Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH (November)

By Mike Stackhouse

photo courtesy: Broad Leaf Media

RBC SJHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH:  Justin Ball, Melfort Mustangs
1998 F Justin Ball (Saskatoon SK) led all players during the month of November with 11-goals and 9-assists in 12-games played as the Mustangs went 10-and-2 over the month to dominate the SJHL in the season’s second full month.  Ball had points in all twelve of his team’s games and has points in 26 straight games going into December. He was the runner-up for Player Of The Month last month. Ball had a goal and three assists on November 27th against Weyburn for his single biggest productive night, but he also goes into December riding an 8-game goal scoring streak and he has goals in 9 of his last 10.  With 27-goals and 20-assists in 28-games, Ball leads the SJHL in points overall and he’s only been held off the scoresheet once all year (September 16th, the second night of the year). Runner-up: Michael Clarke, Humboldt.

SJHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH:  Kayle Tosh, Melfort Mustangs
1998 D Kayle Tosh (Beausejour MB) is yet another Melfort player instrumental in their team’s November success as the Mustangs ripped off 10 straight wins at one point to take the lead in the Sherwood Division.  Tosh had 3-goals and 12-assists in 12-games overall to lead all SJHL blueliners in scoring. In addition, Tosh picked up points in 10 of his team’s 12 games and hit the scoresheet in 13 of 14 at one juncture before getting blanked on November 30th against Yorkton.  Tosh had multiple point games in four of five, stretching from November 17-27 (5-2-8-10) and enters December as the top producing defenseman in the SJHL with 5-goals and 30-assists in 27-games played. Runner-up: Tim Gould, Notre Dame.

SASKTEL SJHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH:  Shawn Parkinson, Melfort Mustangs
1999 G Shawn Parkinson (Victoria BC) made six starts upon being acquired via trade and he allowed one goal in five of them and just two in his sixth.  He also appeared in parts of two other games and finished November with a 7-and-0 ledger to go along with a 1.00-GAA and .960-SPCT. He was a big reason why the Mustangs were able to rattle off a ten game winning streak during the month, with his most impressive performance coming on November 13th, when he turned back 34-of-35 shots against the Battlefords North Stars.  Runner-up: Declan Hobbs, Nipawin (second month in a row).

DIRECTWEST SJHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH:  Grant Boldt, Estevan Bruins
2000 G Grant Boldt (Detroit Lakes MN USA) has gone from being the odd man out in a three headed goalie monster in Estevan to assuming the majority of the playing time over the last month.  Boldt posted a 2.63-GAA and .907-SPCT and went 4-and-5 in the win-loss column while getting the decision in nine of his team’s fourteen games this past month. For the year, Boldt has a 6-and-9 record with a 2.54-GAA and .912-SPCT.  Boldt shutout the Melville Millionaires on November 16th and he ends the month with back to back games of allowing just one goal in each contest (at LaRonge, at Flin Flon). Runner-up: Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Battlefords.