Evan Gardner (pictured) of the Saskatoon Blades collected his third weekly W-H-L honour of the 2023-24 season Monday when he was named Goaltender-of-the-Week.
It’s the 17-year-old’s first top goalie award after being named the top rookie twice previously. Gardner picked up his fourth shutout of the season and won a second game in the final week of the regular-season and led the league in goals against-average (1.91) and save percentage (.927). In all, Bridge City Bunch players won six W-H-L weekly honours.
The first two games of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final between the Blue and Gold and the Raiders are Thursday and Friday at SaskTel Centre with Games 3 and 4 in Prince Albert next Tuesday and Wednesday. All games in the series begin at 7 o’clock with CJWW’s broadcasts starting at 6:45 p.m. with the Palliser Rooms E-Q-3 Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show. Following is the official news release from the W-H-L…..
KRAKEN PROSPECT FIRKUS NAMED TEMPO WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MARCH 25, 2024
Calgary, Alta. – Moose Jaw Warriors alternate captain Jagger Firkus has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 24, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
This marks the third time Firkus has earned the weekly award.
The Seattle Kraken prospect led all WHL skaters with five goals plus three assists in two games to capture the Bob Clarke Trophy for the top regular-season scorer.
Firkus scored his 57th of the season off a two-on-one to open the scoring against Brandon on March 21. He’d add another shortly afterward with a powerplay blast to give Moose Jaw a 3-1 advantage. The Irma, Alta. product would add an assist on Brayden Yager’s 35th tally of the season, though the Warriors would fall to the Wheat Kings 5-3.
The 5-foot-11 centreman would erupt for a five-point night in the regular season finale against Regina on March 23. Firkus inched closer to the 60-goal milestone with a slick shot seven seconds into the second period to extend Moose Jaw’s lead to 3-0. The real showstopper came midway through the frame when Firkus pulled off a dazzling lacrosse-style goal for his 60th of the campaign. He’d complete the hat trick with a backhand move on the breakaway and added two assists by the end of the night in an 11-1 blowout victory.
Firkus captured the Bob Clarke Trophy for top WHL scorer with a 126-point season, which saw him post a career-high 61 goals and 65 assists. There were more nights where Firkus netted a hat trick (six) than nights where he was held off the scoresheet (4).
He’s also captured CHL Top Scorer honours.
The dynamic forward closed out the regular season on a 14-game point streak that saw him put up 20 goals and 12 assists in 14 games.
The Seattle Kraken selected Firkus in the second round, 35th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL club in April 2023.
Moose Jaw (44-21-0-3) enters playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. The Warriors and Brandon Wheat Kings clash in Game One of their first-round series on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. CST.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
March 18, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 11, 2024: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
March 4, 2024: Jordan Keller, Kamloops Blazers
February 26, 2024: Riley Heidt, Prince George Cougars (Minnesota Wild)
February 20, 2024: Graham Sward, Wenatchee Wild (Nashville Predators)
February 12, 2024: Emmitt Finnie, Kamloops Blazers (Detroit Red Wings)
February 5, 2024: Egor Sidorov, Saskatoon Blades (Anaheim Ducks)
January 29, 2024: Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary Hitmen
January 22, 2024: Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
January 15, 2024: Matthew Savoie, Moose Jaw Warriors (Buffalo Sabres)
January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs
December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips
December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)
November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades
October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars
2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE NETMINDER GARDNER NAMED GIUSEPPE WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – Saskatoon Blades netminder Evan Gardner has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 24, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
This marks the first time Gardner has captured the award this season, though he has previously been named Kal Tire Rookie of the Week twice.
The 18-year-old closed out the final week of the regular season with a pristine 2-0-0-0 record, a 1.49 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage and a shutout.
Gardner kicked off the week with an overtime thriller against a Calgary Hitmen team battling to remain in the playoff race. The Saskatoon netminder turned aside 22 of the 25 shots he faced, while Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brandon Lisowsky scored the overtime winner. The victory brought the Blades within one win of clinching the Scotty Munro Trophy as regular season champions.
The Bridge City Bunch clinched the franchise’s fifth Scotty Munro Trophy win on Friday, and the following night, Gardner returned to the crease for the regular-season finale against the rival Raiders in a first-round playoff preview. A season-record 13,004 fans filled the Sasktel Centre to watch Saskatoon battle Prince Albert. Gardner was peppered with 27 shots, including a sharp Harrison Lodewyk wrist shot from the faceoff dot, but steered all clear to secure a 5-0 victory for the home side.
The 6-foot-2, 174-pound netminder closed out his first WHL regular season with a 21-5-0-2 record, becoming one of only two rookies to surpass the 20-win mark.
Gardner finished the campaign ranked first in goals-against average (1.91) and save percentage (.927) and tied for second in shutouts (four).
The Fort St. John, B.C. product is ranked 16th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting ahead of June’s NHL Entry Draft. Gardner was originally selected by Saskatoon in the third round, 53rd overall, in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
The top-ranked Blades kick off their quest for the Ed Chynoweth puck on Thursday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. CST when they host Prince Albert for Game One of their 2024 WHL Playoffs first-round series.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
March 18, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
March 11, 2024: Kolby Hay, Edmonton Oil Kings
March 4, 2024: Ethan Buenaventura, Calgary Hitmen
February 26, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
February 20, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 12, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 5, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
January 29, 2024: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
January 22, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 15, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels
November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild
October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels
October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips
September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
2025 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE DEFENCEMAN HAMILTON NAMED KAL TIRE WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – Calgary Hitmen defenceman Reese Hamilton has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending March 24, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
The 16-year-old led all WHL skaters in the final week of the regular season with nine points, tallying two goals and seven assists in three games.
With the league-leading Saskatoon Blades up 3-2 late in the third period on March 20, Hamilton burst over the blueline and helped get the puck up to Connor Dale for the game-tying-goal with 1:04 remaining. Though Calgary would fall in the extra frame, the single point kept their playoff hopes alive.
Hamilton and the Hitmen showed similar tenacity against the Central Division-winning Swift Current Broncos. With Calgary trailing 5-2, Hamilton cut the deficit to two with a blast from the high slot for his seventh goal of the season. The Whitewood, Sask. product would add a pair of powerplay assists as the Hitmen furiously pushed for the equalizer, but ultimately fell 7-6.
The Calgary crew would get some revenge to end their season on a high note on home ice. With the Broncos seizing an early 2-0 lead, Hamilton helped kickstart the comeback with a helper on fellow blueliner Carter Yakemchuk’s 30th goal of the season. Hamilton would seize the lead with a powerful one-timer off the rush. He’d add three more assists- all on the powerplay- as Calgary went a perfect 5/5 on the man advantage en route to a 6-3 win to finish their season.
Hamilton closes out his first season with eight goals and 31 assists for 31 points in 42 games, tying for first in goals and third in points among rookie blueliners.
The 6-foot, 170-pound defender was selected by the Hitmen in the first round, fourth overall, in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and is eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
The Hitmen finished the WHL regular season with a 28-31-8-1 record, narrowly missing the postseason, but look to return to playoffs in the future with a roster chock-full of young talent.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
March 18, 2024: Dimitri Fortin, Moose Jaw Warriors
March 11, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 4, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
February 26, 2024: Cameron Schmidt, Vancouver Giants
February 20, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
February 12, 2024: Hunter Laing, Prince George Cougars
February 5, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
January 29, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 22, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 15, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 8, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 2, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
December 18, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
December 11, 2023: Max Curran, Tri-City Americans
December 4, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
November 27, 2023: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 20, 2023: Dakota MacIntosh, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 13, 2023: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
November 6, 2023: Ethan McCallum, Medicine Hat Tigers
October 30, 2023: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (NHL CSS: C)
October 23, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 16, 2023: Ty Coupland, Swift Current Broncos
October 10, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 2, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
September 25, 2023: Oscar Lovsin, Wenatchee Wild
