Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech headlined the winners as the sole owner of three awards at the team’s annual Awards Banquet held Sunday afternoon at the Bayfront Convention Center.

The second-year defenseman rebounded after an early-season injury and was a steady influence on the blue line, collecting 20 points in 44 games. Pelech took home Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year honors, joining Chris
Campoli as the only defensemen to be named as Player of the Year.

Pelech also won the Sertz Family Scholastic Award as the team’s top student-athlete for the second straight season. Earlier in the week, Pelech became the first player in OHL history to win the Ivan Tennant Memorial Award and the Bobby Smith Trophy and he also was part of a Team Canada squad that captured the bronze medal at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships.

Pelech’s Toronto Marlboros teammate Connor Brown won a pair of trophies after an excellent first season in the OHL with 53 points, second best among league rookies. Brown won the Most Sportsmanlike Player award and shared Rookie of the Year honors with Stephen Harper, who led 1995-born players with 24 goals this season.

For the first time in team history, five players were joint-winners of the Most Valuable Player award. In addition to Pelech, Brown and Harper, forwards Dane Fox and Luke Cairns also shared the trophy.

Other award winners from the Otters 17th Annual Awards Banquet included Fox (Leading Scorer), Cairns (Most Improved Player), Ramis Sadikov (Locastro-Bonini Three Star Award), Connor Crisp (Bassin Award for Dedication), Travis Wood and Jake Evans (co-winners of the Vince Scott Award for Determination) and Mac McDonnell (Steve Nimigon Humanitarian Award).

- From Erie Otters news release

BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada captured the bronze medal with a 5-4 overtime win against Finland in the third-place game at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship Sunday. Pelech no points and one shot on goal in the game to finish the tournament with no points, nine shots on goal and eight penalty minutes in seven games.
Hunter Shinkaruk, who plays for Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League, scored his third goal of the game 2 minutes, 5 seconds into overtime to seal the victory. Belleville’s Brendan Gaunce scored a goal and Oshawa’s Scott Laughton had two assists for Canada, while Sault Ste. Marie’s Matt Murray stopped 29-of-33 shots in net. The United States won the gold medal with a 7-0 win against Sweden.

BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech has to settle for a chance to win a bronze medal at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Canada lost to the undefeated United States 2-1 Friday in the semifinals, setting up a third-place matchup against Finland on Sunday at 6 a.m. The U.S. will face unbeaten Sweden, a 7-3 semifinal winner against Finland, for the gold medal Sunday at 10 a.m.
Pelech had no points, one shot on goal and two penalty minutes against the U.S. He has no points, eight shots and eight penalty minutes in six games at the tournament. Owen Sound’s Gemel Smith scored Canada’s lone goal, which tied the score at 1 late in the first period. The U.S. scored the winning goal 6 minutes, 26 seconds into the third against Sault Ste. Marie’s Matt Murray, stopped 25 of 27 shots.

BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada defeated Russia 4-2 Thursday in the quarterfinals of the IIHF World Under-18 Championship on Thursday.
Pelech had no points, one shot on goal and two penalty minutes for Canada, which faces the unbeaten United States in the semifinals Friday at 1 p.m. in Brno, Czech Republic. Canada lost to the U.S. 5-3 in the final preliminary-round game Tuesday.
Windsor’s Kerby Rychel scored two goals against Russia. Sault Ste. Marie’s Matt Murray stopped 28-of-30 shots. Finland beat Germany 8-0 in Thursday’s other quarterfinal, setting up a semifinal matchup against unbeaten Sweden Friday at 9 a.m.

BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada face Russia today at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Canada finished third in Group A with a 2-2 record following a 6-2 win against Czech Republic on Monday and a 5-3 loss to the United States on Tuesday. Pelech had no points, six shots on goal and four penalty minutes in those four games.
The Canada-Russia winner faces the U.S., which won Group A with a 4-0 record, in the semifinals Friday at 7 p.m. in Brno, Czech Republic. Finland and Germany meet in today’s 3 p.m. quarterfinal. The winner plays Group B champion Sweden in Friday’s 3 p.m. semifinal in Brno.

BRECLAV, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada fell to Finland 4-2 Saturday in their second preliminary-round game at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
Pelech had no points and two penalty minutes, while Windsor’s Kerby Rychel scored a goal.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Matt Murray allowed all four goals on 39 shots for Canada, which faces host Czech Republic on Monday at 10 a.m. in Brno, Czech Republic.

BRNO, Czech Republic – Erie Otters defenseman Adam Pelech and Canada opened the IIHF World Under-18 Championship with a 6-1 win Thursday against Denmark. Pelech, an assistant captain, had no points, two shots on goal and two penalty minutes.
Windsor’s Kerby Rychel had a goal and assist for Canada, which returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. against Finland. Oshawa’s Scott Laughton and Owen Sound’s Gemel Smith had a goal apiece. Sault Ste. Marie goaltender Matt Murray stopped 15-of-16 shots.