Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Anthony Cirelli of the Erie Otters is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 30 after recording nine points in four games scoring four goals and five assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

Cirelli earns the award for a second time this post-season after producing three straight multi-point performances in three wins for the Otters who captured the Wayne Gretzky Trophy with a 4-2 series win against the Owen Sound Attack in the Western Conference Championship Series. Cirelli chipped in with one assist despite a 6-3 loss in last Monday’s Game 3, then earned first star honours in Wednesday’s Game 4 with a goal and an assist as the Otters tied the series 2-2 with a 4-3 triumph in Owen Sound. His strong play continued with two assists in Friday’s Game 5 leading to a 4-2 victory, then peaked in Sunday’s Game 6 series finale delivering a hat-trick plus an assist as first star of the 7-2 win. This marks the third Wayne Gretzky Trophy for the Otters following Western Conference titles in 2015 and 2002. They now advance to the Rogers OHL Championship Series against the Mississauga Steelheads for the J. Ross Robertson Cup beginning Thursday in Erie.

A 19-year-old from Woodbridge, ON, Cirelli is playing in his third OHL season and first with the Otters after being acquired from the Oshawa Generals in January. In 17 playoff games he ranks fifth in scoring with 23 points including 13 goals and 10 assists. In 25 games with Erie he scored 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points bringing his 2016-17 totals to a career-high 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 51 games. The third round pick of the Lightning in the 2015 NHL Draft will be playing in his second OHL Championship Series after winning the 2015 title along with a Mastercard Memorial Cup with the Generals.

Watch video highlights of Cirelli and the Otters against the Attack in Game 4, Game 5, and Game 6 of the Western Conference Championship Series.

Also considered for the award this week was Otters captain and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome with two goals and three assists for five points in four games, along with Steelheads captain and New Jersey Devils prospect Michael McLeod who scored twice with two assists for four points in two games. In goal, Matthew Mancina backstopped the Steelheads to an Eastern Conference title capturing the Bobby Orr Trophy with a 4-0 series win over the Peterborough Petes. In his two games last week he made 52 saves in two victories including one by shutout for an overall goals-against-average of 0.40 and save percentage of .981.

2016-17 Pioneer Energy OHL Playoff Players of the Week:

Apr. 24 – Apr. 30: Anthony Cirelli (Erie Otters)

Apr. 17 – Apr. 23: Matthew Mancina (Mississauga Steelheads)

Apr. 10 – Apr. 16: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)

Apr. 3 – Apr. 9: Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Mar. 27 – Apr. 2: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)

Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Anthony Cirelli (Erie Otters)

2016-17 Pioneer Energy OHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)

Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Petrus Palmu (Owen Sound Attack)

Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)

Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)

Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Joseph Murdaca (Erie Otters)

Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Spencer Watson (Mississauga Steelheads)

Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)

Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)

Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)

Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Santino Centorame (Owen Sound Attack)

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Michael McNiven (Owen Sound Attack)

Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes)

Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)

Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)

Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Troy Timpano (Erie Otters)

Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Max Jones (London Knights)

Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)

Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires)

Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Joseph Raaymakers (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Matt Luff (Hamilton Bulldogs)