SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday that the Soo Thunderbirds trio of Brock Santa Maria, Noah Metivier and Youssef Chaouachi have been named its final Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week for the 2021-22 season.
BROCK SANTA MARIA, (F) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – The Thunderbirds’ captain was clutch for his side, leading them to a pair of must-win victories last week enroute to the NOJHL title.
In Game 6 of the league final against Hearst, Santa Maria scored once and dished out a pair of assists in a 4-3 overtime triumph.
The 19-year-old Sault Ste. Marie product then buried the championship-winning marker in OT for his hometown club in the seventh and deciding contest versus the Lumberjacks to punch the Soo’s ticket to the Centennial Cup in Estevan, Sask.
Santa Maria wrapped up the NOJHL playoffs with goals in four consecutive match-ups while also boasting a six-game point streak.
NOAH METIVIER, (G) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – Backstopping the Thunderbirds to four straight triumphs in the NOJHL league championship series, Metivier won the final two during the time frame.
Also hailing from the Soo, he wrapped up the playoffs with a pair of extra time wins over Hearst.
In those games he sported a .936 save percentage and a 2.32 goals-against average.
Metivier, who was named NOJHL Playoff MVP, concluded the postseason with eight victories while pacing all netminders in average at 2.08. Meanwhile, his .924 save mark was second-best among playoff goaltenders who saw 300, or more, minutes of action.
YOUSSEF CHAOUACHI, (F) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – A solid two-way performer for the Thunderbirds all season long, Chaouachi contributed at both ends of the ice to aid in the Soo’s NOJHL championship.
In Game 6 against Hearst, he won the key faceoff to pick-up an assist on the deciding tally in overtime.
The 20-year-old forward then notched a quality marker in the Game 7 home-ice decision.
Hailing from Salambo, Tunisia, Chaouachi helped the Thunderbirds go 8-0 in playoff games, in which he registered a point.
EASTLINK TV 3 STARS
Playoffs
Week 1
Dominik Godin, (F) French River Rapids
(Other two stars were regular season recipients)
Week 2
Michael Chaffay, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Harry Clark, (F) Timmins Rock
Alex Freund, (F) Soo Eagles
Week 3
Raphael Lajeunesse, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Colin Handy, (D) Soo Eagles
Zachary Demers, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Week 4
Michael Chaffay, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Cooper Foster, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Nicholas Frederick, (F) Timmins Rock
Week 5
Ryan Glazer, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Liam Oxner, (G) Hearst Lumberjacks
Zachary Demers, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Week 6
Michael Chaffay, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Ryan Glazer, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Brock Santa Maria, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Week 7
Brock Santa Maria, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Noah Metivier, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Youssef Chaouachi, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
