AS the Central Hockey League season rolls along a number of area players or those with local connections are making news.
Former Lakehead Thunderwolves netminder Chris Whitley was chosen the CHL’s most recent goaltender of the week award recipient fresh off a lengthy stint on injured reserve.
He mans the pipes for the league-leading Allen Americans who feature Thunder Bay’s Bill McDonald as an associate coach.
Helping anchor the Allen defensive corps is another local product in Erik Adams who currently shares the league lead among defencemen in plus-minus boasting a plus-20 rating. He is also two points shy of 200 in his CHL career.
Another ex-L.U. player in Tobias Whelan also skates for the Americans. He is riding a four-game point streak for Allen who have won 12 of their past 15 games as they sit comfortably in top spot in the 18-team loop with a 28-7-1 record.
The longest-serving CHL player from the city is Derek Landmesser.
A veteran defenceman with the Mississippi River Kings skated in his 600th CHL game last this week as well as 900th overall in the professional ranks while amassing 711 overall career points.
CLOSING IN: As head coach of the Krefeld Penguins in the premier league in Germany, Thunder Bay’s Rick Adduono has his club closing in on first place in the 14-team DEL.
His squad sits third overall just two points shy of the league-lead having picked up at least one point in seven straight contests while going 8-2-5 in their past 15 outings.
Another local product playing in the DEL, in Mike Kompon, surpassed the 200-point plateau skating for EHC Munich over the weekend. The 28-year-old forward has 57 goals and 144 assists in 184 career games in Germany.
STREAKS: Two Thunder Bay products are continuing notable point streaks in the junior ranks.
Kelin Ainsworth has racked up points in 12 consecutive contests scoring 16 times while dishing out seven assists in that span for the Traverse City North Stars of the North American Hockey League. He also has registered points in 16 of his past 17 games.
Meanwhile Kale Kerbashian’s January in the Ontario Hockey League continues to produce results.
The 20-year-old with the Sarnia Sting has got on the score sheet in each of his club’s nine games in the opening month of 2011. He is tied for seventh in overall OHL point production with 63.
SUPER SAVERS: Down in the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League Lakehead native Kari Rikkoken has been impressive since joining the Brantford Golden Eagles.
The 20-year-old netminder has gone 7-0-1 with his new club while winning his past five starts while posting an overall 2.08 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage along the way.
Out west goaltender Colin Dzijacky continues to shine in his rookie campaign with the Grand Prairie Storm of the Alberta Jr. Hockey League.
The former Thunder Bay Kings’ puckstopper has gone 8-1 in last nine appearances and leads all first-year goalkeepers in wins with 13.
SHARP SHOOTER: Despite a loss to Philadelphia Sunday Patrick Sharp continues to score some big goals for the Chicago Blackhawks.
The talented forward shares the NHL lead in game-winning goals with six, is knotted for third in man advantage markers with 10 and is tied for fifth in overall goals with 25.
Sharp is on pace to surpass his career high goal total of 36 set back in 2007-08.