NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
NOJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Sunday, May 17, 2015
Photo credit: James Code/Code Photography
NOJHL Notebook: Former NOJHLer Appleby backstops Oshawa to OHL title
SUDBURY – Former Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League netminder Ken Appleby played a pivtotal role in backstopping the Oshawa Generals to their first Ontario Hockey League title since the 1996-97 season.
Appleby led all OHL goaltenders in playoff victories with 16 including four in the finals triumph over Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters.
During the course of the regular season he led all OHL stoppers in both goals-against average and save percentage at 2.08 and .924 respectively while tacking on a league-best 38 wins.
He was also runner-up for the OHL goaltender of the year award.
As a rookie, Appleby played in the NOJHL during the 2011-12 campaign for Kirkland Lake before moving on to the OHL.
The North Bay product also played for Team NOJHL at the 2011 Central Canada Cup Challenge.
SOO SCHOLARSHIP: Soo Thunderbirds captain Anthony Miller was recognized at the RBC Cup/CJHL Awards Banquet Friday evening in Portage la Prairie, Man.
Miller was the Thunderbirds RBC Cup Legacy Scholarship award recipient.
Established following the 2004 RBC Royal Bank Cup in Grande Prairie, Alta., and contributed to following successful National Junior A Championships in Weyburn, Sask., Prince George, B.C., and Cornwall, Ont., the $500 scholarships are awarded to one graduating 20-year-old player from each of the five participating teams.
The RBC Cup Legacy Scholarship winners were:
Anthony Miller (Soo Thunderbirds)
Stephen Baylis (Carleton Place Canadians)
Adam Fauchoux (Melfort Mustangs)
Tanner Jago (Portage Terriers)
Patrick Sexton (Penticton Vees)
RBC CUP FINAL: A Canadian Junior Hockey League champion will be crowned this evening in Portage la Prairie.
The host Portage Terriers (MJHL) will take on the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) at 8 p.m. with the contest being shown live on TSN.
The Terriers dropped the Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) 6-1 in one semifinal Saturday while the Canadians edged the Penticton Vees (BCHL) 2-1 in double overtime in the other semi to earn their way to the final.
Carleton Place blanked Portage 3-0 in their round robin meeting.
21 & COUNTING: There are currently 21 NOJHL players who have committed to play collegiate or university hockey next season.
The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners and Cochrane Crunch currently lead the way with five players each with more expected from the other NOJHL member clubs.
Click for NOJHL Commitment list (As of May 17/15)
NEW IN TOWN: The Blind River Beavers have announced the appointment of Brad Barton as the club’s new head coach and general manager.
The 42-year-old Uxbridge, Ont., product is no stranger to junior hockey having spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach and director of player development with the Stouffville Spirit of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
He also had earlier coaching stints in the OJHL with the Pickering Panthers and Lindsay Muskies as well as time with the Uxbridge Bruins.
As a player, Barton spent four-plus seasons on defence, in the Ontario Hockey League mainly with the Kitchener Rangers as well as a brief tenure with the Kingston Frontenacs.
In 224 career OHL contests he notched 14 goals and added 63 assists. He also competed with the Rangers in the 1990 Memorial Cup where they fell in double overtime in the championship game to the Oshawa Generals.
Baron was also drafted in 10th round, 205th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1991 NHL Draft.
OPEN CAMP: The 2016 Dudley-Hewitt Cup host Kirkland Lake Gold Miners will be holding an open tryout camp July 10-12 at Pete Palangio Arena in North Bay.
Cost for the three-day camp, which is open to all unattached players or those with a completed permission to skate letter, is $200 with online registration taking place until July 3.
For more information on this and the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners, visit their website at www.klgoldminers.com.
