Game On Magazine 2017 December 2017 | Page 137

Bradley Schoonbaert MJHL Player of the Month, on the Blues doorstep SCHOONBAERT NAMED MJHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH The Manitoba Junior Hockey League named its Players of the Month for October and there were few surprises. In fact, in a league in which the top five players in scoring (by Nov. 15) were all players whose pictures have appeared on the pages of Game On, Manitoba’s Hockey Magazine, on more than one occasion, the honorees for October come as no surprise. The Player of the Month for October was forward Bradley Schoonbaert, the league’s leading scorer, out of the Steinbach Pistons. Schoonbaert, 20, tallied 15 goals and 33 points in 16 games in October. The product of Brandon had 18 goals and 40 points after his first 19 games. The runners up were 19-year-old forward Connor Barley (third in scoring) of the Selkirk Steelers and 20-year-old forward Matt Christian of the Winkler Flyers (sixth in scoring). The Defenseman of the Month and Game On’s Green Blade Lawn Care Junior Player of the Month was 19-year-old Darby Gula of the Steinbach Pistons. Not only a great defenseman, Gula also had three goals and 20 points in 16 games. The runners up were 19-year-old Tristen Cross of the Virden Oil Capitals and 20-year-old Mackenzie Dwyer of the Portage Terriers. The Goaltender of the Month was Troy Martyniuk of the Winkler Flyers. The 20-year-old Winnipegger posted an impressive 9-3 record, with two shutouts. His goals against average was 2.08 and his save percentage was .931. The runners up were 18-year-old Matthew Radomsky of the Steinbach Pistons and 20-year-old Hayden Dola of the Selkirk Steelers. The Rookie of the Month was 17-year-old Justin Lee of the Virden Oil Capitals. The rookie defenseman from Waskada, MB, played in all key situations and tallied two goals and 13 points in 14 games. The runners up were 18-year-old forward Austin Heidemann of the Steinbach Pistons and 18-year-old forward James Maxwell of the Waywayseecappo Wolverines. Finally, the MJHL’s Peak Performer of the Month was 20-year-old forward Jordan Martin of the Neepawa Natives. A four-year veteran of the Natives, “Marty has always been an ambassador for the program and the league.” He regularly volunteers to help with residents in Neepawa’s Country Meadows Seniors Residence and has also been on the ice helping with minor hockey practices. On top of all that, he also helps out with Breakfast Club minor hockey skill development. Martin, who hails from Winnipeg, is employed by Hylife in Neepawa where he oversees two other Neepawa players. This is his second year as an assistant captain for the club and he’s started the season off with four goals and 15 points. DECEMBER 2017 | GAME O N | 1 3 7