MURPHY NAMED S-E PLAYER-OF-THE-MONTH
The OJHL announced today that Wellington Dukes’ forward Darcy Murphy (photo credit - Brian Watts/OJHL) has been named the Gongshow Gear South-East Conference Player-of-the-Month after dominating play throughout the month of October, recording 18 goals and 29 points during 10 games played.
So far this season Murphy has recorded points in all but one game and currently sits on a 12 game point scoring streak that includes all 10 October games. The 5’11”, 180 lbs. forward has rocketed up the scoring charts to take the overall lead in the OJHL with 22 goals, six more than the next closest competitor, and 36 points, as well as sitting tied for the lead with eight power play goals. His totals throughout October included a pair of hat tricks, topped by a four goal, five point performance during a 7-0 victory over Mississauga, and he recorded multiple points in all but one game during the month. Murphy’s impressive totals have helped the defending champion Dukes climb back up the standings after a bit of a slow start, going 8-2 during October to currently sit in 4th place in the competitive East Division.
When informed of his selection as Player-of-the-Month, Murphy was quick to credit his teammates, “My linemates Cam Yuill and Jeff Stanton have been great to play with and they deserve a lot of credit for our month of October and our lines success. It is great to be recognized as the Gongshow Gear South-East Conference Player-of-the-Month.”
Dukes General Manager and Head Coach Marty Abrams was quick to praise his star forward’s recent play, “Darcy has been a determined leader from the start of training camp. It is nice to see he is getting rewarded and recognized for his hard work. Darcy is a big reason for our success in the month of October.”
Adrian Ignagni of the St. Michael’s Buzzers, the September Player-of-the-Month, was runner-up to Murphy as the South-East Conference Player-of-the-Month. Ignagni continued his stellar play, leading the Buzzers to first place in the entire OJHL and a second place ranking in the CJHL with a 10-1 record, including one shutout, during the month. Remarkably, he improved on his September goals against average by posting a 1.72 gaa in October and earned a spot as one of Team Canada East’s two netminders for the upcoming World Junior ‘A’ Challenge.
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Born on September 24, 1992 and a native of Marysville, Ontario, Darcy Murphy finished out his minor hockey career with the midget Quinte ‘AAA’ Red Devils.
Murphy made the jump to junior hockey in 2009-10, joining the nearby Trenton Golden Hawks. The smallish forward would play 30 games for the Hawks, recording 19 points in 30 games played, but with an influx of older players late in the season, he decided to leave the club and join the Junior ‘C’ Picton Panthers for the remainder of the season. In Picton, Murphy’s talents were clearly on display as he notched 15 points in 13 regular season and playoff games combined.
That summer the Golden Hawks swung a deal with Wellington Dukes which would prove to be one of the best in Dukes history, netting the club the dynamic forward. Last season, Murphy became one of the leaders on the club, finishing fifth in scoring with 41 points, while helping lead the team to a South-East Conference regular season title. He then took his game to the next level in the playoffs, finishing ninth among all players with 9 goals and 20 points to help the Dukes capture the OJHL Championship, and another 3 points as they captured the Dudley-Hewitt Cup to earn a berth at the RBC Cup. During the national championship, Murphy would record another three points, including the game winner during a 6-3 victory over Portage to clinch a berth in the semi-final game.
Murphy also excels off the ice and this past summer was member of the Belleville Bulls ball hockey squad that captured the Canadian Junior National Under-19 Championship in Saskatoon. Murphy would not only tie for the tournament scoring lead in helping the Bulls clinch a victory, but he was named both Most Valuable Forward and Most Valuable Player in the process.
Entering this season with high expectations, Darcy Murphy has not disappointed, dominating play on the ice virtually each and every game that he has played to lead the OJHL in scoring. Murphy’s play will warrant serious consideration by numerous schools as he looks to gain a collegiate scholarship in the near future.
About the OJHL
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 27 member clubs. Originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League, it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including the CIS, NCAA, CHL, Minor Pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL had more than 150 commitments in 2010-11, including 58 NCAA Division I scholarships.
For more information to player commitments please visit www.ojhl.ca.
