Truro, N.S. (December 2, 2020) – The Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) is pleased to announce a renewed agreement with GONGSHOW Gear Inc. to continue as a corporate sponsor.
For the past five seasons, the GONGSHOW Three Stars of the Month have showcased some of the top talent in the MHL. This will continue moving forward as the monthly awards themselves change to Top Forward, Top Defenseman, and Top Goaltender. Honourable mentions will be named for each category.
“We’re pleased that GONGSHOW has chosen to remain as a corporate sponsor,” says MHL President Steve Dykeman. “The change to the monthly awards will help showcase more of the exceptional talent in the Maritime Junior Hockey League.”
“For what will now be the sixth consecutive season, we are thrilled to be teaming up with the MHL in order to provide monthly awards to the league’s top players at their respective positions,” say the GONGSHOW team. “We look forward to seeing the MHL continue to play the game we all love, in a safe and exciting manner.”
Top Forward – Joshua Nadeau (Edmundston Blizzard) – The 17-year-old from Saint-François-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick leads the MHL in goals (9) and points (20) through the Blizzard’s opening eight games. He is tops among all rookies in goals, assists (11), points, powerplay goals (4), powerplay assists (4), and is tied with two other rookies with one game-winning goal.
Nadeau was selected as a Territorial Draft Pick in the 2019 MHL Entry Draft. He’s been held off the scoresheet just once this season, in his first MHL game on October 30th. After an assist in his second game and a goal and assist in his third, Nadeau had a five-point night on November 14th against Grand Falls (two goals and three assists). Nadeau has tallied three points in each of his final four games of the month.
Honourable Mention – Tyler Boivin (Grand Falls Rapids) – The 20-year-old from Wendover, Ontario is second in league scoring with 18 points and is tied with teammate Drew Toner for the league lead in assists (12). Boivin is tied for the MHL lead in powerplay assists (7) and is tied for second in powerplay points (8). He’s scored in all nine of the Rapids games to the end of November with five multi-point efforts.
Top Defenseman – Matthew MacKay (Grand Falls Rapids) – The 20-year-old captain of the Grand Falls Rapids is in the top 10 in league scoring with 13 points through the opening month of play. For defensemen, MacKay, from Sackville, Nova Scotia, had the most goals (6), powerplay goals (5), and powerplay points (9). He’s tied for second among blueliners in assists (7) and third in powerplay assists (4). He’s also one of five defensemen in the MHL with a game-winning goal. MacKay has point in eight of the team’s nine games, including four multi-point efforts.
“Matthew is a key contributor in all situations for our team,” says Rapids Head Coach Brad Mackenzie. “He plays over 25 minutes per night and is a key reason for our powerplay being 45.2%.”
Honourable Mention – Kaleb Boudreau (Yarmouth Mariners) – The 19-year-old from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia has six points in the team’s first nine games for the fifth-most total among defensemen.
“Kaleb has matured into an elite puck moving defenseman that can run a powerplay,” says Mariners Head Coach/General Manager Laurie Barron. “In his 4th year, he has moved up the depth chart each and every season.”
Top Goaltender – Justin Sumarah (Yarmouth Mariners) – Now in his second season with the Mariners, the 20-year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia leads all MHL goaltenders in goals-against average (1.00), wins (5), and save percentage (.963). Sumarah is tied for the most shutouts in the league through to the end of November with two. He’s allowed just six goals in six games, helping the Mariners to the best record in the Eastlink South. Overall, Sumarah is 5-1-0-0 in six games.
Honourable Mention – Tyler Caseley (Amherst Ramblers) – Not to be outdone, the 20-year-old from Kensington, P.E.I. has put up stellar numbers of his own through the first month of the regular season. Caseley has a 1.60 goals-against average in five games, allowing just eight goals, with a 3-2-0-0 record. He posted a .942 save percentage and has two shutouts to tie Sumarah for the league lead.
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Media Contact:
James Faulkner
Director of Communications
Maritime Hockey League
jfaulkner@themhl.ca