The Canadian Hockey League’s Player of the Week for the week endingrNov. 25 is forward Philippe Lacasse of the Hull Olympiques of therQuebec Major Junior Hockey League.r
Lacasse is the second QMJHL player in as many weeks to winrthe award and the third Quebec player in four weeks, and fourth of therseason. He edged out Western Hockey League Player of the Week, forwardrJames Hiebert of the Swift Current Broncos; Sault Ste. Marie Greyhoundsrforward Jeff Richards, the Ontario Hockey League Player of the Week,rand QMJHL defensive Player of the Week, Tomas Melac of the RimouskirOceanic.r
Lacasse was the QMJHL’s offensive Player of the Week forrpicking up 13 points in four league games this past week (see detailsrbelow). He is the second Olympique to win the weekly award since itsrinception Oct. 15, as Ales Hemsky was the winner on Nov. 6.r
The CHL’s Player of the Week is announced in every Tuesday’sredition of the CHL Daily News. The CHL Daily News is also posted eachrday at the league’s official website, www.chl.ca. The CHL Player of therMonth will be selected each month from among the top monthly performersrin the Ontario Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League andrthe Western Hockey League.r
The November winner of the CHL’s Player of the Month Awardrwill be announced Dec. 5. Last month’s winner was forward NathanrRobinson of the Belleville Bulls of the OHL.r
CHL PLAYERS OF THE WEEKr
Nov. 27 – Philippe Lacasse, Hull Olympiques, QMJHLr
Nov. 20 – Yanick Lehoux, Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHLr
Nov. 13 – Marek Svatos, Kootenay Ice, WHLr
Nov. 6 – Alex Hemsky, Hull Olympiques, QMJHLr
Oct. 29 – Tomas Plihal, Kootenay Ice, WHLr
Oct. 22 – Brad Boyes, Erie Otters, OHLr
Oct. 15 – Jason King, Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHLr
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUEr
There are four games on the WHL schedule for Tuesday night.rLethbridge is at Red Deer (3), Spokane (8) visits Vancouver, PrincerAlbert is in Moose Jaw and Brandon plays at Swift Current.r
There were no games in the WHL on Monday night.r
The Western Hockey League’s Player of the Week is forward James Hiebert of the Swift Current Broncos.r
Hiebert, a 19-year-old native of Swift Current, picked upreight assists in just two league games this week to earn the WHL’srweekly award. His big week started on Nov. 20 when he picked up tworassists as the Broncos lost 7-4 to the Raiders in Prince Albert.r
He followed that up with an outstanding performance lastrFriday night at home against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. Hiebertrpicked up assists on six of his team’s seven goals in a 7-3 win overrthe Tigers to give him eight assists in his two games this week.r
Hiebert is a free agent.r
ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUEr
There is just one game in the OHL Tuesday night when Ottawa plays at Kingston.r
There were no games in the OHL Monday night.r
The Ontario Hockey League Player of the Week for the weekrending Nov. 25 is Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds left-winger JeffrRichards.r
Richards scored six goals and added two assists for eightrpoints in three league games this week to take the OHL’s weekly honour.rHis offensive production help the Greyhounds pick up three consecutiverwins, all of them on the road.r
The Soo opened its road trip Nov. 22 in Brampton with a 5-3rwin. Richards was the game’s first star, scoring one goal and addingrone assist. On Nov. 24, the Hounds went into Belleville and edged therBulls 5-4 in overtime, with Richards contributing two goals and onerassist. Finally last Sunday, he completed his busy week by recording arhat trick in his team’s 6-3 win at Oshawa.r
The 20-year-old Kenora native now has 19 points in 21 games this season.r
Be sure and check the Memorial Cup tracker section atrwww.chl.ca for the latest on the race to host this year’s 2002rMasterCard Memorial Cup. It’s updated every Monday.r
QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUEr
There is just one game on the QMJHL schedule Tuesday night with Baie-Comeau playing in Quebec.r
There were no games in the QMJHL on Monday night.r
For the third time in four weeks, the Canadian Hockey League’srPlayer of the Week is from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.r
The QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week is Philippe Lacasse,rwho is also the CHL’s Player of the Week. The QMJHL’s defensive Playerrof the Week is Tomas Melac of the Rimouski Oceanic.r
Lacasse earned the Quebec and CHL honour by scoring fourrgoals and adding nine assists for 13 points in four league games thisrpast week. The Hull native becomes the second Olympique player to winrthe award, as forward Ales Hemsky was the Nov. 6 winner.r
The left-winger began his big week on Nov. 20 by picking uprsix points (one goal and five assists) in a 6-4 win over Rimouski. Twornights later he was held to one assist in a 9-3 loss at Baie-Comeau,rbut rebounded for four more points on Nov. 23 (one goal and threerassists), in a 7-6 Hull overtime win against Chicoutimi.r
Lacasse completed his big week last Sunday with two goals androne assist in a 4-3 loss against Victoriaville in overtime. Lacasse isrnow ninth in QMJHL scoring, with 51 points in 27 games.r
Malec, a defenseman with the Oceanic, is one of the premierrdefensemen in the QMJHL. The Florida Panthers draft pick also had a bigrweek offensively, scoring four goals and adding four assists for eightrpoints in four games.r
For complete QMJHL statistics and standings, visit the official QMJHL site.