NAHL announces Bauer Hockey Stars of the Week
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) today announced the Divisional Stars of the Week presented by Bauer Hockey for the week ending November 27, 2022. The Divisional Stars of the Week is a weekly feature during the 2022-23 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: Gavin Morrissey, Forward, Austin Bruins
Austin Bruins veteran forward Gavin Morrissey, 19, had a big week as the 1st place Bruins won two of three games. The 5’11/180 lbs. native of Rochester Hills, MI, had six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in the three games and was a +4. On Wednesday, Morrissey had a goal in a 3-0 road win in St. Cloud. On Friday, he had an assist in a 3-2 home loss against the North Iowa Bulls. On Saturday, he recorded a goal and three assists in a 5-4 road win in North Iowa. For the season, Morrissey is currently 3rd in team scoring with 17 points in 22 games played to date. “Gavin has been great for us all year and it’s nice to see him get rewarded with this weekly league honor. He’s one of the smartest players that we’ve had here in Austin, and we are excited for the opportunities that he has in front of him,” said Bruins head coach Steve Howard.
2nd Star: Patrick O’Connell, F, Aberdeen Wings
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Dylan Cook, F, Austin Bruins – Mitch Day, G, North Iowa Bulls – Logan Dombrowsky, F, North Iowa Bulls – Cole Moore, G, Aberdeen Wings – Michael Neumeier, D, Bismarck Bobcats – Adam Pietila, F, Bismarck Bobcats
East Division Star of the Week: Brendan Gibbons, Forward, Maine Nordiques
Maine Nordiques forward and Air Force recruit Brendan Gibbons, 20, had a big week as he helped his team extend their winning streak to three straight games with a pair of mid-week wins over the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks. The 6’2/200 lbs. native of Wakefield, RI, had five points in the two wins, including two goals and three assists. On Tuesday, he had a goal and three assists in an 8-1 win. On Wednesday, he netted the game-winning goal in a 3-1 win. For the season, Gibbons leads the Nordiques in scoring with 19 points in 19 games played. “Brendan is a natural leader on and off the ice. Creating offense will always be a strong component of his game. He continues to be a student of the game as he comes to work every day with a dedication towards improvement and his team,” said Maine head coach Matt Pinchevsky.
2nd Star: Zakari Brice, G, New Jersey Titans
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Dominik Bartecko, F, New Jersey Titans – Dominic Foglia, D, Philadelphia Rebels – Anthony Galante, F, Johnstown Tomahawks – Henrik Hallberg, F, Maine Nordiques – Dimitry Kebreau, F, Maryland Black Bears – Maxwell Marquette, F, Philadelphia Rebels – Logan Nickerson, F, Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks – Adam Schankula, F, Maryland Black Bears – Ryan Vellucci, F, Johnstown Tomahawks
Midwest Division Star of the Week: Gavin Moffatt, Goaltender, Wisconsin Windigo
For the second straight week, Wisconsin Windigo goalie Gavin Moffatt, 18, earned the Midwest Division Star of the Week award. The 6’0/170 lbs. native of Darien, CT, was on fire again this past weekend as he posted shutouts in both of his starts, helping the Windigo sweep the Chippewa Steel. Moffatt stopped all 77 shots that came his way in the two wins, and now has a shutout streak of over 238 minutes. On Friday, Moffatt made 34 saves in a 2-0 win. On Saturday, he made a season-high 43 saves in a 4-0 win, which was his third straight shutout. In eight games played this season, Moffatt has a 5-3-0 record with a 1.73 goals against average and a .948 save percentage. “Gavin had another great weekend. He’s coming into his own at this level and it’s been fun to watch. Earning back-to-back player of the week awards is hard to do in this league and I’m proud of him for accomplishing that,” said Windigo head coach Blake Hietala.
2nd Star: Michael Quinn, D, Minnesota Wilderness
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Ren Morque, Minnesota Wilderness – Cameron Morris, F, Anchorage Wolverines – Aiden Westin, F, Anchorage Wolverines
South Division Star of the Week: Brendan Williams, Forward, Oklahoma Warriors
Oklahoma Warriors forward Brendan Williams, 20, had a big week to help his team continue their hot play and move into 1st place in the South Division with three more wins. The 5’9/161 lbs. native of San Juan Capistrano, CA, had five points in three wins this past week. On Wednesday, Williams picked up a pair of assists in a 4-1 home win over the Lone Star Brahmas. On Friday, he had the game-winning goal and an assist in a 6-0 home win over Odessa. On Saturday, he netted the game-winning goal again in a 5-3 win over the Jackalopes. For the season, Williams is 2nd in team scoring with 23 points in 17 games played so far this season. “Brendan had a great three-game set this past week for us which has closed out a great month for him individually. He has been a big part of our group’s success with the energy and work ethic he brings every day. Brendan has continued to be an impact player for us on a nightly basis with his ability to produce in the big moments when our team needs it the most. His attention to detail and willingness to block shots was on full display Saturday which helped lead our group to a gritty road win,” said Warriors head coach Garrett Roth.
2nd Star: Drew Sutton, F, Oklahoma Warriors
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Ryan Johnson, F, New Mexico Ice Wolves – Will Laychur, F, Lone Star Brahmas – Blake Lewis, F, Corpus Christi IceRays – Drake Morse, F, Shreveport Mudbugs – Johan Rosenquist, F, Lone Star Brahmas – Sully Scholle, F, New Mexico Ice Wolves – Eric Vitale, F, Shreveport Mudbugs
