JASON PARKS
STAFF WRITER
Prince Edward County’s Jett Alexander was already, statistically speaking, the best goaltender in the Ontario Junior Hockey League this season.
But now he has one more piece of hardware that proves he is head and shoulders above all who tend creases in the Jr. A ranks in Ontario.
Alexander added to his trophy case on Thursday when the OJHL announced that a panel of General Managers and media personnel voted the 6’5″, 214 lbs puckstopper as the league’s Goaltender of the Year.
Jett Alexander. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
Earlier this spring, the 19-year-old was named Top Goaltender in the OJHL, an award that goes to the net minder with the lowest goals against average mark during the regular season.
The North York Ranger led the 22-team OJHL with a 1.67 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. His league-best 30 wins, included 10 shutouts – breaking an OJHL record that dates back to the early 1970s.
Billed from Bloomfield, Alexander and his family live just northeast of Wellington on County rd. 1 where they operate Black Park Shires horse farm.
All things being equal, Alexander could easily wound up a member of the Wellington Dukes.
The Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association alum who moved on to play AAA hockey, first with the Quinte Red Devils and later with the North York Rangers AAA program in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, live five minutes from Lehigh Arena and, according to an OJHL media release, the Alexanders were a billet family for the Dukes organization.
Alexander told the OJHL he remembers being nine years old and attending the team’s final game at the Duke Dome.
“Watching the guys that lived upstairs in my house,” he said with a laugh.
When the Rangers visit Wellington, a large number of family and friends attend Lehigh Arena.
Alexander skated at a Dukes camp in his younger years but ended up going back to the GTHL and the Ranger organization is thrilled that Alexander took to shine to big city living.
“He continues to tap into his potential each year and has developed into one of the best goalies in our league.” Rangers Head Coach Geoff Schomogyi said.
The Rangers captured the OJHL South Division championship this week and will play the winner of the Whitby-Wellington East final for the South East Conference title.
Alexander was the OJHL Kewl Goaltender-of-the-Month and Canadian Junior Hockey League first star for October 2018.
Alexander and other OJHL trophy winners will be honoured at a ceremony during the OJHL championship series next month.
Alexander has yet to announce his intentions for post Junior hockey although it’s believed he is weighing several offers from various NCAA schools.
Luke Pearson of the Whitby Fury was runner-up in Goaltender of they Year voting. The second-year OJHLer had the second highest number of wins (25), third-best save percentage (.938) and fourth lowest goals against average (1.94) in the league this season.
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