NOJHL names its Eastlink 3 Stars of the week

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday forwards Evan Spencer of the Elliot Lake Wildcats and Marshal Nikitin of the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners along with Soo Eagles goaltender Carter McPhail have been named its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week for the period ending Oct. 8.

EVAN SPENCER, (F) ELLIOT LAKE WILDCATS – A native of Orangeville, Ont., Spencer produced a league-high eight points last week aiding Elliot Lake’s efforts in picking up a pair of wins in three games in three nights.

Thursday saw the 17-year-old Spencer record his first NOJHL hat trick, which included the game-winner, and chip in with an assist as the Wildcats rallied for a decision over Espanola.

Friday he tacked on two more tallies along with a couple of helpers as Elliot Lake got by Cochrane

He was then kept off the scoresheet as the Eagles wrapped up a busy weekend with a road shutout setback in Sault Ste. Marie vs. the Thunderbirds.

Entering the NOJHL Showcase Tuesday in Sudbury, Spencer sits tied for fourth in league offensive numbers with 17 points and is tied for top spot in game-winners with two.

MARSHAL NIKITIN, (F) KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINERS – The 20-year-old Nikitin was instrumental in helping his hometown Kirkland Lake side secure a pair of important victories over the weekend at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex.

Friday saw him match a career single-game high three points as Gold Miners earned a 3-2 decision over visiting Blind River.

In that contest Nikitin tallied twice, including the game-winner, and helped set-up the other goal.

Saturday saw him score for a third straight outing as Kirkland Lake got past Timmins 3-1.

In 56 career NOJHL outings he has scored 15 times and assisted on 26 more.

CARTER MCPHAIL, (G) SOO EAGLES – On a night where his side was outshot by 21, McPhail stood tall in the Eagles’ net in the club’s lone contest last week by handling 47 of the 48 attempts fired his way in Sault Ste. Marie’s home triumph over Cochrane Saturday.

The 18-year-old Fenton, Mich., product currently leads all rookie goaltenders in both goals-against average and save percentage at 1.38 and .958 respectively.

Those numbers are also presently second-best among all NOJHL netminders.

His six goals allowed tie him for the least against with Hearst’s Artem Bortovskiy.

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Eastlink TV 3 Stars

Week 1
Brandon Gordon, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
Artem Bortovskiy, (G) Hearst Lumberjacks
Max Khull, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 2
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, (F) French River Rapids
Dayton Murray, (D) Powassan Voodoos
Garret Boyonoski, (G) Blind River Beavers

Week 3
Jordan Picard, (F) French River Rapids
Zach Bannister, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, (F) French River Rapids

Week 4
William Bucsis, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Giordano Finoro, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Noah Bennett, (D) Cochrane Crunch

Week 5
Evan Spencer, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Marshal Nikitin, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Carter McPhail, (G) Soo Eagles