NOJHL announces its Players of the Month for March

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Sunday its Players of the Month for March, which also included the final four games of the regular season, played April 1-2.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH: CHASE LEFEBRVE (F) FRENCH RIVER RAPIDS: Piling up 19 points in March, Lefebvre etched his name on the game sheet in each of the seven contests he appeared in, including six that were multi-point performances.

In all, the 17-year-old from North Bay scored seven times and doled out a dozen assists while averaging a league-best 2.71 points-per-game in the time frame.

Lefebvre paced the Rapids offensively this season with 66 points, which also placed him second in overall NOJHL scoring.

Those numbers also saw him sit second in rookie scoring as he tallied 29 times and helped set-up 37 others.

Honourable Mention: Tyler Schwindt, (F) Timmins Rock; Cooper Foster, (F) Soo Thunderbirds


Monthly recipients
September: Cameron Lemcke, (F) Powassan Voodoos

October: Chase Tallaire, (F) Soo Eagles
November: Cooper Bowman, (F) French River Rapids
December: Robbie Rutledge, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
January: (No games due to provincial COVID regulations)
February: Brian Fiddes, (F) Soo Eagles
March: Chase Lefebvre, (F) French River Rapids

DEFENCEMAN OF THE MONTH: ANDREW GIBSON, (D) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – A stalwart at both ends of the ice, the highly-skilled Gibson wrapped up the award period playing at nearly a nearly a point-per-game clip for the Thunderbirds, while also doing his part defensively.

Having just turned 17 back in mid-February, the Windsor, Ont., product scored three times, two of which were game-winners, while three of his six assists were part of deciding markers for surging Sault Ste. Marie, who have won 18 straight match-ups.

Solid for the Thunderbirds’ defensive corps as well, Gibson helped his club only allow 14 goals-against in their last 10 contests to wrap-up the regular season.

In 40 games played, he led all NOJHL defencemen in goals (21), points (51), game-winners (5) and point-per-game average (1.28) while finishing tied for third in assists (30).

Honourable Mention: Bode Dunford, (D) Timmins Rock; Seth Coulter, (D) Greater Sudbury Cubs

Monthly recipients
September: Brandon Hass, (D) French River Rapids

October: Bode Dunford, (D) Timmins Rock
November: Jaden Raad, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
December: Cameron Dutkiewicz, (D) Timmins Rock
January: (No games due to provincial COVID regulations)
February: Jaden Raad, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
March: Andrew Gibson, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH: NOAH METIVIER (G) SOO THUNDERBIRDS – All but unbeatable in the time frame, Metivier went a perfect 5-0-0-0 for his hometown Thunderbirds, giving up just three tallies in 300 minutes of on-ice action.

Sporting a sparkling 0.60 goals-against average and equally stellar .976 save percentage, while posting shutouts in each of his last three starts, he did not allowed a goal in his past 203 minutes and 20 seconds of competition.

On the season, the 18-year-old rookie netminder led all league stoppers in average at 1.88 and his .924 save mark was also tops in the NOJHL.

Going 20-3-2-2 on the season, Metivier also shard the overall lead in shutouts with six.

Honourable Mention: Noah Zeppa, (G) Soo Thunderbirds; Joel Rainville, (G) Greater Sudbury Cubs  

Monthly recipients
September: Alex Bugeja, (G) Powassan Voodoos

October: Noah Metivier, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
November: Ryan Gilmore, (G) Soo Eagles
December: Konrad Simard, (G) Timmins Rock
January: (No games due to provincial COVID regulations)
February: Noah Zeppa, (G) Soo Thunderbirds
March: Noah Metivier, (G) Soo Thunderbirds

ROOKIE OF THE MONTH: ERIC BARNARD, (F) ESPANOLA EXPRESS – A big offensive run in March helped Barnard wrap-up his 2021-22 season with the Express in style.

Still only 17, Barnard amassed 23 points for Espanola last month, in 13 games played, on eight goals and a NOJHL-high 15 assists.

The Owen Sound, Ont., native supplied eight multi-point efforts while providing 17 points alone in his final six outings and 31 in his last 19.

Barnard completed his campaign with 14 markers, 22 helpers, for 36 points, in 38 match-ups and also notched a trio of game-winners for his side.

Honourable Mention: Chase Lefebvre, (F) French River Rapids; Cooper Foster, (F) Soo Thunderbirds  

Monthly recipients
September: Christopher Engelbert, (F) Timmins Rock

October: Dominik Godin, (F) French River Rapids
November: Mike Levin, (F) Powassan Voodoos
December: Mathieu Comeau, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
January: (No games due to provincial COVID regulations)
February: Cooper Foster, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
March: Eric Barnard, (F) Espanola Express