Villalta and Robertson named CHL Performers of the Week
IceDogs’ Jason Robertson named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that top scorer Jason Robertson of the Niagara IceDogs is the CHL Player of the Week for the final regular season week ending March 17 with 11 points in three games including five goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-7.
Robertson frequented the scoresheet in all three appearances last week to help the IceDogs close out the season with six straight wins for a 44-17-7-0 record clinching the franchise’s first OHL Central Division title since 2011-12. His week began Thursday with a four-point night against the Mississauga Steelheads scoring a pair of goals including one less than two minutes into the opening frame en route to a 4-2 victory and first-star recognition. Two nights later the Dallas Stars prospect had another four points, including a pair of goals with the game-winner, in a 7-4 decision against the Barrie Colts, and wrapped up the weekend with a goal and two assists in an 8-3 win against the North Bay Battalion, who Niagara now faces in the opening round of the playoffs.
The 19-year-old Michigan native, who was acquired from the Kingston Frontenacs in November, found another offensive gear after arriving in Niagara as he tallied 79 points in just 38 contests, or better than a two-points-per-game pace. In all, Robertson finished the regular season with 48 goals and 69 assists to capture the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League’s top scorer. His 117 points also ranked first in the entire CHL.
Also considered for the award this week was Chicoutimi Sagueneens forward Vladislav Kotkov, who recorded five goals and two assists for seven points in three games, as well as forward Connor Zary of the Kamloops Blazers, whose week included five goals and four assists for nine points in four games.
2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Greg Meireles (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Nate Schnarr (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Brayden Tracey (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Maxime Comtois (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Samuel Asselin (Halifax Mooseheads)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Ethan Crossman (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Kyle Maksimovich (Erie Otters)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Ivan Chekhovich (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Gregor MacLeod (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Peter Abbandonato (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Jason Robertson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Joachim Blichfeld (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Ivan Chekhovich (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Dawson Davidson (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luka Burzan (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
Greyhounds’ Matthew Villalta named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the regular season week ending March 17 with a 2-0-0-0 record, a goals-against average of 1.20, and save percentage of .964.
Villalta claims the honour for the first time this season after going undefeated in two games last week in which he stopped a combined 53 shots to help the Greyhounds conclude the 2018-19 regular season with a 44-16-7-1 showing, good for third in the Western Conference and a date with the Owen Sound Attack in the opening round of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Kings prospect began his week with a 33-save performance in a 2-1 overtime victory over the West Division rival Saginaw Spirit. He then followed it up the next night when he turned aside 20 shots en route to a 6-3 win against the London Knights.
Villalta, 19, is competing in his third season with the Greyhounds. Through 51 games this year, the product of Godfrey, Ont., posted a 33-12-5-0 record alongside a 3.03 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.
Also considered for the award this week was Samuel Harvey of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who went a perfect 2-0-0-0 across two appearances as he picked up wins over the Val-d’Or Foreurs and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to go with a goals-against average of 2.00 and save percentage of .940. In the WHL, Adam Evanoff of the Moose Jaw Warriors went 2-0-0-0 as he made a combined 52 saves in wins over the Brandon Wheat Kings and Swift Current Broncos for a goals-against average of 1.50 and save percentage of .945.
2018-19 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Joel Hofer (Portland Winterhawks)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Jet Greaves (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Kevin Mandolese (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Ivan Prosvetov (Saginaw Spirit)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Cedrick Andree (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Kyle Jessiman (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Joseph Raaymakers (London Knights)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Emile Samson (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Alexis Gravel (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Trent Miner (Vancouver Giants)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
