2011 TELUS Cup

3 Stars of the Day

DAY 1 – MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011

1. Sam Reinhart (F) – Vancouver North West Giants
Records aren’t complete for the early years of the National Midget Championship, but if Reinhart’s performance on Monday wasn’t record-setting, it was pretty darn close. Reinhart finished with a remarkable nine points (three goals, six assists) as the Giants became the first team since 2000 to score a dozen goals in a TELUS Cup game.

2. Alex Kerfoot (F) – Vancouver North West Giants
The second half of Vancouver’s dynamic duo was just as impressive on Monday, adding a pair of goals to his six assists for an eight-point effort. Like Reinhart, Kerfoot was in on five of Vancouver’s six first-period goals, helping the Giants put Winnipeg away early en route to a one-sided tournament-opening victory.

3. Michael Matheson (D) – Lions du Lac St-Louis
Lac St-Louis’ captain opened and closed the scoring for the Lions in their tournament-opening win over London, snapping a wicked wrist shot past Craig Wood in the first period and then guiding a point shot through traffic and past Justin Tugwell late in the third to help the Quebec Region champions avoid a third-period collapse.


DAY 2 – TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2011

1. Sam Reinhart/Alex Kerfoot (F) – Vancouver North West Giants 
On Monday they took the top two spots, but since it looks as if it could be a recurring event to see their names on this list, today they share top spot. Kerfoot had five points and Reinhart four in the Giants' 6-1 win over Halifax, giving them each 13 points in just two games – on pace for somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40.

2. Ryan Power (D) – St. John's Privateers
The St. John's blue liner was in the middle of the action in the third period of his team's victory over London, scoring the eventual game-winning goal with a blast from the point early in the final frame before executing a picture-perfect give-and-go with Danny Wicks late in the period for a little insurance.

3. Teagan Sacher (G) – Winnipeg Thrasher
After lasting just six minutes and allowing three quick goals in Monday's tournament-opening blowout loss at the hands of Vancouver, the Thrashers netminder rebounded very nicely on Tuesday, stopping all 23 shots he faced and recording just the second shutout ever by a Winnipeg goaltender at the TELUS Cup.


DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2011

1. Kurt Etchegary (F) – Lions du Lac St-Louis
After getting the Lions on the board in the first period the St. John’s native – he played minor hockey through Bantam last season in the city – took over late in the second, scoring twice and adding an assist in a span of 1:44, turning a 3-2 lead into a 6-2 advantage and helping Lac St-Louis cruise to a convincing victory.

2. Jackson Houck (F) – Vancouver North West Giants
The third member of Vancouver’s top trio – along with Alex Kerfoot and Sam Reinhart, familiar names on this list – took a little bit of the spotlight from his high-scoring linemates on Wednesday, scoring the game-tying goal for the Giants before helping Kerfoot set up Reinhart for the game winner, keeping Vancouver perfect.

3. Marcus Power (F) – St. John’s Privateers
The Privateers’ captain almost single-handedly took out the tournament’s last undefeated team, scoring once and setting up two others as St. John’s came close to downing the Giants. Despite missing a penalty shot that would have given the Privateers a late lead, Power was the host team’s best player in its best game.


DAY 4 – THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2011

1. Matt Jenkins (G) – St. John’s Privateers 
With his team’s season hanging in the balance Jenkins turned in one of the best goaltending performances of the 2011 TELUS Cup, stopping 27 shots in the first two periods as the Privateers were outshot 29-10 in the first 40 minutes. He finished with 30 saves to preserve the tie and keep St. John’s semifinal hopes alive.

2. Sam Reinhart (F) – Vancouver North West Giants
Through four games, the Vancouver power play has scored on a ridiculous 50% of its chances, going 13 for 26. Of those 13 goals with the man advantage, Reinhart has been in on 10 of them, scoring four goals and adding six assists. He picked up the game-winner on the power play Thursday, helping Vancouver clinch first.

3. Marcus Power (F) – St. John’s Privateers
The Privateers captain keeps his hold on third spot on the list, taking the shot that led to the first St. John’s goal and scoring the second with a gorgeous forehand-to-backhand deke, followed by a top-shelf backhand. Power has climbed to third in the tournament scoring chart with nine points, trailing only Vancouver’s dynamic duo.


DAY 5 – FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011

1. Anthony Duclair (F) – Lions du Lac St-Louis
One of the most talked-about players coming into the tournament thanks to his appearances with Quebec’s under-16 and under-17 teams this season, Duclair had his best game of the tournament against St. John’s, scoring the back-breaking 3-1 goal and assisting on two others to help the Lions grab second place.

2. Paul Hopkins (F) – London Jr. Knights
Goalless and with just two assists through four games, Hopkins picked an opportune time to score his first of the tournament, giving the Jr. Knights an early lead against Vancouver, and set up the 2-0 goal early in the second period to help the Jr. Knights qualify for the weekend despite entering the day winless.

3. Patrick Walsh (F) – Lions du Lac St-Louis
The Lions already knew they were semifinal bound thanks to Friday’s earlier results, but Walsh helped make sure they entered the weekend on a winning note, tying the game in the first period just seconds after St. John’s had taken the lead, setting up the important 3-1 goal and adding an assist on a third period insurance marker.


DAY 6 – SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2011

1. Adam Rzeszutko (D) – London Jr. Knights

Rzeszutko scored the biggest goal of his young career on Saturday night, notching the overtime winner to send the Jr. Knights to the unlikeliest of gold medal game appearances. He also added two assists in the win, helping London reach the final despite entering the final day of preliminary round play without a victory.

2. Brendyn Illchuk (F) – Winnipeg Thrashers

A 27-goal scorer for the Thrashers during the regular season and playoffs, Illchuk picked an opportune time for just his second of the TELUS Cup, scoring the winner midway through the second overtime to send Winnipeg to its second gold medal game appearance in four years at the National Midget Championship.

3. Teagan Sacher (G) – Winnipeg Thrashers

The Winnipeg netminder allowed an early goal to Lac St-Louis’ Patrick Walsh but settled down after that, making 25 of his 43 saves in the third period and overtime and giving Brendyn Illchuk the opportunity to score the overtime winner, sending the Thrashers to Sunday’s gold medal game against London.


DAY 7 – SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011

1. Teagan Sacher (G) – Winnipeg Thrashers 
Sacher started the tournament by allowing five goals in 15 minutes during a 12-5 loss to Vancouver, and finished it by hosting the TELUS Cup. The Winnipeg netminder turned aside 31 shots during Sunday’s gold medal game victory over London, and allowed just 11 goals in six games after the disastrous start against the Giants.

2. Connor Lockhart (F) – Winnipeg Thrashers
This year’s Esso Scholarship winner at the awards banquet, Lockhart entered Sunday’s gold medal game with just two assists in six games. He picked the perfect time for his first goal of the tournament, scoring on a Winnipeg power play just 1:01 into the third period – the eventual game, and gold medal, winner.

3. Anthony Duclair (F) – Lions du Lac St-Louis
Duclair made sure the Lions left St. John’s with a medal, scoring the game-winner with 2:34 to go and adding the clinching goal into an empty net with 1.1 seconds on the clock to clinch bronze for the Quebec champs. Duclair turned up his game in the playoff round, scoring twice and adding three assists in the semifinal and bronze game.

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