BATTALION’S DIVINCENTIIS AWARDED JIM RUTHERFORD TROPHY AS OHL’S GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis of the North Bay Battalion is the 2022-23 recipient of the Jim Rutherford Trophy, awarded annually to the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year presented by Real Canadian Superstore.

DiVincentiis put together the best statistical season by a goaltender in North Bay Battalion franchise history, leading the OHL with 36 wins, a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. His five shutouts were tied for the league-lead, and he did not lose consecutive games throughout the entire season.

“I am truly honoured and humbled to be receiving the Jim Rutherford Trophy today as the top goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League,” said DiVincentiis. “To share this recognition with some of the best goaltenders in our league’s history is extremely exciting. This award, in my opinion, is a recognition and acknowledgment to the incredible support and encouragement I have received from my teammates, coaches, support staff, and fans with the North Bay Battalion.

“Finally, I would like to share this award with my family, billet family and support network that has been with me every step of the way. Your love and support has been my greatest source of strength and motivation, and I am grateful for every moment we have shared together through my career to date on and off the ice.”

DiVincentiis’ season was highlighted by being named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for both January and March. He had a tremendous finish to the season, recording four of his five shutouts after Feb. 24th while winning his final six outings of the campaign.

“This is another very proud day for our organization,” said Battalion General Manager Adam Dennis, who won the award as a member of the London Knights in 2006. “Dom has given us a chance to win all season with not just his play but also his leadership. Since the day he came into our program he has been a tireless worker who is incredibly dedicated to his craft; this award is well earned. We look forward watching Dom’s continued growth on the ice as his legacy in the North Bay community continues to grow.”

A 19-year-old from Bolton, Ont. DiVincentiis is the first goaltender in Battalion franchise history to win the award, becoming the first North Bay-based goaltender to do so in the league’s history. The 6-foot-2, 190Ib. netminder has played to a career OHL mark of 50-17-2-1 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .915 save percentage over 75 regular season games. He’s currently 9-4-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and .928 save percentage through 15 games for the Battalion in the 2023 OHL Playoffs. The Troops selected DiVincentiis in the sixth round (116th overall) of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. He was chosen by the Winnipeg Jets last summer, being taken in the seventh round (207th overall).

Announced in August 2019, the Jim Rutherford Trophy is presented by the League in honour of former OHL goaltender, General Manager, Chairman of the Board and two-time Executive of the Year Jim Rutherford. The current President of Hockey Operations of the Vancouver Canucks, Rutherford played 13 seasons as an NHL netminder and was the architect behind Stanley Cup championships for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2019.

The OHL’s Goaltender of the Year Award was first presented in 1988 to Rick Tabaracci (Cornwall), with other notable winners including Manny Legace (Niagara Falls 1993), Andrew Raycroft (Kingston 2000), Craig Anderson (Guelph 2001), the League’s only back-to-back winner Mike Murphy (Belleville 2008 & 2009), along with current NHL goaltenders Jordan Binnington (Owen Sound 2013), Alex Nedeljkovic (Plymouth 2014) and Mackenzie Blackwood (Barrie 2016).

Finalists in this year’s voting included 2022 recipient Brett Brochu of the London Knights, along with New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit, who finished in a tie for second.

DiVincentiis is the OHL’s nominee for the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year Award, presented at the CHL Awards Ceremony on Saturday, June 3 during the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia which takes place in Kamloops, British Columbia. He will be formally presented with the Jim Rutherford Trophy at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

For a complete list of OHL award winners, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.

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VRBETIC AND STRANGES NAMED OHL TOP PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, November 14, 2021.

Knights’ Antonio Stranges Named OHL Player of the Week

Dallas Stars prospect Antonio Stranges of the London Knights is the OHL Player of the Week, scoring three times while adding four assists for seven points over three contests.

Stranges posted three consecutive multi-point performances as the Knights took five of a possible six points last week. He tied the score late in the third period of London’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Guelph Storm on Tuesday before posting two assists in Friday’s 7-4 win over the Soo Greyhounds, picking up a helper on Max McCue’s second period game winning goal. Stranges finished off the weekend with a season-high three points, scoring a pair of goals in a 7-4 road win over the Erie Otters on Saturday. He collected a primary assist on Cody Morgan’s deciding goal in the third period before tacking on insurance just over three minutes later.

A 5-foot-11, 188Ib. left-winger from Plymouth, Mich., Stranges has 10 points including three goals and seven assists through his first eight games of the season. Now in his third OHL campaign, Stranges has recorded 84 points (35-49–84) over 135 regular season games since joining the Knights as a second round (21st overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. He made his professional debut last season, recording an assist during a nine-game stint with the AHL’s Texas Stars, top affiliate of the Dallas Stars who selected him in the fourth round (123rd overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Also given consideration for this week’s recognition, Kingston Frontenacs forward Lucas Edmonds posted seven points including a goal and six assists over three games, earning first star honours in Saturday’s shootout win over the Mississauga Steelheads on CBC. Detroit Red Wings prospect Pasquale Zito of the Windsor Spitfires also merited consideration, recording two goals and three assists for five points in two games.

2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Rory Kerins (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Battalion’s Joe Vrbetic Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Montreal Canadiens prospect Joe Vrbetic of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Goaltender of the Week with a 0.96 goals-against average, .956 save percentage, one shutout and a record of 1-0-0-1.

The 6-foot-6, 186Ib. Vrbetic stood tall in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Sudbury Wolves on Friday, stopping 29 of 31 shots to help the Troops earn a point on the road. He was back in the crease on Sunday, stopping all 14 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season as the Battalion blanked the visiting Wolves 4-0.

A 19-year-old native of Dunvegan, Ont., Vrbetic owns an 8-2-0-1 record, 2.82 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and one shutout through 11 games this season, helping the Battalion hold down first place in the Central Division. Now in his second full season with the Battalion, Vrbetic has played to an overall record of 22-27-1-1 with a 3.93 goals-against average, .885 save percentage and three shutouts over 54 career regular season games. North Bay’s second round (31st overall) pick in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, Vrbetic was a seventh round (214th overall) choice of the Montreal Canadiens this past summer.

Also receiving consideration for this week’s award, New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox of the Saginaw Spirit went 1-1-0-0 with a 2.03 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. Sudbury Wolves netminder Mitchell Weeks was also steady, stopping 74 of the 80 shots he faced, going 1-1-0-0 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)


About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.