NOJHL announces its final Eastlink 3 Stars for 2016

NORTHERN ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016

NOJHL announces its final Eastlink 3 Stars for 2016

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Thursday that Elliot Lake Wildcats goaltender Matt Kostiw, Powassan Voodoos forward Gary Mantz and Soo Eagles forward Jake Saxton have been named its final Eastlink TV 3 Stars for 2016.

The selection period ran from Monday, Dec. 12 through the conclusion of the 2016 portion of the league schedule, which wrapped up Wednesday evening.

MATT KOSTIW, (G) ELLIOT LAKE WILDCATS – In two starts for Elliot Lake, the 20-year-old Aurora, Ont., native turned in a pair of impressive performances helping the Wildcats record three points in the league standings.

Kostiw began by stopping all 39 shots he faced to post his first NOJHL shutout in a narrow 1-0 triumph over the Blind River Beavers this past Friday.

Two nights later the Elliot Lake netminder turned aside 37 more attempts in double overtime setback at Rayside-Balfour.

He finished up the time frame with a 1.42 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage.

Kostiw will enter 2017 in the top 10 in the league in average, save percentage and minutes played.

GARY MANTZ, (F) POWASSAN VOODOOS – Mantz continued his impressive campaign for the No. 2 Canadian Junior Hockey League-ranked Voodoos aiding in their current 23-game winning streak.

In three outings heading into the Christmas break, the 19-year-old from Waterloo, Ont., amassed eight points in a trio of Powassan victories.

He started off with a goal and two assists in decision over Kirkland Lake back on Dec. 12.

Mantz then set-up three tallies Saturday to help the Voodoos hand the surging Soo Thunderbirds their first defeat in 11 games.

Finishing up, the gifted Powassan forward scored once more and added a helper in a triumph vs. Iroquois Falls.

Currently riding a six-game point streak, Mantz sits second in league offensive production with 53 points in 32 games on 25 goals and 28 assists.

Of note, he has only been held pointless in three games so far this season.

JAKE SAXTON, (F) SOO EAGLES – Helping to contribute to the Eagles success has been their captain, Jake Saxton.

Hailing from Interlochen, Mich., the 19-year-old began his run by notching his initial game-winning goal of the season, coming with just 56 seconds remaining in regulation, in a 4-3 win over Espanola on Dec. 14.

Two nights later Saxton dished out two assists, including setting up the winner, as the Eagles won on the road vs. the Express.

He then scored his club’s lone tally in a close loss at Blind River on Saturday.

Averaging just over a point-per-game for the Michigan Soo, Saxton has 38 in 37 contests, including 13 markers and sits third on the Eagles in scoring.

His point totals are already personal single-season career highs in the NOJHL.

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Eastlink TV 3 Stars

Week 1
Vincent Robbins, (D) Blind River
Kevin Ford, (F) Kirkland Lake
Konnar Dechaine, (F) Cochrane

Week 2
Victor-Olivier Courchesne, (G) Kirkland Lake
Justyn Gillis, (G) Soo Eagles
MacKenzie Savard, (G) Rayside-Balfour

Week 3
Wayne Mathieu, (F) Timmins Rock
Mark Tassone, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Logan Sawka, (G) Espanola Express

Week 4
Braden Cross, (F) Cochrane Crunch
Matt Kostiw, (G) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Matt Caruso, (F) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 5
Caleb Barris, (G) Timmins Rock
MacKenzie Savard, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Jacob Shankar, (F) Timmins Rock

Week 6
Artem Bortovskiy, (G) Iroquois Falls Eskis
Caleb Serre, (F) Blind River Beavers
Jake Behse, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 7
Kade Phipps, (G) Soo Eagles
Alex Storjohann, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Chris Murphy, (F) Soo Eagles

Week 8
Gary Mantz, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Myles Hektor, (G) Blind River Beavers
Dayton Murray, (D) Powassan Voodoos

Week 9
Myles Hektor, (G) Blind River Beavers
Zak Lambrecht, (F) Blind River Beavers
James Watier, (D) Timmins Rock

Week 10
Owen Johansson, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Jacob Palmerio, (F) Soo Eagles
Kyle Liinamaa, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians

Week 11
Tyler Fyfe, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Kade Phipps, (G) Soo Eagles
Konnar Dechaine, (F) Cochrane Crunch

Week 12
Tyson Gilmour, (F), Powassan Voodoos
Tristan Simm, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Nate McDonald, (G) Powassan Voodoos

Week 13
Yianni Liarakos, (F) Blind River Beavers
Andy Baker, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Nate McDonald, (G) Powassan Voodoos

Week 14
Brandon Gordon, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Myles Hektor, (G) Blind River Beavers
Bain Cunningham, (F) Timmins Rock

Week 15
Matt Kostiw, (G) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Gary Mantz, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Jake Saxton, (F) Soo Eagles