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Parkinson presented with MVP at Melfort Mustangs award ceremony

MELFORT — With the season nearing a close and playoffs looming ahead, the Melfort Mustangs held their annual awards banquet. Trevor Logan, assistant coach with the Mustangs, said the season had their ups and downs.
Melfort Mustangs Awards 2019-20
The Melfort Mustangs held their award banquet on March 1, where the players got to see some of their hard work pay off before the playoffs. Photo by Jessica R. Durling

MELFORT — With the season nearing a close and playoffs looming ahead, the Melfort Mustangs held their annual awards banquet.

Trevor Logan, assistant coach with the Mustangs, said the season had their ups and downs.

“We did some moves there in January where we brought in some different faces and it took some time to get everything to gel,” Logan said.

“It seemed like early on in the first part of the season we did really well, we went into a bit of the rut, now we’re just hoping that the guys will be playing the way we thought they could here going into the playoffs like they are.”

Shawn Parkinson was given Most Valuable Player (MVP), Most Dedicated Player, and 3 Star Selection.

Parkinson served as goalie for the Mustangs, with this being his first and last year with the team. The 21-year-old previously was with Drayton Valley Thunder in Alberta, and before that the Victoria Grizzlies in British Columbia.

He was traded to the Mustangs last season in November.

“Shawn has just been steady for a solid year,” Logan said. “He’s definitely deserving of MVP based on how much we rely on him.

Parkinson said he doesn’t know why he received MVP and thinks there are a lot of other teammates who deserved it.

“I guess the coach recognized I worked really hard this season and thought I deserved it,” Parkinson said. “I was just really trying to focus on my game and what I should improve and need to work on with the D-man communication for playing the puck. Basic stuff like that.”

After the playoffs end, Parkinson said he intends to study business at post-secondary before moving back home to take over his dad’s boat building company in B.C.

“B.C. is definitely still home, Vancouver Island is a nice place.”

His advice for other goalies is to keep working hard and try not to get distracted during the game.

“Don’t let your temper get the best of you.”

Parkinson said the most common mistake a goalie can make is losing focus and not being ready for a turnover.

Seth McCulloch received Most Improved Player and Most Dedicated to Fitness.

This has been his first year with the Mustangs, playing as forward.

“Seth just keeps coming with a good attitude,” Logan said. “He has been in and out of the lineup a couple of times. Seth and I had a discussion one day, he was a little upset about being out of the lineup and I just said to him, ‘What are you going to do with it next time you’re in, and make sure what you’re going to do will keep you in it?’”

Logan said over the season McCulloch has got more aggressive, getting to the net and putting up some goals

“Being willing to go to the hard areas of the ice has been a big difference for him.”

McCulloch said he believes he got Most Improved Player due to coming down to the rink every day and putting in the work.

“It finally started to pay off towards the end of the season. I was just lucky enough to have the coaches recognize that,” McCulloch said.

He said the biggest things he improved on were his skating, with him training on and off ice through the off season.

“It helped me get to places I needed to be, like in front of the net. It helped to put the puck in the end a little bit more.”

McCulloch intends to continue with the Mustangs next year.

“If I just continue on the path that I’m on, everything is just going to work out that I want it to and I should have a pretty good Junior career,” he said. “I really want to come back here, I really like it out in Melfort, I like the coaching staff and the players around.”

 

Awards

  • Scholastic Achievement: Ben Tkachuk
  • Community Involvement: Lucas Ochitwa
  • Most Improved Player: Seth McCulloch
  • Most Dedicated to Fitness: Seth McCulloch
  • Most Intense Athlete in the Gym: Zach Anderson
  • Most Spirited Player: Ryan MacLean
  • Most Popular Player: Ben Chase
  • Most Dedicated Player: Shawn Parkinson
  • Hardest Working Player: Kyle Bosch
  • Top Scorer: Kenzie Arnold
  • 3 Star Selection: Shawn Parkinson
  • Plus/Minus Award: Kenzie Arnold
  • Kyle Johnson Memorial Award: Tyson Meyers
  • Crunch Award (Most Hits): Nolan Kadachuk
  • Joel Dennis Memorial: Nolan Kadachuk
  • Hardest Hitter Award: Tian Rask
  • Top Defensive Forward: Tyson Meyers
  • Top Defensive Defenceman: Nolan Kadachuk
  • Rookie of the Year: Ben Tkachuk
  • Fan Choice Award: Nolan Kadachuk
  • Most Valuable Defenceman: Alex Rondeau
  • Most Valuable Player: Shawn Parkinson