NAHL announces Easton Divisional Stars of the Week
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) today announced the Divisional Stars of the Week presented by Easton for the week ending March 9, 2014. The Divisional Stars of the Week is a weekly feature during the 2013-14 regular season that honors the top performing players in each of the four NAHL divisions. Only players that are nominated by their respective teams are considered for the Divisional Players of the Week award.
Central Division Star of the Week: Zach Doerring, forward, Aberdeen Wings
The Aberdeen Wings kept their Central Division title hopes alive with three big road wins this past week. Wings forward Zach Doerring, 19, played a big role in all three wins as the Chanhassen, Minnesota native totaled two goals and three assists for five points in the three wins and was also a +5. The week started with a 5-4 win in Bismarck on Wednesday in which Doerring (6’4/190) scored the game-winning goal late in the 3rd period. It continued with a 7-0 win on Friday in Brookings against the Blizzard as Doerring had a goal and an assist. On Saturday, Doerring assisted twice more in a 6-0 win. For the season, Doerring has 19 points in 43 games played for the Wings. “Zach has been great for us the last few weeks. He was rewarded this weekend for his hard work put in. He is getting stronger, more confident and playing with a lot of energy right now. He has also shown great leadership qualities for us. He has been a big part of our recent success,” said Wings head coach Travis Winter.
Midwest Division Star of the Week: Kevin Aldridge, goaltender, Fairbanks Ice Dogs
With two wins over the Wild in Wenatchee this past weekend, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs were able to secure the Midwest Division regular season title. Veteran goaltender and Lake Superior State recruit Kevin Aldridge, 20, was as solid as ever between the pipes. The native of Beverly Hills, Michigan shut the door on the Wild helped by an effective Ice Dogs defense as he allowed just two goals on 39 shots in the two wins. On Friday, Aldridge (5’8/150) made 16 saves for his second shutout of the season in a 4-0 win. On Saturday, Aldridge made 21 saves in a 5-2 win. For the season, Aldridge is second in the NAHL in wins with 29. “I think the entire team played really well all weekend, but Kevin was the catalyst,” said Ice Dogs head coach Trevor Stewart. “Wenatchee had several good scoring chances and he was there when we needed him to be with the big saves.”
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Eric Brenk, F, Minnesota Wilderness – Michael Covach, F, Minnesota Wilderness – Nick Hinz, D, Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Frankie Spellman, F, Kenai River Brown Bears
North Division Star of the Week: Logan Halladay, goaltender, Janesville Jets
With two wins in Johnstown this past weekend, the Janesville Jets find themselves in the 4th and final playoff spot in the North Division with just a few weeks to go. Rookie goaltender Logan Halladay, 17, was again spectacular in the series as he played in both wins and allowed just a single goal in the two games. Halladay (6’2/180) faced 53 shots and stopped 52 of them. On Friday, the Cary, North Carolina native stopped all 27 shots that came his way for his second shutout of the season in a 2-0 win. The next night, Halladay made 25 saves in a 2-1 win. For the season, Halladay has a 16-8-1 record with a 2.32 goals against average and a 93.1% save percentage, which ranks 7th in the NAHL. “Logan is so much further along in his development than his age indicates. He has no problem putting the team on his back and carrying the load. He is going to be fun to watch play at the next level,” said Jets head coach Joe Dibble.
South Division Star of the Week: Sean Mostrom, defenseman, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Although it came early in the week, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees defenseman and University of Denver recruit Sean Mostrom, 19, had a great couple of games as the Killer Bees took two wins in a weekday series against the Odessa Jackalopes. In the two wins the native of Wayzata, Minnesota totaled four points from the blueline, which included three goals and an assists, and was also a +4 in the two wins. On Monday, Mostrom (6’3/205) scored twice and added an assist in a 6-2 win. On Tuesday, Mostrom had Rio Grande Valley’s first goal in a 2-1 win over the Jacks. For the season, the second-year defenseman leads all Killer Bee blueliners in points with 18 in 40 games played. “Sean kept it simple and he is very effective as a player when he plays that way. He bounced back after a tough weekend and responded like a veteran leader should,” said Killer Bees head coach Joe Coombs.
