SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday that Rayside-Balfour Canadians forward Cayse Ton, Soo Eagles goaltender Kade Phipps and Timmins Rock forward Bain Cunningham have been selected its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the week for the period ending March 26.
CAYSE TON, (F) RAYSIDE-BALFOUR CANADIANS – In three playoff contests last week, the 17-year-old New Liskeard, Ont., product produced five goals against the Blind River Beavers, including a pair of difference makers late in regulation.
Ton began by scoring all three of his club’s markers and notching his first playoff hat trick that included the game-winner with six seconds remaining, in a dramatic 3-2 triumph over the Beavers in Game 4 of their series.
He then tacked on two more goals in Game 5, which featured yet another game-winner with 4:06 left in regulation as the Canadians earned a 4-2 road victory on Saturday.
Heading into Game 7 of their West Division semifinal Tuesday evening in Blind River at 7:30 p.m., Ton sits tied for third in league postseason tallies with his five and is knotted for 11th overall in points with seven.
Last week he was also named the NOJHL’s RBC Scholastic Player of the Year for his efforts in school as a Grade 12 Honour Roll student at St. Charles College where he currently holds a 92% average in university level courses.
KADE PHIPPS, (G) SOO EAGLES – Phipps’ play between the pipes was instrumental in helping the Eagles pull off a four-game upset sweep of the cross-border rival Soo Thunderbirds in their West Division match-up.
In his two home wins last week at Pullar Stadium, the 18-year-old Perrysburg, Ohio native made 63 saves on 67 shots to backstop his side to the series triumph over the Thunderbirds.
Phipps currently leads all NOJHL netminders in both playoff victories and goals-against average at six and 2.36 respectively.
He’s also second overall in save percentage at .927.
BAIN CUNNINGHAM, (F) TIMMINS ROCK – Cunningham was an offensive force for the Rock last week helping his team win two of the three contests they played against the Cochrane Crunch and take a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 at home Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
In Game 3, the 19-year-old from Barrie, Ont., assisted on all four Timmins tallies in a 4-3 overtime triumph on the road.
Game 4 saw him score once in a 4-3 come from behind victory before adding another marker and doling out two helpers in a Game 5 setback in Cochrane on Sunday.
Cunningham currently leads the Rock and sits third overall in NOJHL playoff scoring with a dozen points on three goals and nine assists.
He’s also riding a five-game postseason point streak.
