NOJHL names its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the week

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday that Cochrane Crunch goaltender Zach Wickson along with forwards Tomas Yachmenev of the Powassan Voodoos and Caleb Minns of the Elliot Lake Wildcats have been named its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week, for the period ending Feb. 3.

ZACH WICKSON, (G) COCHRANE CRUNCH – Getting the starting nod in three straight games over the weekend for Cochrane, the 19-year-old Calgary, Alta., product produced victories in each of the them helping the Crunch move into a tie for top spot in the NOJHL East standings with Kirkland Lake.

In a pair of decisions over Hearst, as well as a 40-save triumph vs. Timmins, Wickson produced 87 stops in total for a .926 save mark in his trio of appearances, which came less than 72 hours apart.

On the season, Wickson has moved up to fourth in the league in wins (17), third in goals-against average (2.44) and fourth in save percentage (.924) for 2019 Dudley-Hewitt Cup-host Cochrane.

TOMAS YACHMENEV, (F) POWASSAN VOODOOS – Skating in a trio of outings for Powassan during the time frame, Yachmenev registered points in each of them while amassing two goals and helping set-up six others.

Among the 18-year-old efforts was a career single-game high four-assist night in a win vs. French River and a two-tally, one-assist contest at the Rapids. He also earned helpers on a pair of game-winning markers for the Voodoos.

Yachmenev, who hails from Nashville, Tenn., enters play this week leading Powassan in offensive production on 20 goals and 26 assists, which ties him for 10th among all NOJHL players.

Through 98 league contests in his time in the league, he is a point-per-game player and requires just two more with the Voodoos to reach the 100-mark in both appearances and points while having scored 40 times and dishing out 58 helpers.

CALEB MINNS, (F) ELLIOT LAKE WILDCATS – Two games last week saw Minns tally in both of them and chip in with an assist in a pair of Elliot Lake triumphs.

Friday saw the 17-year-old Baxter, Ont., native pick-up a pair of markers, including the game-winner, as the Wildcats clipped the Soo Eagles.

Saturday he then Minns supplied another goal and helped set-up the difference maker in a victory over French River.

Having scored in four consecutive outings and registered points in nine straight contests, the rookie forward now has 13 tallies and 14 assists to his credit in 45 games played with Elliot Lake in 2018-19.

Eastlink TV 3 Stars

Week 1
David Campbell, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Mihali See, (F) Soo Eagles
Shayne Battler, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 2
Cade Herd, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Gregory Brassard, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brendan Young, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 3
Joseph Benedeto, (G) Soo Eagles
Joe Vrbetic, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Steven Bellini, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 4
Lucas Theriault, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 5
Thomson Phinney, (G) Blind River Beavers
Nick Smith, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Christian Snyder, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 6
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Benjamin Hatanaka, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Gabriel LeBlanc, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 7
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch
Riley Brosseau, (F) Timmins Rock
Dante Cavaliere, (D) Blind River Beavers

Week 8
Derek Seguin, (F) Timmins Rock
Matthew Bazarin, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Connor Taylor, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats

Week 9
Will Frustaglio, (F) French River Rapids
Joel Rainville, (G) Espanola Express
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks

Week 10
Christian Cicigoi, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Ethan Lavallee, (D) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids

Week 11
Riley Nadeau, (F) Blind River Beavers
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids
Levi Siau, (F) French River Rapids

Week 12
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 13
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Dawson Rodin, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Marshall Frappier, (G) French River Rapids

Week 14
Trent Grimshaw, (F) Cochrane Crunch
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Sebastein Plamondon, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians

Week 15
Ryan Mulligan, (D) Blind River Beavers
Alec Johnson, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Justin Bofshever, (F) Cochrane Crunch

Week 16
Nicholas Tallarico, (G) Hearst Lumberjacks
David Bowen, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Brendan Young, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 17
Dominic Boily, (G) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Quinn Schneidmiller, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Kobe Keller, (F) Soo Eagles

Week 18
Nick Smith, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Aiden Wagner, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Dominic Skrelja, (F) Soo Eagles

Week 19
Alec Johnson, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Noah Boman, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Eric Conley, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats

Week 20
Jake Desando, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Shane Brancato, (G) Soo Eagles

Week 21
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch
Tomas Yachmenev, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Caleb Minns, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats