of the Week: Robert Kelly, Forward, St. Louis Jr. Blues
The Festus, Missouri native skated to a four point performance last weekend during two games against the Peoria Mustangs. Robert Kelly, a newcomer to the St. Louis Jr. Blues scored two goals in both games against the Mustangs. On Friday, he played an integral part in the Jr. Blues’ third period push. He scored their first goal of the game at the top of the third period, and again later in the third. On Saturday, he scored both of St. Louis’ goals to lead them to a 2-1 victory over the Mustangs.
Jr. Blues head coach Matt Ocello talked about his hard work on the ice.
“Robert had a great weekend for the Jr. Blues versus the Mustangs. He scored 2 goals in Friday night’s almost comeback and scored both goals in Saturday’s 2-1 win. He has been putting in the hard work all season and those efforts are paying off with the rewards. He continues to play well defensively but also brings an offensive knack to the table. We are looking forward to seeing him continue to improve and progress over the course of the season.”
2nd Star: Shawn Paulson, Forward, West Bend Power
3rd Star: Zach Staelgraeve, Forward, Peoria Mustangs
East Division Star of the Week: Peyton Dahlke, Forward, Long Beach Sharks
The 6-foot-3 forward out of Murphy, Texas, accomplished a six point weekend during a two game series against the Norwich Sea Captains. Peyton Dahlke, a newcomer to the Long Beach Sharks, made his offensive presence known from the get-go last weekend. He assisted on the first goal of the game on Friday before finding two goals of his own in the second period, one being a short handed goal. He once again found the back of the net twice on Sunday in the second and third periods, while also adding an assist. The Sharks completed their sweep of the Sea Captains, while Dahlke finished the weekend with four goals and two assists.
Jeff Tory, Sharks head coach, talked more about his season performance so far.
“Peyton has gotten off to a tremendous start to the season. He has a great combination of size, strength, skill, and a very high compete level. He puts in the work on and off the ice everyday with a great attitude while being very coachable.”
2nd Star: Kayden Hill, Forward, New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings
3rd Star: Eli McCarthy, Forward, Long Beach Sharks
Frontier Division Star of the Week: Joseph Hemr, Forward, Helena Bighorns
Joseph Hemr, AKA Joey made some big offensive impacts for the Helena Bighorns during their two game series against the Gillette Wild. The Lino Lakes, Minnesota, native tallied four points during Friday’s game. He found the back of the net once in the first period and twice in the third, and added an assist to a power play goal. On Saturday, he recorded two assists, leaving him with six points for the weekend and helping the Bighorns sweep the Wild.
Damon Hanson, Bighorns head coach, talked about his characteristics as a player.
“Joey is a guy we were excited to get for many reasons- he’s a strong kid with a heavy shot and tremendous work ethic. He’s a great human and, of course, has great offensive ability. Joey, although a first year guy, will be a guy that we lean on.”
2nd Star: Dayton Niedert, Forward, Badlands Sabres
3rd Star: Seth Hanson, Forward, Bozeman Icedogs
South Division Star of the Week: Camden Babin, Forward, Phoenix Inferno
Camden Babin lit things up for the Phoenix Inferno when they upset the Texas Brahmas in a three game sweep. The Phoenix, Arizona native put together four total points during the weekend in hard fought battles against the Brahmas. On Friday, he assisted the game winning overtime goal to start the weekend off hot. On Saturday, he found a goal of his own, putting the first goal of the game on the board. He once again found the back of the net in the third period on Sunday and recorded an assist, ending the weekend with four points, and helping the Inferno defeat the Brahmas for the third time in a row that weekend.
Inferno head coach, Richard Matvichuk, talked about his outstanding weekend performance.
“Camden had a great weekend for the Inferno. Not just on the offensive side of the scoresheet, but also being very productive in the plus minus category, and also being a huge part of the Inferno penalty kill. Camden was a huge part of the success the Inferno had this weekend because of his dedication to a 200ft game.”
2nd Star: John Scown, Forward, Tulsa Oilers
3rd Star: Otaro Inoue, Forward, Phoenix Inferno
Southeast Division Star of the Week: Trent LaRoche, Defenseman, Louisiana Drillers
Trent LaRoche boasted six points during two games against the Atlanta Capitals on Saturday and Sunday. The ‘08 6-foot-4 defenseman continues to produce for the Louisiana Drillers on the ice as he brought his total points to 19 after the weekend. On Saturday, he tallied the first goal and found the back of the net twice more in the third period. On Sunday, he recorded three more points in the form of one goal and two assists.
Chris Francis, Drillers head coach, acknowledged LaRoche’s impressive presence on the ice.
“Trent has been playing with a tremendous amount of confidence lately, and you can see his game continuing to grow every time he steps on the ice. For an ‘08 defenseman, his poise, compete level, and ability to impact the game are impressive. He has a very bright future ahead of him and I have no doubt that Trent will be playing at higher levels as he continues to develop. This recognition is well-deserved.”
2nd Star: Jackson Zych, Forward, Louisiana Drillers
3rd Star: Brayden Owen, Forward, Pelham Prowlers
West Division Star of the Week: Grant Harder, Defenseman, North Iowa Bulls
Grant Harder dominates for the second week in a row, earning him back-to-back Star of the Week honors. Harder continued to lead his team in points scored for the season so far. He tallied three points during two games against the Minnesota Wilderness. On Friday, he found the back of the net during a power play in the third period to seal the deal for a 3-1 victory over the Wilderness. On Saturday, he rounded the weekend out with an assist on the first goal of the game and another power-play-goal in the second period to help the Bulls finish their sweep of the Wilderness.
North talked more about Harder’s accomplishments.
"Couldn’t be prouder of Grant. He is an extremely skilled player who shows up every day, puts in the work, and continues to get rewarded for that commitment. I’m excited to see what he’s able to accomplish this season and where his hard work takes him."
2nd Star: Maddux Domagala, Forward, Willmar WarHawks
3rd Star: Mitchell Hawel, Forward, Minnesota Vulcans
