Levi Astill (Grand Forks Border Bruins), Wyatt Wurtz (Columbia Valley Rockies) and Eric Kahl (Grand Forks Border Bruins) have been selected as the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League 3 Stars of the Month for January.
Astill – Top Forward – The Edmonton native scored 14 goals and added 16 assists for 30 points in 11 games for the Border Bruins. He scored five game-winning goals, had a hat-trick and a four-goal game. Astill started the month with a hat-trick performance against the Sicamous Eagles Jan. 3 and added an assist in a 7-6 loss. He then had a five-point performance against the Castlegar Rebels in an 8-2 win on Jan. 7. Against the Spokane Braves on Jan. 11, Astill had four goals and seven points in an 11-1 win. Astill leads the KIJHL with 82 points in 40 games and his 31 goals are tied for the league lead.
Wurtz – Top Defenceman – The Dalmeny, Sask., native scored three goals and added 12 assists, including setting up two game-winners, in seven games for the Rockies. He was a plus two playing an average of 21:44 a game. Wurtz had a goal and four points in a 7-6 win over the Williams Lake Mustangs on Jan. 3. On Jan. 17, in an 8-3 win over the 100 Mile House Wranglers, Wurtz collected four assists. Wurtz leads the Rockies blueline with 23 points in 28 games.
Kahl – Top Goalie – The Saskatoon, Sask. native went 7-0 for the Border Bruins, stopping 157 of 170 shots for a 1.86 goals against average with a .924 save percentage. Kahl earned his first KIJHL shutout in his third game, a 22-save performance in a 5-0 win over the Spokane Braves on Jan. 17. He had a strong 33-save performance against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in a 4-2 win on Jan. 21. Kahl is 7-0 for the Border Bruins with a 1.99 GAA and a .917 SP.
