The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is pleased to announce its Stars of the Month for January.
Forward – Levi Astill – Grand Forks Border Bruins
Astill is the KIJHL’s Top Forward for the second straight month, putting up big numbers with eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 10 games, averaging 2.2 points per game.
The KIJHL’s leading point producer was unstoppable, hitting the scoresheet in every game. He opened the month netting the winner against the Castlegar Rebels in a 4-2 win on Jan. 2. His next winning goal came on Jan. 10 in a 5-1 win over the Golden Rockets. His final winner was scored Jan. 31 against the Spokane Braves in a 10-4 win. In that game he bulged the twine three times and had five points. He was +17 while playing an average of 21:18 a game. Astill leads the KIJHL with 83 points in 41 games.
Defenceman – Gairen Bona – Grand Forks Border Bruins
In nine games (three with the Merritt Centennials/six with the Border Bruins), the Calgary native had four goals and five assists and was +12 playing 19:05 a game.
In his third game as a Border Bruin, Bona scored twice, including the winner in a 5-3 victory over the Sicamous Eagles on Jan. 23. On Jan. 31, Bona scored the insurance goal in a 10-4 win over the Spokane Braves. In 33 games, Bona has 24 points, including six points in nine games for Grand Forks.
Goalie – Jaxson Dikur – Williams Lake Mustangs
The 18-year-old from Williams Lake won five of his seven games and saved 259 of 274 shots for a 2.07 goals against average and a .945 save percentage. In four of Dikur’s wins, he made 40 saves for more. In a 4-3 win over the Quesnel River Rush he made 43 saves; 3-2 shootout win over the Kelowna Chiefs – 40 saves; 7-3 win over the River Rush – 42 saves and a 41-save shutout against the Kamloops Storm in a 6-0 win. Dikur is 10-4-0 this season with a 3.30 GAA and a .913 SP.
Rookie – Noah Lawless – Merritt Centennials
Lawless is the KIJHL’s top rookie for the second straight month as he averaged two points per game with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in eight games. He was +13 playing an average of 17:05 a game.
The Mission product had six multi-point games, highlighted by a two-goal, four-point performance against the Sicamous Eagles in an 8-3 win. He netted consecutive winners against the Spokane Braves and Eagles.
