RiverHawks honour top players for 2017-18

Jacob Saddler, who led Niagara RiverHawks by putting pucks into the net during the regular season, and Mason Durant, who helped keep pucks out of the net, are the Provinicial Junior Hockey League team’s co-most valuable players for 2017-18.

In 33 games, Saddler scored 21 goals and added 16 assists for 37 points, four points behind Bailey Pritchard, 17 goals and 17 assists for 41 points in 41 games. Pritchard was honoured as leading point-getter at an awards ceremony that wrapped up the season

Durant was also hailed as the top defenceman after scoring six goals and assisting on 16 others in 39 games in league play. Forward Nick Volpatti, six goals, six assists in 40 games; was selected as RiverHawks rookie of the year, and forward Carter LeRoux, 13 goals, nine assists in 37 games; as the team’s unsung hero.

Goaltender Gabe Maskaluk was recognized as most improved player after compiling a 4.67 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in 20 games between the pipes.

The RiverHawks finished the regular season sixth in the South Bloomfield Division with a 12-233-4 record, one point ahead of the Dunnville Mudcats, 13-25-3-1; and two back of the Hagersville Hawks, 15-24-2-1.

They took the third-place Port Dover Sailors to seventh games in the quarter-finals before being eliminated from the playoffs.