Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Niagara IceDogs goaltender Stephen Dhillon is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the regular season week ending October 28 after posting a 3-0-0-0 record including one shutout for a goals-against-average of 0.97 and save percentage of .970.
Dhillon turned aside 97 shots last week which backstopped the IceDogs to a trio of victories to climb into first place in the Central Division standings with a 9-4-2-0 record. He earned his first shutout of the season last Wednesday making 28 saves to blank the Peterborough Petes claiming first star honours in the 3-0 home ice decision. Dhillon then won back-to-back games in Michigan to wrap up the weekend including a 3-2 victory Saturday night in Saginaw where he made 36 saves plus two in the shootout to edge the Spirit, then Sunday afternoon in Flint where his 33-save performance earned him third star honours in the 7-1 win over the Firebirds.
A 20-year-old from Buffalo, New York, Dhillon is now a five-year veteran of the IceDogs who chose him in the third round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. He’s now played in exactly 150 career OHL games amassing 67 wins with a cumulative goals-against-average of 3.27 and save percentage of .907. His totals so far this season better those marks as he carries a 2.59 goals-against-average and .921 save percentage through 11 games with both figures among the top-five across the league.
Watch video highlights of Dhillon and the IceDogs against the Petes, Spirit, and Firebirds.
Also considered for the award this week was last week’s recipient Justin Brazeau of the North Bay Battalion who once again led the league in scoring with eight points in three games including four goals and four assists. His teammate Matthew Struthers also had a strong week with three goals and four assists for seven points in three games, while Jonathan Yantsis of the Kitchener Rangers scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games.
2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Lucas Chiodo (Barrie Colts)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)
OHL Writers 