Battochio named AUS 2nd team all-star

2008-09 AUS Men's Hockey All-Stars and All-Rookie Team Announced

March 11, 2009 (HALIFAX, NS) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to announce the 2008-09 men's hockey all-star teams and all-rookie team as selected by the conference's eight head coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. For the second year in a row, the UNB Varsity Reds and Saint Mary's Huskies accounted for five of the six available positions on the first team.

The #1-ranked Varsity Reds claimed two of the forward spots with sophomores Hunter Tremblay and Kevin Henderson each getting the nod. SMU's Marc Rancourt, the conference's top scorer, was the third forward selected, while defensemen Andrew Hotham and Scott Hotham of the #4-ranked Huskies were also honoured. Université de Moncton goalie Kevin Lachance rounds out the first team selections.

Tremblay, last season's AUS Rookie of the Year, had his second 50-point season in a row, scoring 14 goals and 36 assists, while Henderson had a breakthrough year for UNB with 50 points of his own to tie Tremblay for third in conference scoring. Henderson's 19 goal and 31 assist season represent an increase of 35-points over his season output from a year ago when he had just 15 points as a rookie.

Rancourt, a fourth year winger from Gloucester, ON, is a conference all-star for the third year in a row after leading the CIS in both scoring with 57 points and assists with 41. Rancourt, who also netted a league-leading five game-winning goals, is currently the conference's active scoring leader with 175 points in four seasons, ranking him fifth in school history.

Saint Mary's defensemen Andrew and Scott Hotham were also named to the first team after finishing first and second respectively in scoring among blue-liners this season. Andrew, in just his second year, also led all CIS defensemen and finished sixth in overall AUS scoring with 13 goals and 30 assists for 43 points. Scott, a three-time all-star and a second team all-Canadian last year, scored 6 goals and added 27 assists for 33 points. Andrew also led all defensemen with eight power-play goals and added two game-winners. Scott, in his fourth season, is the AUS active scoring leader among defensemen with 110 career points.

Moncton goalie Kevin Lachance, a third year player with the Aigles Bleus, is an all-star for the first time in his career after posting an 11-7-0 record and a 3.13 goals against average this season, including a shutout. He also he led the AUS with a 0.910 save percentage.

First team all-stars:
G - Kevin Lachance, Moncton (3rd year - Vanier, PQ)
D - Scott Hotham, Saint Mary's (4th year - Barrie, ON)
D - Andrew Hotham, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Barrie, ON)
F - Hunter Tremblay, UNB (2nd year - Timmins, ON)
F - Marc Rancourt, Saint Mary's (4th year - Gloucester, ON)
F - Kevin Henderson, UNB (2nd year - Toronto, ON)

Pierre-André Bureau and Jean-Phillippe Paquet of the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus were named to the second team, along with forwards Cam Fergus of Saint Mary's and Justin Donati of UPEI, defenseman Dustin Friesen of the UNB Varsity Reds and StFX X-Men goalie Danny Battochio.

Fergus, a second year player from Brantford finished second in AUS scoring with 22 goals and 51 points in 28 games this season. His 22 goals tied team-mate Cody Thornton for the conference lead and included 13 power-play markers and a pair of game-winners.

Bureau, in his fourth season, led the Aigles Bleus in scoring with 33 points in 28 games played this year. Pierre-André, who earlier this season had his jersey retired by the QMJHL's PEI Rocket, has now amassed 116 points in his university career and is the conference's second leading active scorer behind Rancourt. UdeM rookie Jean-Phillippe Paquet was also selected after tying for third in scoring among defensemen with 21 points in 27 games.

StFX's Danny Battochio led the AUS in minutes played this season with over 1,474 minutes in 26 games played and is now an all-star for the first time in his three-year career. Battochio picked up 15 wins and posted a 3.30 goals against average this year, including two shutouts and a save percentage of 0.893.

UNB's Dustin Friesen and UPEI's Justin Donati were also named to the second squad. Friesen, a fifth year defenseman from Waldheim, SK, captained the #1-ranked V-Reds this season and finished sixth in scoring among blue-liners with 20 points in 28 games. Donati, a second year forward from Oakville, ON, led the Panthers in scoring with 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points this season, including a league-high three hat-tricks. His 48 points are the most by a UPEI player since the 1995-96 season when Forbes MacPherson scored 50 points for the Panthers.

Second team all-stars:
G - Danny Battochio, StFX (3rd year - Lively, ON)
D - Dustin Friesen, UNB (5th year - Waldheim, SK)
D - Jean-Phillippe Paquet, Moncton (1st year - St-Georges de Beauce, PQ)
F - Pierre-André Bureau, Moncton (4th year - St-Prosper, PQ)
F - Cam Fergus, Saint Mary's (2nd year - Brantford, ON)
F - Justin Donati, UPEI (2nd year - Oakville, ON)

This year marks the third year for the selection of an all-rookie team in men's hockey. Among the first year players selected to the team were Acadia forwards Jonathan Laberge and Chris Bruton along with Dean Ouellet of Moncton. Defensemen Bretton Stamler of UNB and Moncton's Jean-Phillippe Paquet also cracked the squad along with goalie Kristofer Westblom of the Acadia Axemen.

All-rookie team:
G - Kristofer Westblom, Acadia (Meadow Lake, SK)
D - Jean-Phillippe Paquet, Moncton (St-Georges de Beauce, PQ)
D - Bretton Stamler, UNB (Edmonton, AB)
F - Jonathan Laberge, Acadia (Ste-foy, PQ)
F - Dean Ouellet, Moncton (Edmunston, NB)
F - Chris Bruton, Acadia (Calgary, AB)

The 2009 Subway Atlantic University Sport men's hockey championship series begins this Friday night in Fredericton, as the #1-ranked UNB Varsity Reds host the #4-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies in game one of the best-of-three series. Game time is 7pm at the Aitken Centre. Game two is scheduled for Sunday, March 15th at the Halifax Forum (7pm) with game three, if necessary, scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th at UNB also at 7pm.

Note: Headshots of the first team are attached, however, any of the above all-stars are available by contacting me directly. The 2008-09 major award winners will be announced Thursday, March 12th.

For further information, please visit www.atlanticuniversitysport.com