With the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League regular season winding down, it's now that time of year to hand out individual awards for outstanding achievements during the 2012-13 season.
Sitting atop the league standings, with a handful of players leading or near the lead in many statistical categories, it was no surprise Cold Lake Jr. B Ice players were among those awarded this past week.
Leading the way for the Ice was 20-year-old forward Dallas Ansell, who was named the league's Most Valuable Player this season.
So far, through 31 games played, Ansell has put up a league and career-high 94 points, including 50 goals and 44 assists.
Ansell leads the league in points, goals, assists, goals-per-game, short-handed goals and points-per-game.
The forward from Cold Lake won the Rookie of the Year honours two seasons ago with the Ice and played last season with the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs.
“Dallas is an amazing player and person. He has far surpassed our expectations on and off the ice. He is a leader on this team and does his leading by example,” said Ice head coach and general manager Neil Langridge.
“He came back to us this year and set out to lead the league in scoring. And he's the type of guy that when he puts his mind to something he'll make it happen no matter what. Those are the types of guys you want leading your team.”
Playing alongside Ansell on likely the most dominant line in the league is this season's Most Gentlemanly Player with Skill, Ice captain Niko Bourget.
In just 25 games this season, Bourget has put up 55 points, including 18 goals and 37 assists, while accumulating just 68 penalty minutes.
“I really believe Niko, with the numbers he puts up and what he does to help his team win night in and night out, he could have just as easily been in the running for MVP,” said Langridge.
Ansell echoed those comments saying, “Niko could be an MVP in this league every year. I'm lucky to get to play alongside him and Matt (Laboucane) every game. They are both great teammates and awesome to play with.”
He added, “There's goals I've scored this year, I don't know how Niko got me the puck, but somehow he did.”
Ansell said the key to his game this season was growing into more of a complete player.
“I've definitely come a long way since my first year. I play a lot more of a physical game now. I'm also focusing much more on helping the team to be successful, in whatever role they need me to play.”
Langridge said he couldn't ask for a better player than Ansell.
“On the ice, off the ice, he is the hardest working guy I know. If you could build a team with 20 Dallas Ansells, you'd be set.”
Six-game winning streak snapped
The Ice had its six-game winning streak snapped last weekend, after dropping 3-2 decision to the Killam Wheat Kings on Saturday.
The night before, the Ice beat the Saddle Lake Warriors 7-4.
The Ice currently lead the league with a record of 26-4-1, with three games remaining in the regular season.
