Marcouiller Named a Star of the Week

NOJHL NETWORK MEDIA UPDATE

Release Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2016

NOJHL announces  Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week

SUDBURY – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Tuesday that Kirkland Lake Gold Miners goaltender Joe Marcouiller as well as Soo Thunderbirds  netminder Connor Ryckman and forward Matthew Caruso have been named the Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the week, for the period ending April 17.

JOE MARCOUILLER, (G) KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS – Despite the Gold Miners being down 2-0 in the Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy NOJHL final, it certainly hasn’t been because of the efforts of Marcouiller in the Kirkland Lake net.

joe marcouiller-2

The 18-year-old from New Brighton, Minn., was stellar in defeat for his club allowing only two goals against in each of the first two contests in which the Gold Miners were out shot by significant margins on each occasion.

In all Marcouiller stopped 86 of the 90 attempts he faced raising his overall playoff save percentage to .932.

CONNOR RYCKMAN, (G) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – While not as busy as his opponent in the other end, Ryckman continues to be steady backstopping the Thunderbirds to a 2-0 series lead heading into Game 3 Thursday in Kirkland Lake.

Among his efforts, the 19-year-old Minesing, Ont., product produced was his NOJHL-best fifth playoff shutout in Game 1 of the final.

Ryckman then only allowed one against in a Game 2 triumph handling 18 of the 19 shots he faced.

The T-Birds netminder is 9-1 in the postseason to date with a stingy 1.18 goals-against average along with a solid .946 save mark.

MATTHEW CARUSO, (F) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – Caruso, who turns 19 in a week, picked up a total of three points in aiding Sault Ste. Marie’s offensive production to begin the NOJHL finals.

He started with an assist for his hometown’s club’s Game 1 decision then scored once and helped set-up the winner in the Soo’s Game 2 victory.

Caruso currently paces the Thunderbirds with 12 points in 11 outings with a team-high seven tallies and five helpers.

He also shares the league lead in postseason game-winning goals with two.