CHL Players of the Week: Jan. 20-26
Each week throughout the regular season, the CHL will recognize the OHL, QMJHL and WHL’s top players as chosen by the member leagues:
OHL
In a trio of road games, Saginaw’s Zayne Parekh (CGY) had eight points (five goals). He had an assist in an 8-6 loss to Peterborough on Jan. 23 but tallied two goals and a helper in a 7-6 shootout loss to Kingston. To conclude the three-in-three, Parekh had his second hat-trick of the season – and an assist – in a 7-2 victory versus Ottawa. The reigning CHL Defenceman of the Year sits second in scoring among OHL d-men with 59 points this year while his 21 goals lead all blueliners.
In goal, London’s Austin Elliott improved his record to 20-0-0 this season after a pair of wins. He made 31 saves Jan. 23 in a 4-1 road win against North Bay and then turned aside 25 shots in a 7-3 victory versus the Soo. In addition to his 20 wins, Elliott owns a 2.27 GAA and .916 save percentage.
QMJHL
Baie-Comeau’s Justin Poirier (CAR) had six goals and nine points in only three road games. Poirier had four points (2G, 2A) Jan. 24 in a 10-5 win against Val-d’Or while the next day he had another pair of goals in a 6-5 overtime defeat to Rouyn-Noranda. He rounded out the three-in-three with three more points (2G, 1A) in a 6-5 overtime win against the Foreurs. Poirier sits second in Q scoring with 66 points while his 36 goals are tied for the league lead.
Halifax’s Jacob Steinman was named to the QMJHL’s Team of the Week after he won two of his three starts. On Jan. 23 he stopped 24 shots in a 4-1 victory against Acadie-Bathurst while on Jan. 24 he made 26 saves as Halifax beat Chicoutimi 5-1. He stopped 34 shots in a 4-1 defeat to Saint John Jan. 26. Steinman – who was traded to Halifax at the QMJHL deadline – leads the QMJHL with 25 wins and is 3-3-1 with Halifax.
WHL
Across three road games, Brandon’s Quinn Mantei had eight points (1G, 7A). On Jan. 21, he recorded four helpers in a 7-3 victory against Kelowna and a day later had three points (1G, 2A) in a 6-3 decision over Kamloops. He finished the week with an assist in a 3-2 loss to Prince George Jan. 24. Mantei’s five goals are already a career high while he sits second among Wheat Kings d-men with 29 points.
For the second straight week, Medicine Hat’s Harrison Meneghin (TB) was the WHL’s best goaltender. He beat Spokane 3-2 with a 27-save effort on Jan. 24 and a day later stopped 21 shots in a 3-1 versus Wenatchee. Meneghin is 11-7-0 with the Tigers and owns a 2.46 GAA and .901 save percentage.