As the final push for Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoff positions heat up, so to do some of the league's best players.
For the second straight week, Melville's Ian McNulty has been named the player of the week. In four games last week, McNulty recorded four goals and two assists in his hunt for the SJHL scoring title.
Russell Trudeau of Melville, Dylan Smith and Calder Neufeld of Estevan and Coltyn Sanderson of Weyburn were the honourable mentions for the week.
The defenceman of the week was Tyler Kauk, who was one of the best players on the ice when the Estevan Bruins visited the Battlefords North Stars Friday. Kauk earned six assists in three games with the Bruins last week.
Honourable mentions go off to Flin Flon's Brandt Weldon, Melville's Bob Pond and Estevan's Austin Yano for the defenceman of the week honours.
Between the pipes, Nipawin Hawks' goaltender Davis Jones earned the weekly award after two wins and a 0.59 goals against-average and a .985 save percentage.
Battlefords' Graham Hildebrand along with Myles Hovdebo of La Ronge and Jesse Wilkins of Melfort were the honourable mentions for the goaltender of the week.
The North Stars moved up one spot in the Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings is going from 17th to 16th, but the team they are chasing in the standings, Humboldt, is the team nearly the entire country is chasing in the CJHL rankings.
Humboldt holds the second spot again while the Penticton Vees remain in first place in the rankings.
Weyburn dropped out of the rankings this week, but were honourable mentions, as they lead he Sherwood Conference.
It also is finally official the 10 teams in the playoffs will be Weyburn, Yorkton, Melville, Estevan and Notre Dame in the Sherwood Conference, while Humboldt, the Battlefords, Nipawin, La Ronge and Flin Flon will do battle in the Bauer Conference.
Kindersley was mathematically eliminated this week while Melfort's fate was sealed weeks earlier.
