Frontenacs’ Leevi Merilainen Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen of the Kingston Frontenacs is the OHL Goaltender of the Week after going 3-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and .948 save percentage.
Merilainen stopped 73 of 77 shots, helping the Frontenacs defeat Ottawa with 26 saves on Family Day before claiming back-to-back wins over Oshawa. Merilainen stood tall on TSN Friday night, stopping 25 of 27 as the Frontenacs defeated the Generals 6-2. He turned aside 22 of 23 on the road Sunday night as the Frontenacs beat Oshawa 3-1.
A 19-year-old from Oulu, Finland, Merilainen sits third in OHL wins with 24, playing to an overall record of 24-12-3-0 with a 3.43 goals-against average and .889 save percentage and two shutouts. The first-year goaltender was a third round (71st overall) pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, and signed an entry-level contract with the franchise on June 14, 2021. Merilainen was Kingston’s first round (48th overall) pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.
Also considered for the award this week, Flint Firebirds netminder Luke Cavallin went 3-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .936 save percentage, making 88 saves as the Firebirds defeated Sarnia three times. Michael Simpson of the Peterborough Petes went 2-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .948 save percentage, making 73 saves as the Petes prevailed over Barrie and Oshawa.
2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Feb. 21 – Feb. 27: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Feb. 14 – Feb. 20: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 7 – Feb. 13: Pavel Cajan (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 31 – Feb. 6: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Jan. 24 – Jan. 30: Max Donoso (Ottawa 67’s)
Jan. 17 – Jan. 23: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 10 – Jan. 16: Mitchell Weeks (Sudbury Wolves)
Jan. 3 – Jan. 9: Nolan Lalonde (Erie Otters)
Dec. 27 – Jan. 2: Joe Ranger (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 13 – Dec. 19: Owen Bennett (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 6 – Dec. 12: Mack Guzda (Barrie Colts)
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)