Chekhovich and Dhillon earn national honours
Drakkar’s Ivan Chekhovich named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Ivan Chekhovich of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar is the CHL Player of the Week for the regular season week ending October 28 after scoring five goals and three assists for eight points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.
Chekhovich began the week in style delivering his second five-point performance of the 2018-19 season which included a hat-trick and two assists as first star of Wednesday’s 6-5 shootout victory over the Quebec Remparts. On Friday night he contributed a first period goal as part of another shootout victory for the Drakkar, this time against the Chicoutimi Sagueneens by a 4-3 score to open the rivalry week home-and-home series. The Drakkar also emerged victorious in Saturday’s rematch in Baie-Comeau by a 4-1 score with Chekhovich netting a goal and an assist while earning third star honours. The three-game win-streak lifted the Drakkar back into first place in the QMJHL’s overall standings with a 12-3-0-1 record.
A 19-year-old from Yekaterinburg, Russia, Chekhovich is playing in his third QMJHL season with the Drakkar since joining the club as the third overall selection in the 2016 CHL Import Draft. Through 16 games his 10 goals and 14 assists give him 24 points which ranks tied for fifth overall in the QMJHL. The seventh round pick of the Sharks in 2017 is expected to compete in the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series representing his country against Team QMJHL November 13 in Sherbooke and November 15 in Drummondville.
Also considered for the award this week was last week’s recipient Justin Brazeau of the North Bay Battalion with four goals and four assists for eight points in three games, and Washington Capitals prospect Alexander Alexeyev of the Red Deer Rebels who scored three goals and five assists for eight points in four games.
2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Ivan Chekhovich (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Dawson Davidson (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luka Burzan (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
IceDogs’ Stephen Dhillon named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Stephen Dhillon of the Niagara IceDogs is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the regular season week ending October 28 with a 3-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.97 and save percentage of .970.
Dhillon picked up his first shutout of the season last Wednesday with a 28-save performance that earned him first star honours in a 3-0 victory over the Peterborough Petes. He helped extend the IceDogs winning-streak to four with a pair of road wins in Michigan including a 3-2 shootout triumph on Saturday over the Saginaw Spirit where he made 36 saves, then a 7-1 win over the Flint Firebirds on Sunday where he stopped 33 and was named the game’s third star. Niagara has now climbed into first place in the OHL’s Central Division standings with a 9-4-2-0 record.
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 on pace for his best season to date with seven wins in 11 games while carrying a goals-against-average of 2.59 and a save percentage of .921.
Also considered for the award this week was Creed Jones of the Gatineau Olympiques who posted a 2-0-0-0 record stopping 64 shots for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .970. In the WHL, 2019 NHL Draft prospect Dustin Wolf of the Everett Silvertips who posted a 3-1-0-0 record including a shutout victory stopping 93 shots for a goals-against-average of 1.01 and save percentage of .959.
2018-19 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Émile Samson (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Alexis Gravel (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Trent Miner (Vancouver Giants)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
OHL Writers 