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McConnell breaks HJHL scoring record

Airdrie Techmation Thunder forward Jordan McConnell rewrote Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) history Feb. 1, when he notched his 122nd point of 2018-19, setting a new single-season scoring record in the Junior B league.
Player of the week
Thunder forward Jordan McConnell has registered a whopping 125 points this season in the HJHL.

Airdrie Techmation Thunder forward Jordan McConnell rewrote Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) history Feb. 1, when he notched his 122nd point of 2018-19, setting a new single-season scoring record in the Junior B league. In a lopsided 22-2 home victory over the last-placed Three Hills Thrashers, McConnell registered four goals and six assists for Airdrie. In doing so, he overcame the league’s previous single-season record of 121 points, set by former Thunder player Brad Rossler in 2005-06. “I never really thought before the season that winning it would be in the cards, so it felt pretty good to get,” McConnell said. “I obviously had a lot of help from the guys I’ve been playing with this year, and the rest of the team.” McConnell’s history-making point came midway through the third period, when he lit the lamp on a two-on-one that brought the score to 17-2. It was his 49th tally of the season. “Some of the guys were on my case, telling me I wasn’t going to get it and joking around like that, so I kind of knew how many I needed,” he said. “When I scored, I definitely knew that was the point to break the record and it felt pretty good.” The 20-year-old wasn’t done yet, as he went on to record three more points en route to the league-leading Thunder’s 33rd win of the 2018-19 season. He now sits at 125 points (50 goals, 75 assists) with two more regular-season games to improve his record-setting total. As the end of the season drew nearer, head coach Derek Stamp said the entire Thunder organization was rooting for McConnell. “[McConnell] is just such a professional and a great kid to have on our hockey team,” he said. “Obviously, on the ice, with the points he’s putting up and the way he plays, he’s been important game-in and game-out. But I think the intangibles he brings – the leadership in the dressing room and the attention to detail on how you act off the ice and prepare – have been a huge part of our success, because he sets the tone for our younger guys.” Though McConnell stole the show against Three Hills, another Thunder forward reached a few major milestones, as well. With four goals and two assists in the game, McConnell’s linemate Rylan Plante-Crough tallied his 50th goal of the season, as well as his 100th point. The fourth-year HJHL veteran, who is in his third season with the Thunder, now has 102 points in 2018-19. “Those two achievements, as well, deserve a lot of recognition,” Stamp said. McConnell is now eyeing up the single-season assists record, currently held by former Rimbey player Dallas Hand, who recorded 79 assists in 2004-05. Breaking the goal-scoring record of 56 goals is also feasible, though McConnell would have to find the net seven times in Airdrie’s final two games. Joining his hometown team after spending three years in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), McConnell’s impact on the HJHL’s scoring charts was immediate. He earned 14 points in Airdrie’s first two games, setting the tone for the season. The former Junior A player has been persistently consistent since that opening weekend, scoring or assisting in every fixture he’s played in, and averaging an eye-popping 3.8 points per game. “I remember joking with him and him saying he wasn’t sure he could keep up that pace,” Stamp said. “Evidently, he could, and that consistency is just another element he adds to our success.” His performances have also been recognized by the league multiple times ­– McConnell has earned the HJHL’s Player of the Week award four times, and was named the league’s First Star in September, October, November and January. McConnell will look to maintain his sizzling form during Airdrie’s final two games, on the road against the Okotoks Bisons and Stettler Lightning Feb. 8 and 9. “Those games – especially against Okotoks – will be a big test for how our defence holds up against some of the better teams in the league,” he said. “It’s nice we have a couple good opponents to see where we’re at and what we need to adjust before playoffs.”

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