Photo Credit – Em Duncan Photography:
The Pizza 73 AJHL Player of the Week is TJ Hughes of the Brooks Bandits. With seven points (4G, 3A) in three games from November 22nd – 28th, Hughes extended his point streak to 28 games, and an average of two points per game in the regular season.
TJ Hughes (Hamilton, ON) and the Bandits won all three games last week, beginning with a 5-2 result versus the Calgary Canucks on November 23rd. The third-year Bandit scored two powerplay goals and an assist in the midweek win. The team traveled North to Grande Prairie on November 27th for a 4-1 win over the Grande Prairie Storm with Hughes picking up an assist. On November 28th, the Bandits defeated the Whitecourt Wolverines with the same 4-1 result. TJ scored his league-leading 11th and 12th powerplay goal, including the game winner, and an assist to earn his seventh Viterra AJHL Star of the Game award.
Hughes is second in the AJHL Scoring Race, behind teammate Ryan McAllister, with 55 points (28G, 27A) in 28 games. Hughes, 20, is committed to Mercyhurst University of the NCAA Division I.
The Brooks Bandits are ranked first in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and sit first overall in the AJHL Standings with a record of 26-1-1. Brooks hasn’t lost a game in regulation time since September 18th, 2021.
Teammate Zach Bookman is the Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. The Bandits Captain led all defencemen in scoring with six points (2G, 4A) and currently sits third overall in the AJHL Scoring Race.
Zach Bookman extended his point streak to 18 games with three multi-point games last week. On November 23rd, he recorded two assists, including an assist on the game winner in a 5-2 win versus the Canucks. He would once again earn an assist on the game winning goal on November 27th in a 4-1 victory over the Storm and added a goal of his own. The week concluded with a 4-1 win Whitecourt and a repeat performance by Bookman with a goal and an assist.
Bookman and the Bandits defence have allowed the fewest goals against (51) of all AJHL teams through 28 regular season games.
The 19 year-old leads all AJHL defencemen in scoring with 53 points (12G, 41A) and an average of 1.9 points per game in the regular season. Bookman is committed to the NCAA Division I Merrimack College Warriors.
The Inter Pipeline AJHL Rookie of the Week is Trey Funk of the Bonnyville Pontiacs with five points (1G, 4A) in three victories. Funk extended his point streak to five games alongside the team’s five-game win streak.
Funk (Redwood Meadows, AB) recorded an assist on the first three Pontiac goals as Bonnyville opened the week with a 5-2 final over the Sherwood Park Crusaders on November 24th. The 19 year-old forward scored the game winning goal, his third game winner of the season, in a 7-4 victory versus the Camrose Kodiaks on November 26th. Funk picked up his 13th assist of the season in a 3-1 defeat of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on November 28th to close the week.
Pizza 73 AJHL Player of the Week Recipients:
- September 17-19, 2021: Caiden Gault, Spruce Grove Saints
- September 20-26, 2021: Mitchell Joss, Sherwood Park Crusaders
- September 27-October 3, 2021: Christiano Aiello, Whitecourt Wolverines
- October 4-10, 2021: Noah Hackett, Olds Grizzlys
- October 11-17, 2021: Ryan McAllister, Brooks Bandits
- October 18-24, 2021: Noah Hackett, Olds Grizzlys
- October 25-31, 2021: Roc Truman, Camrose Kodiaks
- November 1-7, 2021: Ethan Strang, Grande Prairie Storm
- November 8-14, 2021: Sebastian Tamburro, Bonnyville Pontiacs
- November 15-21, 2021: Luke Fennig, Drumheller Dragons
- November 22-28, 2021: TJ Hughes, Brooks Bandits
Alberta Ford Dealers AJHL Defensive Player of the Week:
- September 17-19, 2021: Brendan Kennette, Brooks Bandits
- September 20-26, 2021: Brett McKinley, Spruce Grove Saints
- September 27-October 3, 2021: Joshua Zinger, Olds Grizzlys
- October 4-10, 2021: Austin Zavoda, Okotoks Oilers
- October 11-17, 2021: Zach Bookman, Brooks Bandits
- October 18-24, 2021: Zac Onyskiw, Spruce Grove Saints
- October 25-31, 2021: Nick Traggio, Bonnyville Pontiacs
- November 1-7, 2021: Taige Harding, Fort McMurray Oil Barons
- November 8-14, 2021: Zach Bookman, Brooks Bandits
- November 15-21, 2021: Taige Harding, Fort McMurray Oil Barons
- November 22-28, 2021: Zach Bookman, Brooks Bandits
Inter Pipeline AJHL Rookie of the Week:
- September 17-19, 2021: Carson Whyte, Camrose Kodiaks
- September 20-26, 2021: Logan Hauer, Sherwood Park Crusaders
- September 27-October 3, 2021 – Thomas Vela, Olds Grizzlys
- October 4-10, 2021: Bowden Singleton, Okotoks Oilers
- October 11-17, 2021: Ryder Matter, Brooks Bandits
- October 18-24, 2021: Rieger Lorenz, Okotoks Oilers
- October 25-31, 2021: Simon Diaz, Fort McMurray Oil Barons
- November 1-7, 2021: Zach Bookman, Brooks Bandits
- November 8-14, 2021: Vann Yuhas, Drumheller Dragons
- November 15-21, 2021: Ty Daneault, Drumheller Dragons
- November 22-28, 2021: Trey Funk, Bonnyville Pontiacs