Monday May 5, 2014

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that New Jersey Devils prospect Ben Thomson of the North Bay Battalion is the OHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending May 4 with three points in two games including a goal and two assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-1.

Thomson helped the Battalion earn a split on the road in the first two games of the Rogers OHL Championship Series for the Robertson Cup against the Guelph Storm. Thomson opened the scoring in Game 1 of the series with his fifth goal of the post-season despite a 3-2 overtime loss to the Storm on Thursday night. The Troops evened the series on Friday night in Game 2 with a 4-3 overtime victory with Thomson assisting on Nick Paul’s game-tying goal on the power play at 14:32 of the third period, then he set-up Barclay Goodrow’s game-winner at 2:30 of the extra frame. The series shifts to North Bay for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Thomson, a 21-year-old from Orangeville, ON, is playing in his fifth and final OHL season. Selected by the Devils in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Thomson began his OHL career with the Kitchener Rangers before joining the Battalion midway through the 2013-14 campaign where he scored 24 goals and 15 assists for 39 points in his final 43 games finishing the season with a career-high 45 points including 27 goals in 55 games. The overage forward has also added 14 points in 19 playoff games with the Battalion.

Watch highlights of the Rogers OHL Championship Series in Game 1, and Game 2.

Also considered for the award this week was 2014 NHL Draft prospect Robby Fabbri with two goals and one assist for three points in two games for the Storm, and Minnesota Wild prospect Zack Mitchell who scored once with two assists for three points in two games for the Storm. In goal, the Storm’s Justin Nichols made 69 saves in two games with a goals-against-average of 2.92 and save percentage of .920.

2013-14 OHL Post-Season Players of the Week:

Apr. 28 – May 4: Ben Thomson (North Bay Battalion)

Apr. 21 – Apr. 27: Kerby Rychel (Guelph Storm)

Apr. 14 – Apr. 20: Barclay Goodrow (North Bay Battalion)

Apr. 7 – Apr. 13: Robby Fabbri (Guelph Storm)

Mar. 31 – Apr. 6: Daniel Altshuller (Oshawa Generals)

Mar. 24 – March 30: Matt Murray (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Mar. 17 – Mar. 23: Hunter Smith (Oshawa Generals)

2013-14 OHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 10 – Mar. 16: Cameron Brace (Belleville Bulls)

Mar. 3 – Mar. 9: Connor McDavid (Erie Otters)

Feb. 24 – Mar. 2: Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs)

Feb. 17 – Feb. 23: Scott Laughton (Oshawa Generals)

Feb. 10 – Feb. 16: Andreas Athanasiou (Barrie Colts)

Feb. 3 – Feb. 9: Nick Ritchie (Peterborough Petes)

Jan. 27 – Feb. 2: Max Domi (London Knights)

Jan. 20 – Jan. 26: Josh Ho-Sang (Windsor Spitfires)

Jan. 13 – Jan. 19: Justin Nichols (Guelph Storm)

Jan. 6 – Jan. 12: Connor Brown (Erie Otters)

Dec. 30 – Jan. 5: Franky Palazzese (Sudbury Wolves)

Dec. 16 – Dec. 29: Remi Elie (Belleville Bulls)

Dec. 9 – Dec. 15: Max Domi (London Knights)

Dec. 2 – Dec. 8: Andreas Athanasiou (Barrie Colts)

Nov. 25 – Dec. 1: Dane Fox (Erie Otters)

Nov. 18 – Nov. 24: Zac Leslie (Guelph Storm)

Nov. 11 – Nov. 17: Alex Fotinos (Windsor Spitfires)

Nov. 4 – Nov. 10: Matt Murray (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Spencer Martin (Mississauga Steelheads)

Oct. 21 – Oct. 27: Brock McGinn (Guelph Storm)

Oct. 14 – Oct. 20: Scott Kosmachuk (Guelph Storm)

Oct. 7 – Oct. 13: Connor Brown (Erie Otters)

Sept. 30 – Oct. 6: Scott Laughton (Oshawa Generals)

Sept. 23 – Sept 29: Gemel Smith (Owen Sound Attack)

Sept. 19 – Sept. 22: Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa Generals)