The latest Power Rankings and Canalta Hotels Players of the Week have been announced in the SJHL and the Battlefords North Stars have been on the receiving end of some of that recognition.
Goaltender Casey Parker was named the SJHL Rookie of the Week following his shutout performances for 41 minutes against Nipawin last Thursday, and then for 65 minutes plus the shootout against Weyburn Saturday. He replaced the injured Connor Creech in net in the Thursday game and his stellar performance earned him the honours this past week.
Three others received Player of the Week honours for the week ending Dec 17.
Ian McNulty of Melville Millionaires was named SJHL Player of the Week. He was cited for dominating the league, getting a goal and assist in the game against La Ronge, getting a two-goal performance against Flin Flon and then three points in the game against Melfort.
Mitch Boucher of Notre Dame was named Defenceman of the Week and was cited in particular for getting a goal and two assists in their win over La Ronge.
While Parker was the Rookie of the Week, the Goaltender of the Week was Alex Wakaluk of Melville, who went 3-0 and stopped 97 of 102 shots in those three games.
In the Source Embroidery Power Rankings for the past week, Yorkton and Notre Dame remained 1-2 but Melville moved up from fifth to third on the strength of a recent win over Flin Flon. The Bauer-leading Bombers dropped to fourth while Humboldt dropped to fifth.
The Battlefords North Stars moved up in the latest rankings from seventh to sixth on the strength of their recent winning streak, while Nipawin, Kindersley, Estevan, La Ronge, Melfort and Weyburn round out the Power Rankings.
Listed as "Who's Hot" in the league for the week are Kindersley's Colby Daniels and Giovanni Bombini, Nipawin's Jesse Bernard (six-game scoring streak), Patrick Martens of Yorkton, Shaun MacPherson of Kindersley and goalies Dawson MacAulay of Yorkton, Nate Ferris of Weyburn and Alex Wakaluk of Melville.
In the CJHL Top Twenty national rankings the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior league are still in first place, followed by the Minnesota Wilderness of the SIJHL and the Trenton Golden Hawks of the OJHL. The Yorkton Terriers make the list in fourth spot, up from sixth place previously, but were the only SJHL team currently listed in the national Top Twenty.
