NAPHL announces Apex Learning Peak Performers for October 2018
The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) announced its Apex Learning Virtual School Peak Performers for the month of October. The players were selected based upon their performance at the second NAPHL event of the season, which took place in Blaine, Minnesota from October 19-22. Stats were based on ALL games played. Peak Performers are only to full-time NAPHL members in the High Performance and Elite Divisions.
18U Apex Peak Performer (Offense) – Nikolas Campbell, Thunder Bay Kings
Thunder Bay Kings 18U forward Nickolas Campbell, 16, helped his team to a 3-1-0 record during the October event and put up some great offensive numbers. The 5’10/170 lbs. native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, had seven points in four games, which included three goals and four assists. Campbell recorded at least one point in all four games and had two multi-point games, which included two goals (including the game-winner) in a 4-2 win over Colorado Springs. Campbell is tied for 2nd in 18U scoring with 10 points this season.
#2 Star: Nickolas Wieben, Sioux Falls Power
#3 Star: Jazz Krivstov, Shattuck-St. Mary’s
18U Apex Peak Performer (Defense) – Max Ruoho, Madison Capitols
Madison 18U defenseman Max Ruoho, 17, helped his team to a 2-2-0 record during the second event of the season, which included three points (all assists) in the four games. The 6’0/175 lbs. native of Verona, Wisconsin, recorded an assist in a 5-2 win over Valley Forge and two assists in a 5-4 shootout win against RHA Academy. Ruoho is tied for 5th in the NAPHL’s 18U Division for scoring for defensemen with five points this season, which is one behind the current leaders.
#2 Star: Nico DeVita, Everett Silvertips Elite
#3 Star: Cody Wilson, Rocky Mountain RoughRiders
18U Apex Peak Performer (Goaltender) – Danny Mitchell, Esmark Stars
Esmark Stars 18U goalie Danny Mitchell, 16, was literally perfect during the event in October and in the process moved his season record to a perfect 4-0-0 mark for the Stars. The 6’2/160 lbs. native of Mars, Pennsylvania, posted shutouts in both of his starts during the October event. That included a 17-save shutout in a 5-0 win against Valley Forge and a 31-save shutout against the Sioux Falls Power. Mitchell has allowed just five goals in his four NAPHL wins this season.
#2 Star: James Downie, Meijer AAA
#3 Star: Austin Ryman, Wenatchee Wolves
16U Apex Peak Performer (Offense) – Kolton Watts, Nashville Jr. Predators
Nashville Jr. Predators 16U forward Kolton Watts, 16, finds himself at the top of the NAPHL 16U scoring race thanks to a big second event in Blaine. The 6’1/195 lbs. native of Huntsville, Alabama, had nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) in four games during the event as Nashville put together a 3-1-0 record. Watts recorded multi-point games in three of his four outings and had four points in a 5-1 win against Colorado Springs. Watts’ 19 points is current tops for all NAPHL 16U players.
#2 Star: Yusaku Ando, Pursuit of Excellence
#3 Star: Mason Mara, Florida Alliance
16U Apex Peak Performer (Defense) – Blake Arneson, Sioux Falls Power
For a second consecutive month, Sioux Falls Power 16U defenseman Blake Arneson, 16, has earned the NAPHL’s Peak Performer nod for 16U defensemen. The 5’8/150 lbs. native of Red Wing, Minnesota, totaled five points (3 goals, 2 assists) in the four games of the second event in Blaine as the Power posted a 1-2-1 record. His best game came in a 3-2 overtime loss against the Esmark Stars, where he scored both Power goals. Arneson currently leads all NAPHL 16U defensemen in scoring with 11 points in eight games played.
#2 Star: Jameson Folden, Rocky Mountain RoughRiders
#3 Star: Cooper Morris, Alaska Oilers
16U Apex Peak Performer (Goaltender) – Keaton French, Colorado Springs Tigers
Colorado Springs Tigers 16U goalie Keaton French, 16, faced plenty of action during the second event of the season in Blaine. The 6’0/160 lbs native of Fairbanks, Alaska, played in three of the four games for the Tigers, posting two shutouts and stopping a total of 100 out of a possible 102 shots. French’s shutouts came in a 28-save win over Pursuit of Excellence and a 27-save win over the Minnesota Magicians Open team. His lone blemish was a 2-0 loss against the Thunder Bay Kings where he made 45 saves. French currently ranks 4th in the NAPHL’s 16U Division with a .950 save percentage.
#2 Star: Julien Lefebvre, Thunder Bay Kings
#3 Star: Larkin Dolan, Rocky Mountain RoughRiders
15U Apex Peak Performer (Offense) – Max Resnick, Florida Alliance
Leading the way in the 15U Elite Division is the Florida Alliance led by forward Max Resnick. The 15-year-old from Tampa, Florida, recorded 10 points (4 goals, 6 assist) during the most recent event in Blaine as his team posted a 3-1-0 record. Resnick (5’9/150) had three multi-point games, which included two goals and two assists in a 5-2 win over CarShield AAA. For the season, Resnick leads the Alliance 15U team in scoring with 14 points in eight games played.
#2 Star: Marcus Miller, Sioux Falls Power
#3 Star: Larry Hansen, Florida Alliance
15U Apex Peak Performer (Defense) – Lucas McKeeby, Meijer AAA
Meijer AAA 15U defenseman Lucas McKeeby celebrated his 16th birthday during the second event in Blaine by putting up some numbers. The 6’0/175 lbs. native of Mattawan, Michigan, had three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in four games as Meijer put together a 2-2-0 record. That included a one goal, one assist effort in a 5-1 win against Nashville. For the season, McKeeby has three points in eight games played.
#2 Star: Kyle Budde, CarShield AAA
#3 Star: Liam Varmecky, Esmark Stars
15U Apex Peak Performer (Goaltender) – Topher Chirico, Sioux Falls Power
In two games during the NAPHL event in October, Sioux Falls Power 15U goalie Topher Chirico allowed just a single shot to get past him as he helped the Power to a perfect 4-0 record during the event. The 5’6/130 lbs. Kansas native stopped 49 of a possible 50 shots in the two games, which included a 21-save shutout against Colorado Springs and a 28-save effort in a 3-1 win over the Valley Forge Minutemen on the final day. Chirico’s save percentage of .933 currently ranks 4th in the NAPHL’s 15U Division.
#2 Star: Jordan Behnen, CarShield AAA
#3 Star: Jake Stern, Valley Forge Minutemen
The third NAPHL event of the 2018-19 season will take place from November 9-12, 2018 at the Dr Pepper StarCenters in Frisco/McKinney/Plano, Texas.