NOJHL announces 3 Stars of the week

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
MEDIA UPDATE

Release date: Monday, Dec. 16, 2013

NOJHL announces 3 Stars of the week

SUDBURY – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey announced Monday that forwards Gavin Burbach of the Soo Thunderbirds and Kyle Bishop of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners along with Elliot Lake Bobcats defenceman James Vuillemot have been named the “3 Stars” of the week for the period ending Dec. 15.

GAVIN BURBACH, (F) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – While the league-leading Thunderbirds only played in one game last week, Burbach put in an incredible performance in that contest.

The 20-year-old native of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., tallied twice, including notching the game-winner, and dished out four assists as the surging T-Birds won for a 10th straight time and sank the Espanola Rivermen 8-2 Friday.

On the season Burbach currently leads all NOJHL skaters in goals with 26, is tied for third in assists with 27 and holds down second spot in overall offensive production with 53 points.

He is already only seven points shy from setting a new single season total of 70 and has already surpassed his personal best in goals in a campaign.

Impressively Burbach has also registered at least one point in 25 of the Thunderbirds 28 victories so far this season.

KYLE BISHOP, (F) KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS – The 20-year-old Bishop averaged two points-per-game in three outings last week helping Kirkland Lake secure four points in the NOJHL standings keeping them within striking distance of first place Sault Ste. Marie.

He began with an assist in a late 4-3 setback on the road to Abitibi Wednesday and from there supplied three helpers in a 6-1 triumph over Blind River Saturday.

Bishop then finished up his solid weekly contribution by potting the deciding goal and setting up another to help lead his side to a 6-0 shutout of the Eskimos Sunday.

Of the nine goals the Richmond Hill, Ont., product has collected to date; five have been game-winners, which tie him for the third most in the entire league.

Also the Gold Miners have posted a 12-1 record in games he picks up at least one point.

JAMES VUILLEMOT, (D) ELLIOT LAKE BOBCATS – A stay-at-home blueliner used mainly to stabilize the Elliot Lake defensive corps, Vuillemot chipped in offensively during the week that was to help the Bobcats pick-up a big two points Friday night.

The 19-year-old Bristow, Virginia product had a NOJHL personal-best two assists that included teeing up the game-winner Friday evening as Elliot Lake dropped the Sudbury Nickel Barons 5-1.

His rare offensive outburst saw Vuillemot double his season point total to four in 27 games played.

Interestingly he has only picked up one minor penalty so far this season while his team has gone 2-0-1 in the three games he has got on the score sheet.

2013-14 NOJHL 3 Stars of the Week recipients

Week 15
Gavin Burbach, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Kyle Bishop, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
James Vuillemot, (D) Elliot Lake Bobcats

Week 14
Darcy Haines, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Tyler Jones, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Landon Hiebert, (F) Abitibi Eskimos

Week 13
Jeremy Picard-Fiset, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brenden Locke, (F) Abitibi Eskimos
Joey Miller, (F) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 12
Darcy Haines, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Brennen Dubchak, (F) Espanola Riverman
Khadyn Butterfly, (D) Sudbury Nickel Barons

Week 11
Samuel Wilbur, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brady Clouthier, (F) Abitibi Eskimos
Kenny Fitzgerald, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 10
Corbin Bean, (F) Espanola Rivermen
Everett Thompson, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brett Wagner, (F) Elliot Lake Bobcats

Week 9
Michael Muzyka, (G) Sudbury Nickel Barons
Ned Simpson, (D) Elliot Lake Bobcats
Andrew Palushaj, (F) Elliot Lake Bobcats

Week 8
Erick Robichaud, (F) Abitibi Eskimos
Dustin Hummel, (G) North Bay Trappers
Steven Babin, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 7
Joel Horodziejczyk, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Sylvain Morin, (G) Abitibi Eskimos
Joakim Jutras, (G) Espanola Rivermen

Week 6
Joel Horodziejczyk, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Ryan Scherer, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Owen Headrick, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 5
Joel Horodziejczyk, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Giovanni Foschia, (F) Sudbury Nickel Barons
Grant Syrette, (F) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 4
Brennen Dubchak, (F) Espanola Rivermen
Etienne Roy, (G) Elliot Lake Bobcats
Steven Babin, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 3
Gavin Burbach, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Kyle Baril, (F) North Bay Trappers
Ben Miller, (F) Abitibi Eskimos

Week 2
Brennen Dubchak, (F) Espanola Rivermen
Jeremy Picard-Fiset, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Anthony Miller, (F) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 1
Mathieu Lecompte, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Tyler Shanush, (F) Blind River Beavers
Matt Young, (G) Blind River Beavers