HALIFAX (CIS) – Spencer Pommells, a fourth-year centre from the University of Windsor, was named the CIS player of the year in men's hockey, Wednesday night.
Championship website: www.universitycup.ca
A native of Grande Prairie, Alta., Pommells became the first Lancer to claim the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy and only the third Windsor player to capture a CIS major award in men's hockey. Forwards Chris Gignac (1999) and Ken Minello (1989) had previously merited the R.W. Pugh Award presented annually to the most sportsmanlike player.
Other CIS award winners announced during the All-Canadian Gala held at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel were Alberta rearguard Jesse Craige, who was named the defenceman of the year; Saint Mary's netminder Anthony Peters, selected as the best goaltender; Queen's defenceman Spencer Abraham, who received the Clare Drake Award as rookie of the year; Calgary forward Elgin Pearce, who claimed the R.W. Pugh Award; UNB's Gardiner MacDougall, who captured the Father George Kehoe Memorial Award as the TIMEX coach of the year; as well as Concordia forward Olivier Hinse, who merited the Dr. Randy Gregg Award recognizing his excellence in hockey, academics and community involvement.
The University Cup championship, hosted by St. Francis Xavier University, gets underway on Thursday at Scotiabank Centre and culminates Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Atlantic Time (5:30 p.m. Eastern) with the gold-medal final, live on Sportsnet 360. Saturday's semifinals are also live on Sportsnet 360 (noon & 4 p.m. Atlantic), while the quarter-finals and the bronze-medal match are set to air on Eastlink TV. All eight games from the eight-team tournament will be webcast on www.CIS-SIC.tv.
GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Anthony Peters, Saint Mary's
Peters, a fourth-year commerce student from Blyth, Ont., puts an end to a five-year domination by Canada West netminders since the CIS award was first presented in 2009-10.
Named the Huskies team MVP each of the past three campaigns, Peters posted a 16-7 in league play this season and finished with a 2.30 goals against average and a .926 save percentage, the best in the nation among goaltenders with 20 or more starts. The eighth most-utilized goalie in the country with just under 1,400 minutes of ice time, he was a major factor in Saint Mary's third-place finish in the ultra-competitive AUS conference.
A former member of the CIS all-rookie team, Peters' selection to the first all-Canadian squad this season is the first of his career. In 2013, he led the Huskies to an appearance in the University Cup final and was the number-one goalie at the Winter Universiade in Italy, where he went 4-0 to help Canada capture the gold medal.
Head coach Trevor Stienburg honoured his star goaltender following the Huskies last home game by saying, "Anthony Peters is without a doubt the best goalie in CIS and the best to ever wear a Huskies jersey."
The other nominees were Kris Lazaruk of Calgary and Parker Van Buskirk of Windsor.
FATHER GEORGE KEHOE MEMORIAL AWARD (TIMEX coach of the year): Gardiner MacDougall, UNB
In his 15th season behind the UNB bench, MacDougall had previously won the Father Kehoe Award in 2010 and was also the AUS nominee in 2004. The native of Bedeque, P.E.I., who will coach in his 10th University Cup championship later this week, has guided the Varsity Reds to four national titles and a pair of silver medals in nine previous tournament appearances.
This season, the resident of New Maryland, N.B., led the V-Reds to their eighth consecutive first-place finish in the AUS conference and the No. 2 spot in the national rankings thanks to a superb 22-4-2 record. His team, which includes his son Taylor, led the league in both goals scored (118) and goals allowed (61) over the 28-game schedule.
MacDougall is the all-time AUS and UNB leader in wins and the third winningest coach at the University Cup. He has twice helped Canada capture gold at the Winter Universiade, first as an assistant coach in 2007 and again as head coach in 2013 in Trentino, Italy.
"Coach MacDougall consistently produces impressive results in the ultra-competitive AUS conference," said John Richard, Director of Athletics. "Despite turning over more than half of our student-athletes from last year's roster, he and his coaching staff once again found a way to capture the regular season pennant for the eighth straight year."
Windsor's Kevin Hamlin and Mount Royal's Bert Gilling were also in the running.
ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS
The all-Canadian teams were also announced on Wednesday.
Joining major award winners Spencer Pommells, Jesse Craige and Anthony Peters on the first squad were conference MVPs Philippe Maillet of UNB (14-25-39 in 28 GP) and T.J. Foster of Alberta (18-24-42 in 28 GP) on offence, as well as UNB's Jordan Murray on defence (8-15-23 / +19 in 26 GP).
Craige was a second-team member back in 2013, while Peters (2012), Maillet (2014) and Murray (2014) had previously merited CIS all-rookie recognition.
The second CIS dream team for this season is comprised of Calgary goalie Kris Lazaruk (9-4 / 1.67 / .938), rearguards Kenny Bradford of Windsor (8-20-28 in 27 GP) and Reginaldo Traccitto of UPEI (11-15-26 in 28 GP), as well as forwards Cédric McNicoll of McGill (11-23-34 in 25 GP), Cody Cartier of Mount Royal (14-25-39 in 28 GP) and Brett Thompson of Acadia (19-19-38 in 28 GP).
Traccitto was named to the second unit for the second straight year.
Joining Spencer Abraham on the 2014-15 CIS all-rookie squad were UBC netminder Eric Williams (7-7 / 2.27 / .923), UNB defenceman Randy Gazzola (2-22-24 / +21 in 28 GP) and forwards Zachary Franko of Acadia (12-18-30 in 28 GP), Darcy Greenaway of Queen's (16-10-26 in 25 GP) and Stephane Legault of Alberta (6-15-21 in 28 GP).
2014-2015 CIS MEN'S HOCKEY AWARDS & ALL-CANADIANS
Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy (player of the year): Spencer Pommells, Windsor
Defenceman of the year: Jesse Craige, Alberta
Goaltender of the year: Anthony Peters, Saint Mary's
Clare Drake Award (rookie of the year): Spencer Abraham, Queen's
R.W. Pugh Award (most sportsmanlike player): Elgin Pearce, Calgary
Father George Kehoe Memorial Award (TIMEX coach of the year): Gardiner MacDougall, UNB
Dr. Randy Gregg Award (hockey, academics & community service): Olivier Hinse, Concordia
First Team
Pos. - Athlete - University - Year - Hometown - Academic Programs
G - Anthony Peters - Saint Mary's - 4 - Blyth, Ont. - Commerce
D - Jesse Craige - Alberta - 5 - Edmonton, Alta. - Phys. Ed. & Recreation
D - Jordan Murray - UNB - 2 - Riverview, N.B. - Kinesiology
F - Spencer Pommells - Windsor - 4 - Grande Prairie, Alta. - Liberal Studies
F - Philippe Maillet - UNB - 2 - Terrebonne, Que. - Business administration
F - T.J. Foster - Alberta - 2 - Slave Lake, Alta. - Business
Second Team
G - Kris Lazaruk - Calgary - 4 - Edmonton, Alta. - Arts
D - Kenny Bradford - Windsor - 3 - St. Catharines, Ont. - Liberal Studies
D - Reginaldo Traccitto - UPEI - 3 - Oakville, Ont. - Arts
F - Cédric McNicoll - McGill - 5 - Boucherville, Que. - Accounting
F - Cody Cartier - Mount Royal - 3 - Sylvan Lake, Alta. - Business
F - Brett Thompson - Acadia - 3 - Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. - Recreation Management
All-Rookie Team
G - Eric Williams - UBC - 1 - Langley, B.C. - Arts
D - Spencer Abraham - Queen's - 1 - Campbellville, Ont. - Arts & Science
D - Randy Gazzola - UNB - 1 - Thorold, Ont. - Rec. & Sport Studies
F - Zachary Franko - Acadia - 1 - Winnipeg, Man. - Business Admin.
F - Darcy Greenaway - Queen's - 1 - Odessa, Ont. - Arts & Science
F - Stephane Legault - Alberta - 1 - Edmonton, Alta. - Native Studies
For the complete CIS release, please click here.
Source: CIS Communications