CANADIAN JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Media Update
Thunderbirds’ Matthew Caruso named CJHL’s 2nd star for December
CALGARY, Alta. — The Canadian Junior Hockey League has announced that Andrew Masters (Georgetown Raiders, OJHL), Matthew Caruso (Soo Thunderbirds, NOJHL) and Jeff Malott (Brooks Bandits, AJHL) have been named the Gongshow Gear 3 Stars of the Month for December.
1st STAR – ANDREW MASTERS, G, Georgetown Raiders, OJHL (5 GP, 4 W, 0 L, 1 T, 1.74 GAA, .953 SV%)
Andrew Masters from the Georgetown Raiders was runner-up for OJHL Goaltender-of-the-Month in September. Masters has continued his stellar play that saw him go 4-0-1 in December, while sitting second among all OJHL netminders in most statistical categories. After opening the month with a key divisional victory over the Burlington Cougars, he turned in one of the best performances of the entire season with a 48 save, 3-3 draw versus the red-hot Wellington Dukes and OJHL leading scorer Luc Brown. Masters followed this up with two more 30+ save victories, including a 43 save, 5-1 win over Mississauga on the road to finish the month of December undefeated. Masters has continued to post outstanding numbers, sitting second among all OJHL goalies in games played (29), wins (19), goals against average (1.97) and save percentage (.937%).
2nd STAR – MATTHEW CARUSO, F, Soo Thunderbirds, NOJHL (8 GP, 11 G, 8 A, 19 PTS, 2.4 PPG)
The 18-year-old Caruso has been red-hot for his hometown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., side as he averaged over two points-per-game for the Thunderbirds in December. In eight outings during the final month of 2015, the T-Birds second-year forward doled out 19 points on 11 goals and eight assists. Three of his tallies in December were game-winners and he also had six multi-points contests to his credit. Caruso leads the Thunderbirds in overall offensive production with 18 markers and 25 helpers. His goal, assist and point totals have already surpassed numbers from last season. Caruso was also named the NOJHL’s Gongshow Gear Inc. player of the month for December.
3rd STAR – JEFF MALOTT, F, Brooks Bandits, AJHL (8 GP, 6 G, 11 A, 17 PTS, 2.13 PPG)
Malott compiled 17 points (6G, 11A) in 8 games and extended his active point streak to 13 games and 23 points. He recorded 4 multi-point nights in December, including a 5 point game on December 12th in a victory over the Sherwood Park Crusaders. He was also awarded as the Viterra AJHL Star of the Game with a 4 point performance and win over the Okotoks Oilers on December 17th. Malott scored the game winning goal at the Bandits Annual Teddy Bear Toss in an OT thriller on December 5th. The second year Bandit forward is averaging 1.5 points per game, second best in the AJHL, and has 10 goals, 21 assists and 31 points. Malott has already surpassed his point total from last year (20 points in 53 games). The 19 year-old from Waterdown, Ontario has committed to Cornell University of the NCAA (Division I).
Honourable Mention: Neil Robinson, Brockville Braves (CCHL), Brandon Syms, South Shore Lumberjacks (MHL), Joey Brennan, Gatineau Flames (QJHL)
About the Gongshow CJHL 3 Stars of the Month – The Gongshow CJHL 3 Stars of the Month is one of the league’s national awards created to recognize Junior A hockey’s best players and coaches. Each star of the month will receive a gift from Gongshow Gear as well as an award courtesy of Jostens Canada the Official Ring and Award Supplier of the CJHL.
About the CJHL – The Canadian Junior Hockey League is a national organization comprised of all 10 Junior A hockey leagues in Canada. The CJHL represents more than 131 teams and 2,900 players and has over 2,900 alumni furthering their hockey careers at the professional, major junior and college levels across North America. For the latest CJHL news and features, visit www.cjhlhockey.com and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cjhlhockey or @cjhlhockey.
About Gongshow Gear Inc. – Founded in 2002 by three teammates in the Central Junior “A” Hockey League after identifying the need for a hockey apparel brand that would accurately represent the exciting and exclusive lifestyle that hockey players live. Gongshow was the first Lifestyle Hockey Apparel brand in the world to hit the market in 2002, and this game changing company has since grown into the largest hockey lifestyle clothing brand in the world – selling in over 500 retail locations, in 15 countries internationally, and has hailed comparisons to such pioneering lifestyle brands as Billabong (Surfing Lifestyle), and Burton (Snowboarding Lifestyle).
