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Brooks Bandits forward Randy Hernández is the Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week after scoring 6 points in two games and sending his team into the Holiday Break on an 11-game win streak.
During the week of December 16th ? 22nd, Hernández and the Bandits recorded two wins to close out the pre-Christmas schedule on top of the Viterra AJHL South Division with a record of 35-1-1. Hernández picked up his tenth Viterra AJHL Star of the Game award with 2 goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over Grande Prairie on Friday, December 20th. He also scored the game winner in the victory, his 5th of the season.
On Saturday night, Randy scored his 30th goal of the season and added 2 assists in an 8-2 win over Canmore. The Bandits will resume the season on December 30th with a rematch versus the Eagles in Canmore.
Randy Hernández, 20, leads the Bandits in scoring with 68 points (30G, 38A) and is second overall in the AJHL Scoring Race. He entered the Holiday Break on a 10-game point streak and leads the AJHL with 14 powerplay goals.
Hernández is committed to Robert Morris University (NCAA Division I). This is his third Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week selection after earning the honour twice in October 2019 as well as recognition as the Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Player of the Month.
The Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Defensive Player of the Week is Sherwood Park Crusaders defenceman Michael Benning. In three games played from December 16th ? 22nd, the 17 year-old accumulated 7 points and leads all AJHL defencemen with 48 points (8G, 40A).
Benning started the week with an assist in a 5-2 win versus Fort McMurray on Wednesday, December 18th. On Saturday night, he doubled up with two assists in a 6-3 victory over Bonnyville. Michael earned his fifth Viterra AJHL Star of the Game award on Sunday with a goal and 3 assists to defeat Lloydminster 8-1 and extend the Crusaders win streak to seven games. Benning has recorded a point in 17 of his last 18 games and is 12th in the AJHL Scoring Race with 48 points.
Michael Benning (St Albert, AB) is committed to the University of Denver. He was recently selected to participate in the 2020 CJHL Prospects Game, which will be held on January 14th, in Hamilton, Ont. Each of the players chosen to participate in the CJHL Prospects Game were selected through the efforts of NHL Central Scouting and are currently among the top 40 CJHL prospects heading into the 2020 NHL Draft, June 26-27, in Montreal.
The Crusaders will meet the Spruce Grove Saints on December 30th as both teams return to action. The Crusaders will enter the game at number one in the Viterra AJHL North Division with a record of 32-3-0.
Canalta Hotels AJHL Player of the Week Recipients:
? September 13-15, 2019 – Cody Laskosky, Camrose Kodiaks
? September 16-22, 2019 – Arjun Atwal, Sherwood Park Crusaders
? September 23-29, 2019 – Carter Savoie, Sherwood Park Crusaders
? September 30-October 6, 2019 – Alex Young, Canmore Eagles
? October 7-13, 2019 – Randy Hernández, Brooks Bandits
? October 14-20, 2019 – Connor Lyons, Canmore Eagles
? October 21-27, 2019 – Zafir Rawji, Olds Grizzlys
? October 28 – November 3, 2019: Randy Hernández, Brooks Bandits
? November 4-10, 2019: Jakob Lee, Brooks Bandits
? November 11-17, 2019: Jack Works, Okotoks Oilers
? November 18-24, 2019: Alex Young, Canmore Eagles
? November 25-December 1, 2019: Eric Martin, Drumheller Dragons
? December 2-8, 2019: Graham Gamache, Spruce Grove Saints
? December 9-15, 2019: Scott Truman, Drumheller Dragons
? December 16-22, 2019 – Randy Hernández, Brooks Bandits
Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Defensive Player of the Week:
? September 13-15, 2019 – Matt Davis, Spruce Grove Saints
? September 16-22, 2019 – Kaeden Lane, Grande Prairie Storm
? September 23-29, 2019 – Easton Hesse, Bonnyville Pontiacs
? September 30-October 6, 2019 – Michael Benning, Sherwood Park Crusaders
? October 7-13, 2019 – Tim Rego, Brooks Bandits
? October 14-20, 2019 – Ashton Abel, Okotoks Oilers
? October 21-27, 2019 – Kabore Dunn, Fort McMurray Oil Barons
? October 28 – November 3, 2019: Carter Gylander, Sherwood Park Crusaders
? November 4-10, 2019: Ashton Abel, Okotoks Oilers
? November 11-17, 2019: Eric Ward, Drayton Valley Thunder
? November 18-24, 2019: Ethan Edwards, Spruce Grove Saints
? November 25-December 1, 2019: Jeremy Gervais, Bonnyville Pontiacs
? December 2-8, 2019: Pierce Charleson, Brooks Bandits
? December 9-15, 2019: Easton Hesse, Bonnyville Pontiacs
? December 16-22, 2019 – Michael Benning, Sherwood Park Crusaders
