
Willis, George and Edwards Named OHL Top Performers of the Week
November 18, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
Toronto, Ont. - The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, November 17, 2024.
Spirit's Joey Willis Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week
Nashville Predators prospect Joey Willis of the Saginaw is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, registering nine goals, two assists and 11 points over three games played.
Willis opened the week with a Spirit single game record-setting five-goal performance on Wednesday, netting five straight markers to lead the Spirit to a 7-5 comeback win over the Flint Firebirds. He added a goal and an assist on Friday in a 7-5 loss to the Erie Otters. Willis capped off the week with a hat-trick and an assist on Saturday, claiming first star honours in a dominant 9-3 victory over the Sarnia Sting.
A 19-year-old from Elmhurst, IL., Willis has recorded 23 points (12-11-23) over 18 games played this season. Selected by Saginaw in the fourth round (79th overall) of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, the 5-foot-11, 185Ib. centreman has recorded 117 points (41-76-117) over 152 career regular season contests. He put up 11 points (4-7-11) over 17 games in last year's playoffs before the 2024 host Spirit were crowned Memorial Cup champions. Willis was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fourth round, 111th overall of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Also given consideration for the award this week, San Jose Sharks prospect Quentin Musty registered nine points (3-6-9) in two games played. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis of the Brantford Bulldogs was also a standout, tallying six goals, three assists and nine points in three contests, delivering back-to-back hat-tricks.
2024-25 Cogeco OHL Players of the Week - Regular Season:
Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Joey Willis (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Marco Mignosa (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Sam Dickinson (London Knights)
Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Calvin Crombie (Brantford Bulldogs)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs)
Sep. 25 - Sept. 29: Michael Misa (Saginaw Spirit)
Attack's Carter George Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, scoring a goal while going 1-1-0-0 with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.
Turning aside an impressive 81 shots last week, George stopped 36 of the 37 shots that came his way on Thursday in a 4-1 victory over the Peterborough Petes. George made history in the matchup, scoring an empty-net goal to become the 11th netminder in OHL history to find the back of the net and the first to do so for the Owen Sound Attack. He provided relief on Friday, stopping 25 shots in a 7-1 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs. The 6-foot-1, 190lb. netminder returned between the pipes on Sunday, making 20 saves on 24 shots in a hard-fought 4-3 loss to the Ottawa 67's.
An 18-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont, George holds a 4-8-2-2 record this season with a 3.25 goals-against average and .907 save percentage over 17 games. Drafted in the third round (53rd overall) by Owen Sound in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, George is in his third OHL season, with a career record of 34-32-8-5, a 3.19 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, and four shutouts in 83 regular season games played. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (57th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, George earned recognition as the OHL's Top Academic High School Player and Scholastic Player of the Year in 2023-24. He was also voted to the League's Third All-Star Team and the First All-Rookie Team. On the international stage, he claimed gold with Team Canada at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the Under-18 World Championship last season.
Also considered for the award this week, Kitchener Rangers netminder Jackson Parsons continued to shine, playing to a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout, along with a 0.50 goals-against average and .977 save percentage.
2024-25 OHL Goaltenders of the Week - Regular Season:
Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Carter George (Owen Sound Attack)
Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Andrew Oke (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Jackson Parsons (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Nathan Day (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Finn Marshall (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires)
Sept. 25 - Sept. 29: Jack Ivankovic (Brampton Steelheads)
Sting's Beckham Edwards Named OHL Rookie of the Week
Sarnia Sting forward Beckham Edwards is the OHL Rookie of the Week for the second time this season, recording three goals over three contests.
Edwards kicked off the week with a goal in Friday's 5-3 loss to the London Knights. The 6-foot-1, 170lb. centreman added two more on Saturday in a 9-3 defeat to the Saginaw Spirit, giving him a league-leading total among rookies of nine goals.
Selected in the third round (46th overall) by the Sting in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection from the Detroit Little Caesars U15 AAA program, Edwards sits tied for first among all OHL rookies in points this season, registering 14 (9-5-14) in 17 games played.
Also considered for the award this week, Niagara IceDogs forward Braidy Wassilyn contributed four assists in two contests, while Rowan Henderson of the Sudbury Wolves tallied a pair of goals and a helper in two games played.
2024-25 OHL Rookies of the Week - Regular Season:
Nov. 11 - Nov. 17: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 4 - Nov. 10: Carter Stevens (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 28 - Nov. 3: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights)
Oct. 21 - Oct. 27: Cole Zurawski (Flint Firebirds)
Oct. 14 - Oct. 20: Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 7 - Oct. 13: Pierce Mbuyi (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 6: Beckham Edwards (Sarnia Sting)
Sept. 25 - Sept. 29: Ethan Belchetz (Windsor Spitfires)
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