NEWS

Former OJHL stars Matt O'Conner, Evan Rodrigues & Devin Shore (pictured - photo credit: Pete Buehner/Maine Athletics) were all named Hockey East 2nd Team All-Stars for their performance throughout the 2014-15 season.

Matt O'Conner - Boston University Terriers
Upper Canada Patriots & Burlington Cougars (2008-10)
The Toronto, Ontario native joined the OJHL as a 16-year old member of the then Upper Canada Hockey Club in 2008-09, posting respectable numbers despite playing on one of the leagues poorer clubs.  The following year, O'Connor would improve on his numbers and was moved to the first place Burlington Cougars at the trade deadline to solidify their netminding for the playoff drive, ultimately falling to the eventual CCHL champion Newmarket Hurricanes in the semi-final.  Following two seasons with Youngstown in the USHL, O'Connor made the jump to NCAA Division I hockey this season as a freshman with the Terriers.

Evan Rodrigues - Boston University Terriers
Georgetown Raiders (2009-11)
The native of Etobicoke, Ontario played two full OJHL seasons as a member of the Georgetown Raiders from 2009-11.  Entering the league as a 16-year old in 2009-10, Rodrigues tasted immediate success, notching 20 goals and 51 points as a rookie, while earning a spot on Team East as they won the 2010 CJHL Prospect Game series played in Dauphin, Manitoba, 9-2 over Team West.  By year two, the top-end talent was one of the Raiders offensive leaders, finishing the year with 21 goals and 54 points, while also earning a spot as a member of Team Canada East at the 2010 World Junior 'A' Challenge held in Penticton, B.C.  Rodrigues would take his game to another level, helping Canada East capture the silver medal, while leading the tournament in scoring with three goals and seven points to earn Tournament All-Star honours.  His play throughout the season, not only earned him North-West Conference 1st Team All-Prospect honours, but ultimately his scholarship opportunity to join Boston University.

Devin Shore - University of Maine Black Bears
Whitby Fury (2011/12)
Despite only playing one season in the OJHL, the Ajax, Ontario native made it an award-filled appearance with the Whitby Fury in 2011-12.  Shore more than lived up to the high expectations that were placed on him, finishing the year with totals of 29 goals and 58 points, placing him 12th and 24th overall respectively among all OJHL players, while playing significant minutes on both the power play and penalty kill. He led the Fury with nine power player goals, while also notching 17 power play assists, tied for the sixth best total in the league, to propel the league’s eighth best power play unit at 20.47%. Shore was also an important cog on the penalty kill, notching two shorthanded goals, helping the OJHL’s fourth best unit to an 85.86% ranking. Shore’s season included 17 multi-point games and a 14 game point scoring streak from December 18 to February 3 that helped him win OJHL South-East Conference Gongshow Gear Player-of-the-Month honours for January.

Other highlights of Shore’s impressive rookie campaign include a dominant performance at the 2011 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Langley, B.C. as a member of Team Canada East, where he would record a tournament leading six points in four games played to earn Most Valuable Player honours during a silver medal performance. Shore was also a member of the OJHL East Division All-Stars that competed at the inaugural Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge that was held in Smiths Falls, Ontario and was named an OJHL 2nd Team All-Star, as well as 1st Team All-Rookie, the only OJHL player named to both squads that season. Not only would he be named the OJHL Rookie-of-the-Year, but he also took home the first-ever OJHL Top Prospect Award and then became the highest CJHL draft pick, selected in the 2nd round, 61st overall, by the Dallas Stars in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Congratulations to all three of our alumni!

Below is the official press release from the Hockey East website (www.hockeyeastonline.com):

The Hockey East Association announced its 2014-15 All-Star teams, as voted by the league's 12 head coaches, Thursday night at the annual Hockey East Awards Banquet at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

First team selections included goaltender Jon Gillies (Providence College/South Portland, Maine), defensemen Matt Grzelcyk (Boston University/Charlestown, Massachusetts) and Robbie Russo (Notre Dame/Westmont, Illinois), and forwards Jack Eichel (Boston University/North Chelmsford, Massachusetts), who was the lone unanimous selection to the first team, Kevin Roy (Northeastern, Lac-Beauport, Quebec) and Vince Hinostroza (Notre Dame/Bartlett, Illinois).

Hockey East's second team all-stars include goaltender Matt O'Connor (Boston University/Toronto, Ontario), defensemen Noah Hanifin (Boston College/Norwood, Massachusetts) and Mike Paliotta (Vermont/Westport, Connecticut) and forwards Danny O'Regan (Boston University/Needham, Massachusetts), Evan Rodrigues (Boston University/Etobicoke, Ontario) and Devin Shore (Maine/ Ajax, Ontario).

Earning all-star honorable mentions were goaltenders Thatcher Demko (Boston College/San Diego, California) and Rasmus Tirronen (Merrimack/Espoo, Finland), defensemen Ian McCoshen (Boston College/Hudson, Wisconsin), Ben Hutton (Maine/Prescott, Ontario), and Matt Benning (Northeastern/St. Albert, Alberta) and forwards Alex Tuch (Boston College/Baldwinsville, New York), Matt Willows (New Hampshire/Congers, New York), Tyler Kelleher (New Hampshire/Longmeadow, Massachuetts), and Ross Mauermann (Providence/Janesville, Wisconsin).

In total, Boston University leads the way with five all-star honorees and Boston College claims four, while Maine, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Notre Dame, and Providence each boasts two and Merrimack and Vermont each send one.

Eight of the 2014-15 all-star honorees can be seen in action this weekend in the 2015 Hockey East semifinals at the TD Garden. Semifinal games are set for Friday (March 20) at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and be can seen live on NESN and NBCSN while Saturday's championship game will be shown live on NESNplus and NBCSN at 7 p.m.