NOJHL names its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the week

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday that defencemen Ryan Mulligan of the Blind River Beavers and Alec Johnson of the Hearst Lumberjacks along with Cochrane Crunch forward Justin Bofshever have been named its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week, for the period ending Dec. 16.

RYAN MULLIGAN, (D) BLIND RIVER BEAVERS – In a trio of outings last week, the 20-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. had points in each of them, registering five in total, helping Blind River skate to three victories.

Mulligan began with two tallies, including game-winner, in a win vs. the Soo Eagles last Monday, then added two assists, that featured him helping set-up the difference maker against Elliot Lake before wrapping up his run with an assist in a triumph over French River.

He has already set new personal single-season marks in 2018-19 in both goals and points with 11 and 28 respectively and is just three helpers shy or surpassing a yearly-best of 19.

A five-year veteran of the NOJHL, Mulligan has skated in 181 contests for the Beavers accumulating 96 points on 24 tallies and 72 assists along the way.

ALEC JOHNSON, (D) HEARST LUMBERJACKS – In a pair of Hearst victories last week, the 19-year-old blueliner from Maple Grove, Minn., produced four points and also chipped in with a shootout tally.

Johnson began with an assist in a decision over Timmins then followed that up by scoring twice and setting another in regulation before notching the lone goal in extra shots as the Lumberjacks went on to edge Powassan.

With points in four straight as well as in seven of eight, Johnson is playing over a point-per-game pace for the Lumberjacks with 20 in 15 contests, including eight markers to his credit, in helping Hearst go 5-0-2-0 in their past seven games.

JUSTIN BOFSHEVER, (F) COCHRANE CRUNCH – Another club on a roll heading towards the holiday break, the Cochrane Crunch, picked up two more wins in the time frame thanks in part to the efforts of Bofshever who helped his side improve to 7-2-1 in their previous 10 outings.

The 20-year-old Bofshever, who hails from Coral Springs, Fla., had multi-point affairs in Crunch victories over Timmins and Powassan.

Against the Rock, he tallied twice, highlighted by the game-winner, in a road win in Timmins prior to doling out a pair of assists, including one on the decider, as Cochrane won at home vs. the Voodoos.

Through 37 games for the Crunch so far this season, Bofshever has 23 points to his credit on a dozen goals and 11 assists.

Eastlink TV 3 Stars

Week 1
David Campbell, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Mihali See, (F) Soo Eagles
Shayne Battler, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 2
Cade Herd, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Gregory Brassard, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brendan Young, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 3
Joseph Benedeto, (G) Soo Eagles
Joe Vrbetic, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Steven Bellini, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 4
Lucas Theriault, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 5
Thomson Phinney, (G) Blind River Beavers
Nick Smith, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Christian Snyder, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 6
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Benjamin Hatanaka, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Gabriel LeBlanc, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 7
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch
Riley Brosseau, (F) Timmins Rock
Dante Cavaliere, (D) Blind River Beavers

Week 8
Derek Seguin, (F) Timmins Rock
Matthew Bazarin, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Connor Taylor, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats

Week 9
Will Frustaglio, (F) French River Rapids
Joel Rainville, (G) Espanola Express
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks

Week 10
Christian Cicigoi, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Ethan Lavallee, (D) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids

Week 11
Riley Nadeau, (F) Blind River Beavers
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids
Levi Siau, (F) French River Rapids

Week 12
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 13
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Dawson Rodin, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Marshall Frappier, (G) French River Rapids

Week 14
Trent Grimshaw, (F) Cochrane Crunch
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Sebastein Plamondon, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians

Week 15
Ryan Mulligan, (D) Blind River Beavers
Alec Johnson, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Justin Bofshever, (F) Cochrane Crunch