Recruit Pontarelli riding high

by Ryan Fay

It has been a pretty good week for Union hockey recruit Michael Pontarelli.

On Tuesday, the Cornwall Colts forward was named a finalist for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Top Forward Award. A day later, the Colts won the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) championship after knocking off defending champion Nepean in six games. And on Friday, he was named a finalist for the CJHL Most Valuable Player Award.

Pontarelli (CCHL)

Pontarelli, set to come to Union for the 2014-2015 season, became the CCHL's 2012-2013 scoring champion after scoring 52 goals and racking up 55 assists in 53 games for the Colts. He recently won the CCHL MVP and the CCHL Sportsmanship and Ability Awards.

Other CJHL top forward finalists include Jesse Sinatynski, who collected 43 goals and 50 assists for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Dauphin Kings; Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League top scorer Joakim Arsenault of the Sainte-Agathe Montagnards; Buffalo Jr. Sabres forward Tyler Gjurich, the only Ontario Junior Hockey League player to reach 50 goals this past season; and Mario Puskarich, who had 89 points in 55 games for the Langley Rivermen of the British Columbia Hockey League.

Other CJHL MVP finalists include Collège Français de Longueuil goaltender Paul Borbeau Jr, the player of the year in the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League; Gjurich; Brooks Bandits forward Cam Maclise, who led the Alberta Junior Hockey League with 56 assists; and Melville Millionaires netminder Alex Wakaluk, who led all Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League goalies in wins (28) and save percentage (.930).

The awards are two of seven new CJHL honors. The winners are slated to be announced the week of May 6th.

As CCHL champions, the Colts will move on and compete for the Fred Page Cup in Truro, Nova Scotia. Their first game is Wednesday at 4 pm against Summerside of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.