Press Release
The Ontario Junior Hockey League today announced the OJHL First and Second All-Star Teams.
1st Team All-Star
G – Kevin Entmaa (Aurora Tigers)
D – Nick Desimone (Buffalo Jr. Sabres)
D – Michael Prapavessis (Toronto Lakeshore Patriots)
F – Taylor Best (Whitby Fury)
F – Steve Hladin (Georgetown Raiders)
F – Liam Kerins (North York Rangers)
2nd Team All-Star
G – Nathan Perry (Cobourg Cougars)
D – Alex D'Oliveira (Cobourg Cougars)
D – Tyler Mayea (Trenton Golden Hawks)
F – Shane Bennett (Milton Icehawks)
F – Pat Egan (Buffalo Jr. Sabres)
F – Mike Panowyk (Whitby Fury)
F - Brett Seney (Kingston Voyageurs)
Goaltender – Kevin Entmaa (Aurora Tigers)
Recently named the OJHL Top Goaltender Award winner after leading the OJHL with a 2.16 goals against average, Kevin Entmaa turned in a dominant performance throughout the 2013-14 season. Also leading the league with a .925 save percentage, 28 victories and 5 shutouts, the Milton, Ontario native teamed with Andy Munroe in backstopping the Aurora Tigers to a league-low 122 goals against, 14 fewer than their closest competition. Seemingly getting stronger as the season progressed, Entmaa would be named the Gongshow Gear Goaltender-of-the-Month runner-up in November and won the award in both December and January, turning in a stretch that saw him go 13-1-0. His play vaulted the club to the top ranking among OJHL clubs in the CJHL down the stretch, currently ranked ninth in the country, and finish as runner-up for the regular season league title to the Kingston Voyageurs.
Defence – Nick Desimone (Buffalo Jr. Sabres)
Playing his first season in the OJHL, the 19-year old rearguard was a pillar on the back-end for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, anchoring the club’s power play while providing a steadying presence in the defensive end. The native of East Amherst, New York finished fourth on the Sabres and second overall among OJHL defenders with 51 points in 52 games played this season, helping the club capture a second consecutive West Division title, while earning Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month runner-up honours in October. He fired home 13 goals, also second best in the league, and his 38 assists were tied for third among rearguards and 19th overall among all skaters. Desimone would be named to the OJHL South-West Conference All-Star Team and would help them finish as runner-up at the 2013 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge as the only defenceman to record two goals in the tournament. He is committed to join Union College next season.
Defence – Michael Prapavessis (Toronto Lakeshore Patriots)
Toronto Lakeshore Patriots defenceman Michael Prapavessis becomes the first player since Luke Juha of the Burlington Cougars in 2010-11 to be named both 1st Team All-Prospect and 1st Team All-Star in the same season. The second year Oakville, Ontario native led all OJHL defencemen with 49 assists, also tied for second best in the entire OJHL, and 54 points. The second leading scorer on his club, Prapavessis helped the Patriots capture the first regular season Division title in franchise history, also earning the number one seed in the South-West Conference standings. Anchoring the league’s second best power play unit, the 6’1”, 180 lbs. blueliner notched 25 power play assists, second highest among all players. A member of Team Canada East at the 2013 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge, Prapavessis would also lead all OJHL defencemen in scoring with four points while helping the South-West Conference All-Stars finish as runner-up at the Central Canada Cup. Ranked 137th overall among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term rankings for the 2014 NHL Draft, he is committed to join RPI next season.
Forward – Taylor Best (Whitby Fury)
Playing for his hometown Whitby Fury, Taylor Best was dominant from start to finish throughout the 2013-14 OJHL season. After being named runner-up as OJHL Gongshow Gear North-East Conference Player-of-the-Month in September, he would win the award with 21 points in October and again be named runner-up in January. Standing at only 5’10”, 168 lbs., Best led the OJHL with 53 assists and 90 points to capture the Top Scorer Award, a first in franchise history, while also finishing tied for third in the league with 37 goals. The backbone of the league’s third best power play unit, he also led the OJHL with 29 power play assists and 40 power play points, factoring in on more than half of the club’s goals with the extra man. Best was a member of Team Canada East at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge, as well as the OJHL North-East Conference All-Star Team at the Central Canada Cup, finishing second on the team in scoring with three points. He is committed to join Mercyhurst University in 2015.
Forward – Steve Hladin (Georgetown Raiders)
Georgetown Raiders captain Steve Hladin was the epitome of consistency all season long, setting an example to his club both on and off the ice. The Mississauga, Ontario native got off to a great start in his third OJHL season, taking home OJHL Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month honours in October and would continue the stellar play to season’s end, failing to record a point in back-to-back games only once all year. Hladin finished the season as runner-up in the scoring race to Best with 83 points, while also finishing runner-up to David Italiano of St. Michael’s in the goal scoring derby, notching 38 goals in 53 games played. Scoring at critical times for the Raiders, Hladin also finished second in the OJHL with seven game-winning goals as Georgetown finished second in the West Division for the second consecutive season.
Forward – Liam Kerins (North York Rangers)
Continuing his steady progression over three years in the OJHL, Liam Kerins set career-highs in all offensive statistical categories this season, while leading the North York Rangers to a second place finish in the South Division standings. Kerins registered 37 goals to finish tied for third overall in the OJHL, while also recording 74 points to finish fifth in the scoring race. The 6’1”, 170 lbs. Caledon, Ontario native also led the Rangers with 13 power play goals, 2 shorthanded goals and 5 game-winning goals and would record 20 points in 11 November contests to be named runner-up as the OJHL Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month. The 19-year old was named a member of the OJHL South-West Conference All-Star Team that finished as runner-up at the Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge and he is committed to join RIT next season.
2nd Team All-Stars (*tie in voting for final forward position)
Cobourg Cougars netminder Nathan Perry is a native of Kingston, Ontario. He posted a 26-10-2 record with a 2.28 goals against average, third best in the OJHL, and a .923 save percentage, while being named to the OJHL North-East Conference All-Star Team that competed at the Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge in Terrebonne, Quebec.
Cobourg Cougars defenceman Alex D'Oliveira is a native of Georgetown, Ontario. He becomes an OJHL 2nd Team All-Star for the second consecutive season after finishing second among all rearguards with 40 assists, the 14th best total among all players and tops on the Cougars, while also finishing fourth in overall scoring among defenceman with 48 points in 53 games played. D'Oliveira is committed to SUNY Oswego for next season.
Trenton Golden Hawks defenceman Tyler Mayea is a native of Burlington, Ontario. The Golden Hawks captain led the club with 19 power play points, while finishing tied for fourth among defenders with 11 goals and third with 49 points in 52 games played. Mayea joined Perry on the OJHL North-East Conference All-Star Team that competed at the Central Canada Cup.
Milton Icehawks forward Shane Bennett is a native of Grand Island, New York. Named a 1st Team All-Star in 2012-13, Bennett finished fifth with 36 goals and fourth with 77 points in 51 games played while being named the OJHL Gongshow Gear South-West Conference Player-of-the-Month in November. Bennett was a member of the OJHL South-West Conference All-Star Team that finished as runner-up at the Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge to the QJAAAHL.
Buffalo Jr. Sabres forward Pat Egan is a native of Rochester, New York. Leading the club in scoring, he finished third among all scorers with 78 points and 13 power play goals, while finishing fourth overall with 47 assists in 51 games played. Egan was Bennett's teammate on the South-West Conference All-Star Team at the Central Canada Cup.
Whitby Fury forward Mike Panowyk is a native of Whitby, Ontario. Another key member of the Fury's high-powered offensive attack, he finished the season with 45 assists and 68 points in 46 games played, while also recording 33 power play points. Panowyk was a member of Team Canada East at the World Junior 'A' Challenge, the OJHL North-East Conference All-Star Team at the Central Canada Cup and is committed to Colgate University for 2015.
Kingston Voyageurs forward Brett Seney is a native of London, Ontario. He joins Prapavessis as the only two players to be named both an All-Star and All-Prospect this season after notching 69 points in 49 games played. Seney was a member of Team East at the CJHL Prospects Game series, the OJHL North-East Conference All-Star Team at the Central Canada Cup and is committed to Merrimack College for 2015.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League will begin announcing its OJHL Year-End Awards beginning next week.
(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)
