SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA RELEASE
Release Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013
Photo credit: Denis Dubois
(Caption – Minnesota Wilderness (SIJHL) goaltender Gordy Defiel is presented his Dudley-Hewitt Cup most valuable player award by Hockey Canada Vice-Chair Joe Drago following Saturday’s championship game, in which the Wilderness won 4-3 in overtime vs. the St. Michael’s Buzzers. (OJHL)
Wilderness netminder Defiel named Dudley-Hewitt Cup MVP
NORTH BAY, Ont. – Just like he has done all season long, Minnesota Wilderness netminder Gordy Defiel came up big when needed most.
Defiel, the Superior International Junior Hockey League’s goaltender of the year award recipient, continued his stellar play by backstopping his club to the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A championship Saturday after the Wilderness defeated the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League 4-3 in overtime in the title game.
Defiel, who earlier led his team to the Bill Salonen Cup, emblematic of SIJHL playoff champions, led all netminders in the Dudley-Hewitt competition in goals-against average, (1.43) save percentage, (.944) and shutouts. (2)
Those two blankings came against the 2012 Dudley-Hewitt champion Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) and St. Michael’s, which allowed Minnesota to finish in first place in round robin play at the four-team event that was hosted by the North Bay Trappers. (NOJHL)
His numbers during the SIJHL’s regular season were equally impressive as he posted a solid 25-1-0-2 record while also leading all puck stoppers in the entire 127-team Canadian Junior Hockey League in both average and save mark at 1.39 and .945 respectively.
Defiel, who turned 20 earlier this year, also registered eight shutouts, which not only led the SIJHL, but also tied him for the most of any goalkeeper in the CJHL.
Add in an 8-2 record in the SIJHL postseason along with a 1.82 GAA and .935 save percentage, you can see why he was named a finalist for the first-ever CJHL goaltender of the year award.
With the league regular season and playoff titles, along with a Dudley-Hewitt crown under their belts, the Wilderness, who were tabbed No. 2 overall the final 13 weeks of the CJHL’s Top 20 rankings, will now prepare for the Royal Bank Cup Canadian National Jr. A Championship, May 11-19 in Summerside, P.E.I.
This will mark the SIJHL’s second appearance at the RBC in the 12-year history of the league, with the previous one coming in 2006 when the then Fort William North Stars advanced all the way to the semifinals where they eventually fell in overtime to the eventual RBC champion Burnaby Express.