SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) announced Monday that defenceman Aidan Rufa (Espanola Paper Kings); forward Benjamin Pouliot (Soo Eagles) and goaltender Jack Helkie (Espanola Paper Kings) have been named its BrokerLink Insurance 3 Stars of the Week, for the period ending Feb. 16.
Aidan Rufa, (D) Espanola Paper Kings: A pivotal provider at both ends of the ice for Espanola, Rufa racked up five points from the back-end in a pair of Paper Kings’ victories over the weekend.
Hailing from Massena, N.Y., the 20-year-old blueliner scored in each of the Paper Kings’ wins and also doled out a trio of assists along the way, featuring one on a game-winner.
Since returning to the Espanola line-up back on January 24, Rufa has averaged over a point-per-game with a dozen in seven match-ups, including five goals.
Benjamin Pouliot, (F) Soo Eagles: Leading all league skaters in offensive production, Pouliot’s contributions helped the Eagles pick-up a pair of road results on a three-game set away from Pullar Stadium.
Featured in his efforts were a NOJHL-high five tallies and a couple of assists. This included adding the deciding marker in a result at Hearst, along with a hat trick as part of a five-point night in Iroquois Falls.
His final goal of the week saw the 20-year-old from Howell, Mich., set a single-season high in tallies with 25 and reach the 50-point plateau on the campaign, in just 35 outings.
Jack Helkie, (G) Espanola Paper Kings: Returning to the win column, Helkie won both his starts during the time frame.
With triumphs over Powassan and French River, the 18-year-old netminder from Aurora, Ont., posted a combined 1.50 goals-against average and a .959 save percentage in his appearances.
The rookie goalkeeper has had 10 starts so far this season where he has made 30-plus saves, including both of last week’s victories versus the Voodoos and Rapids.
BROKERLINK INSURANCE 3 STARS
Week 1
Jordan Mayo, (F) Iroquois Falls Storm
Wyatt Gibson, (F) Blind River Beavers
Bryan Fenlon, (D) Soo Thunderbirds
Week 2
Brant Romaniuk, (F) Timmins Rock
Lucas Signoretti, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Graydon Guthrie, (F) Espanola Paper Kings
Week 3
Noah Beaulne, (G) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Mathieu Comeau, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Nicholas Tarantella, (G) French River Rapids
Week 4
Jack Nolan, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Mason Chitaroni, (D) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Connor Dunham-Fox, (G) Blind River Beavers
Week 5
Callum McAuley, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Alex Povorozniouk, (F) Soo Eagles
Dryden Riley, (G) Timmins Rock
Week 6
Benjamin Pouliot, (F) Soo Eagles
Bronx Bodnar, (G) Blind River Beavers
Cameron Menard, (F) Espanola Paper Kings
Week 7
Henry Ouellet, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Matthew Vahramian, (G) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Justin Rousseau, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Week 8
Cayden Kowal, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Adam Shillinglaw, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Hunter Vilanez, (F) French River Rapids
Week 9
Cooper Fredericks, (F) Soo Eagles
Cameron Menard, (F) Espanola Paper Kings
Graham Gee, (G) Timmins Rock
Week 10
Tenzin Nyman, (D) Timmins Rock
Alexandre Boivin, (G) Hearst Lumberjacks
Leighton Hurst, (D) Blind River Beavers
Week 11
Lucas Signoretti, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Jack Kelly, (F) Timmins Rock
Tyler Patterson, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Week 12
Nolan Newton, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Kaeden McArthur, (F) Timmins Rock
William Pâquet, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Week 13
Mason Chitaroni, (D) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Alex Povorozniouk, (F) Soo Eagles
Aiden Kalin, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Week 14
Lucas Signoretti, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Owen King, (F) Blind River Beavers
Nate Dugwell, (F) Elliot Lake Vikings
Week 15
Carter Vicente, (G) French River Rapids
Cooper Fredericks, (F) Soo Eagles
Maverick Fletcher, (G) Iroquois Falls Storm
Week 16
YiBin Yoo, (F) Blind River Beavers
Owen King, (F) Blind River Beavers
James Meredith, (G) Espanola Paper Kings
Week 17
Alex Povorozniouk, (F) Soo Eagles
Alexandre Valade, (D) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Justin Sullivan, (G) Iroquois Falls Storm
Week 18
Samuel Assinewai, (F) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Owen King, (F) Blind River Beavers
Trent Nobes, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Week 19
Henry Ouellet, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
James Meredith, (G) Espanola Paper Kings
Marcus Krats, (D) Powassan Voodoos
Week 20
Kaden Wicklander, (F) Espanola Paper Kings
Dryden Riley, (G) Timmins Rock
James Legler, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Week 21
Mason Chitaroni, (D) Greater Sudbury Cubs
Owen King, (F) Blind River Beavers
Kaeden McArthur, (F) Timmins Rock
Week 22
Aidan Rufa, (D) Espanola Paper Kings
Benjamin Pouliot, (F) Soo Eagles
Jack Helkie, (G) Espanola Paper Kings