BROOKS, AB (October 30, 2017) – A rare single-team sweep of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) weekly awards saw Brooks Bandits captain Dennis Cesana (Providence, RI) named AJHL Player of the Week, with goaltender Mitch Benson (Windsor, ON) being named AJHL Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced today.
Cesana, 19, scored one goal and six assists for seven points in three Bandit wins over the Lloydminster Bobcats on Wednesday, and the Drumheller Dragons on Friday and Saturday. He tied his season high with four points on Wednesday, and is currently tied for 5th in the AJHL in the league scoring race with 24 points (5 goals, 19 assists) in 18 games. His 19 assists are the second-most for any player in the AJHL.
Benson, 19, posted three wins in the week, including his league-leading second shutout of the year on Wednesday night when he stopped all 22 shots he faced against Lloydminster. He stopped 18 of 21 on Friday in Drumheller and 23 of 25 at home the following night, posting an overall .921 save percentage and 1.67 goals against average for the week.
The Bandits are back in action on Friday night, hosting the Camrose Kodiaks for the first time this season at 7:00 PM at the Centennial Regional Arena. Tickets are available online at tickets.brooksbandits.ca.