NA3HL Announces Bethel University Stars of the Week
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is pleased to announce the Divisional Stars of the Week for the week ending March 1st, sponsored by Bethel University. This weekly award recognizes the top-performing players from each of the league’s six divisions, as nominated by their head coaches, for their outstanding contributions on the ice.
Central Division Star of the Week: Shaun Paulson, Forward, West Bend Power
Shaun Paulson and the Power handled business in Illinois, sweeping the Mustangs to cap off a flawless 8-0 season series.
Friday night brought the closest contest between the two all year, but West Bend still found a way to grind out a 3-2 win. All five goals were scored in the middle frame, and Paulson helped give the Power control by scoring the team’s second goal in the eventual victory.
After firing over 50 shots for the second straight night, West Bend exploded for a 9-0 shutout victory. Paulson wasted no time making his mark, putting together his third three-point performance of the season, and doing all his damage in the opening period.
He started by setting up the game’s first goal, then buried back-to-back tallies of his own, including a powerplay marker that helped blow the game wide open before the first intermission.
With four points on the weekend, the ’06 forward continues to put together a steady, impressive rookie campaign. Paulson now sits at 30 points in 35 games, averaging just under a point per contest while proving to be a consistent offensive spark for the Power.
West Bend Head Coach Jason Woods couldn’t have said it better about Paulson’s weekend: “It’s fantastic to see Shaun earn weekly honors. He’s had a tremendous rookie season and fully deserves the recognition. We think he’s one of the best 200-foot players in the league, and his all-around game is just unreal.”
2nd Star: Jace Fitzgerald, F, West Bend Power
3rd Star: Eric Denny, D, St. Louis Jr. Blues
East Division Star of the Week: Caden Shafer, Forward, Long Beach Sharks
‘06 rookie Caden Shafer played a key role this week as Long Beach went 2-1 over their three-game stretch.
Game one featured an 8-3 victory over New Jersey, and Shafer was electric. The ‘06 forward scored back-to-back goals in the first period, giving the Sharks a 3-0 lead heading into the second. He wasn’t done there, adding an assist on the team’s seventh goal to finish with a three-point performance.
After a loss to the Nordiques, Shafer helped Long Beach bounce back in style. He turned in a monster first period, racking up all three of his points in the opening 20 minutes. He started by assisting on the game’s first goal, added another helper on the third, and capped the period with a power-play goal under two minutes to give the Sharks a 4-0 lead in a 7-3 win.
With multiple multi-point efforts this week, Shafer is proving that he’s a rising force for Long Beach as the postseason approaches.
Shafer’s impact hasn’t gone unnoticed, according to Sharks Head Coach Jeff Tory: “Caden has been a very dynamic player for us since his arrival. He has the ability to impact a game both with his physicality but also his good vision and play making ability and hockey IQ.”
2nd Star: Trenton Impens, F, Norwich Sea Captains
3rd Star: Sean Bailey, F, Long Beach Sharks
Frontier Division Star of the Week: Branson Appelman, Goaltender, Helena Bighorns
The Helena Bighorns held things down on the road, completing a weekend sweep over the Badlands Sabres, and netminder Branson Appelman was at the center of it all. The second-year Bighorns goalie started both games, showing why he’s a cornerstone for the team.
Game one ended in a 4-1 victory and although the Sabres struck first, Appelman settled in quickly and never looked back. He faced just eight shots in the opening period but saw 14 in the second and 13 in the third, finishing with 35 saves on the night.
Saturday was a true nail-biter as the Bighorns eked out a 2-1 win. Appelman controlled the crease all night, denying 28 of 29 shots and preserving the win for Helena.
Over the two games, the Maple Grove, Minnesota native faced 64 shots, making 62 saves for a stellar .968 save percentage. With his season record now at 11-3, Appelman continues to prove himself a reliable presence in goal as Helena looks to return to St. Louis and make a run at the Fraser Cup.
As Helena looks ahead to the playoffs, Head Coach Damon Hanson highlighted the impact of Branson Appelman between the pipes: “Since Branson came in, he’s brought stability to the net every night. He battles hard and makes key saves when we need them, and we’re thrilled to have him as we push into the playoffs.”
2nd Star: Cooper Clouse, F, Great Falls Americans
3rd Star: Andrew Kaunas, F, Bozeman Icedogs
South Division Star of the Week: Matthieu Leblanc, Forward, Austin Ice Bats
The Ice Bats made serious noise this past week, taking two out of three from the Brahmas, both wins coming on home ice.
Friday’s matchup was a wild one, with both teams lighting up the scoresheet before the game was ultimately decided in a shootout. During regulation, Matthieu Leblanc was at the center of the offense, operating as a playmaking machine. He piled up three assists, helping push the Bats to overtime and setting the stage for the eventual win.
Austin carried that momentum straight into Saturday, delivering a statement 7-1 victory in the second-to-last week of the regular season.
Leblanc once again played a starring role, recording his second straight three-point performance. The ’07 rookie was electric, scoring twice, once in the first period and again in the third, while adding an assist to cap off another dominant outing.
In his first season of junior hockey, Leblanc has been nothing short of impressive. He’s averaging 1.42 points per game and now sits at 61 points in 43 games, putting together an impressive rookie campaign.
2nd Star: Jake Wenner, F, New Mexico Ice Wolves
3rd Star: Liam Cardona, F, Austin Ice Bats
Southeast Division Star of the Week: Loghan Weber, Forward, Louisiana Drillers
To no surprise, the Drillers continued their roll this weekend, completing a three-game sweep over the Rougarou.
Since being acquired by Louisiana last month, Loghan Weber hasn’t missed a step in the Southeast Division after previously dominating the Frontier with Butte.
He opened the weekend with his most explosive outing, showcasing his elite playmaking ability with six assists, three in the first period, one in the second, and two more in the third.
On Saturday, after Louisiana fell behind 1-0 early, Weber helped flip the momentum. He buried the Drillers’ first goal on the power play and went on to add four assists for a five-point performance. Three of those five points came on special teams, as he added a powerplay assist and a shorthanded helper to his tally.
To cap off the sweep, the ’05 forward stayed hot, scoring another powerplay goal and adding two more assists to close out the weekend.
With 14 points in three games, Weber continues to produce at a high level in his final season of junior hockey, proving to be a major offensive driver for the Drillers down the stretch.
2nd Star: Riley Schmidt, F, Louisiana Drillers
West Division Star of the Week: Caleb Waller, Forward, Alexandria Blizzard
Caleb Waller continues to stack accolades in an already impressive season, earning Star of the Week honors for the third time and previously being named Forward of the Month in January.
The Blizzard hit the road this weekend and split their series with the Toros. Friday’s matchup was an offensive showdown, with Mason City controlling much of the game. Still, it was Waller who fueled Alexandria’s comeback push. The ’05 forward scored back-to-back goals in the second period and added an assist as the Blizzard narrowly fell 7-6.
Saturday brought a statement bounce-back performance, as Alexandria secured a 4-2 win. Waller wasted no time making his presence felt, recording all three of his points in the opening 20 minutes. He assisted on the first two goals of the game before scoring one of his own, with two of his three points coming on the powerplay.
With six points on the weekend, Waller continues to climb the record books, closing in on the Blizzard’s single-season points and goals marks, further cementing his role as a driving force behind Alexandria’s success this year.
Alexandria Head Coach Jeff Crouse didn’t hesitate when asked about Waller’s impact: “Caleb’s impact on our program speaks for itself. The numbers are there, but it’s his preparation and how he rises to big moments that set him apart. We’re looking forward to seeing what he and this team can do when the postseason begins.”
2nd Star: TJ Gibson, F, Mason City Toros
3rd Star: Dawson Desjardins, G, Minnesota Moose
