Seven points in two games, including a hat-trick in one contest, has allowed Kirby Dach to be named the first W-H-L Player-of-the-Week for the new 2018-19 season.
The 17-year-old Saskatoon Blades’ centre assisted on both goals in Friday’s 2-1 victory in Swift Current, then exploded for three goals and two helpers as the Bridge City Bunch bucked the Broncos 8-0 in Saturday’s home opener.
Dylan Ferguson of Kamloops is the W-H-L’s Goaltender-of-the-Week.
The Dub is idle until Wednesday with the Blades off until Saturday when they host Medicine Hat. The Tigers are in Prince Albert Friday. Both Saskatoon and the Raiders, along with Brandon, Edmonton, Kamloops, Vancouver and Victoria came through the first weekend of play with 2-0 records. Following is the news release from the W-H-L…..
BLADES’ DACH NAMED WHL ON THE RUN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018 Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Saskatoon Blades forward Kirby Dach has been named the WHL On the Run Player of the Week for the week ending September 23, 2018. Dach, a top-ranked prospect for the 2019 NHL Draft, recorded seven points (3G-4A) in two games as the Blades began the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season with a pair of wins over the Swift Current Broncos. Friday, Dach recorded a pair of assists in a 2-1 win for the Blades on the road against the Broncos. Dach picked up a primary assist on Saskatoon’s first goal, then added a secondary assist on his team’s game-winning goal. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. saved his best performance of the weekend for the Blades’ home-opening contest Saturday, recording his first career WHL hat trick and five points in an 8-0 rout of the visiting Broncos. Dach scored Saskatoon’s first, fifth, and seventh goals in the contest. He also collected a primary assist on Saskatoon’s fourth goal and a secondary assist on the Blades’ second goal. For his efforts, Dach was named the First Star of the game at the SaskTel Centre and First Star of the night across the WHL. The single-game performance was a personal best for the forward, topping a pair of four-point efforts from his rookie season. Selected second overall by the Blades in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, Dach has continually impressed on the ice since making his WHL debut in November 2016. In 73 career WHL regular season games, Dach has recorded 63 points (16G-47A), including five power-play goals and three game-winning goals. After starting 2-0 for the first time since the 2011-12 WHL Regular Season, the Blades will look to continue their strong early play when they play host to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday, September 29 (7:00 p.m. MT).
BLAZERS’ FERGUSON NAMED WHL ELI WILSON GOALTENDING GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018 Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Kamloops Blazers goaltender Dylan Ferguson has been named the Eli Wilson WHL Goaltender of the Week and league nominee for the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending September 23, 2018. Ferguson, a prospect of the Vegas Golden Knights, recorded a pair of wins over the Kelowna Rockets to begin the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season while also maintaining a 1.00 goals-against-average and a 0.970 save percentage. Friday at home, Ferguson stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 4-1 win for the Blazers over the Rockets. Ferguson shutout the Rockets for the first two periods, stopping all 15 shots before allowing a single goal on 11 shots in the third. The win ended a nine-game losing streak against the Rockets dating back to February 24, 2017. Saturday, Ferguson backstopped the Blazers to a win at Prospera Place, stopping 39 of 40 shots in a 3-1 win. Like Friday, Ferguson was impossible to beat through the first two periods, stopping all 29 shots and allowing just a single goal on 11 shots in the third. The win in Kelowna snapped a four-game road losing streak against the Rockets, with their last victory at Prospera Place coming on Friday, January 27, 2017. For Saturday’s efforts, Ferguson was named the First Star of the game and the Third Star of the night in the WHL. Ferguson was originally selected by the Dallas Stars in the seventh round, 194th overall, of the 2017 NHL Draft, but was traded days later to the Vegas Golden Knights, who signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract in September 2017. Originally selected by the Blazers in the eighth round, 166th overall, of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound product of Lantzville, B.C. has appeared in 108 WHL regular season games, posting a 46-48-1-5 record along with a 3.01 GAA, 0.909 SV% and two shutouts. The Blazers will make their first trip of the season to Vancouver Island this coming weekend, playing a pair of contests against the Victoria Royals starting Friday, September 28 (7:05 p.m. PT). WHL On the Run Player of the Week Sept. 21 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach, Saskatoon Blades WHL Eli Wilson Goaltender of the Week/Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week nominee Sept. 21 – Sept. 23: Dylan Ferguson, Kamloops Blazers
