NOJHL names its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the week

SUDBURY, Ont. – The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced Monday that Hearst Lumberjacks forward Jake Desando along with goaltenders Tyler Masternak of the Timmins Rock and Shane Brancato of the Soo Eagles have been named its Eastlink TV 3 Stars of the Week, for the period ending Jan. 27.

JAKE DESANDO, (F) HEARST LUMBERJACKS – In three road outings over the weekend, the 19-year-old London, Ont., native produced points in each of them helping to lead Hearst to a trio of victories as the Lumberjacks ran their current active winning streak to eight in succession.

Among his efforts, Desando amassed seven points, including notching his first career NOJHL hat trick Sunday afternoon with consecutive third period tallies, including the game-winner, in a win at Kirkland Lake.

He is currently riding a six-game point streak and leads all league skaters in scoring with 63 points through 44 games, including 26 goals.

TYLER MASTERNAK, (G) TIMMINS ROCK – Last week saw the 18-year-old Timmins stopper allow only four even strength goals against helping the Rock secure a pair of important decisions, in three appearances, in the hotly-contested NOJHL East Division standings.

Included in the Oshawa, Ont., efforts was earning his 30th career victory Sunday evening vs. Cochrane.

Masternak currently leads all NOJHL goaltenders this season in wins (22); goals-against average (2.31) and shutouts, with a league single-season record six to date.

SHANE BRANCATO, (G) SOO EAGLES – Seeing action twice last week, Brancato stepped in to produce a pair of road triumphs for the Eagles.

First for the 19-year-old from Lake Villa, Ill., was a season-high 39 stops as Sault Ste. Marie won at Rayside-Balfour.

Brancato then entered early in relief to bolster an Eagles come from behind victory at Espanola.

With wins in each of his past four appearances, he remains undefeated so far in 2019 helping the Michigan Soo make a move over the .500 mark in the NOJHL standings.

Eastlink TV 3 Stars

Week 1
David Campbell, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Mihali See, (F) Soo Eagles
Shayne Battler, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 2
Cade Herd, (F) Powassan Voodoos
Gregory Brassard, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Brendan Young, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 3
Joseph Benedeto, (G) Soo Eagles
Joe Vrbetic, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Steven Bellini, (D) Soo Thunderbirds

Week 4
Lucas Theriault, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gregory Trudeau-Paquet, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 5
Thomson Phinney, (G) Blind River Beavers
Nick Smith, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Christian Snyder, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 6
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Benjamin Hatanaka, (F) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Gabriel LeBlanc, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Week 7
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch
Riley Brosseau, (F) Timmins Rock
Dante Cavaliere, (D) Blind River Beavers

Week 8
Derek Seguin, (F) Timmins Rock
Matthew Bazarin, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Connor Taylor, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats

Week 9
Will Frustaglio, (F) French River Rapids
Joel Rainville, (G) Espanola Express
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks

Week 10
Christian Cicigoi, (G) Powassan Voodoos
Ethan Lavallee, (D) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids

Week 11
Riley Nadeau, (F) Blind River Beavers
Philippe Daoust, (F) French River Rapids
Levi Siau, (F) French River Rapids

Week 12
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Zach Wickson, (G) Cochrane Crunch

Week 13
Gage Stephney, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Dawson Rodin, (G) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Marshall Frappier, (G) French River Rapids

Week 14
Trent Grimshaw, (F) Cochrane Crunch
Max Griffioen, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Sebastein Plamondon, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians

Week 15
Ryan Mulligan, (D) Blind River Beavers
Alec Johnson, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Justin Bofshever, (F) Cochrane Crunch

Week 16
Nicholas Tallarico, (G) Hearst Lumberjacks
David Bowen, (G) Rayside-Balfour Canadians
Brendan Young, (F) Blind River Beavers

Week 17
Dominic Boily, (G) Elliot Lake Wildcats
Quinn Schneidmiller, (D) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Kobe Keller, (F) Soo Eagles

Week 18
Nick Smith, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Aiden Wagner, (F) Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Dominic Skrelja, (F) Soo Eagles

Week 19
Alec Johnson, (D) Hearst Lumberjacks
Noah Boman, (F) Soo Thunderbirds
Eric Conley, (F) Elliot Lake Wildcats

Week 20
Jake Desando, (F) Hearst Lumberjacks
Tyler Masternak, (G) Timmins Rock
Shane Brancato, (G) Soo Eagles