Rookie Evan Gardner (pictured) of the Saskatoon Blades is W-H-L’s Goaltender-of-the-Month for March.
The 17-year-old Lake Country, B-C, product is currently on a personal 10-game winning streak, including five regular-season and one playoff victory. He shutout Prince Albert to close out the regular-season, then followed up with a 31-save effort last Friday as the Bridge City Bunch evened their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final series with the Raiders. Following is the official news release from the W-H-L…..
KRAKEN PROSPECT FIRKUS NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2024
Calgary, Alta. – Moose Jaw Warriors forward Jagger Firkus has been named WHL Player of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced today.
The Seattle Kraken prospect led all skaters with 16 goals and 11 assists for 27 points and a +12 rating in 12 games.
Firkus recorded eight multipoint games in March, highlighted by his sixth hat trick of the season, and closed out the regular season with a 14-game point streak (20 goals, 12 assists) dating back to February 19.
The 19-year-old captured the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL Top Scorer presented by Kubota with 126 points (61 goals, 65 assists) in 63 games. Firkus also captured the CHL scoring title for the first time in his career.
This marks the second consecutive 40-plus goal campaign for Firkus, who also finished tied for second in the WHL with 10 game-winning goals.
Firkus kicked off the Warrior’s WHL playoffs with a goal and an assist to help Moose Jaw take a 1-0 series lead against Brandon.
The Irma, Alta. product was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the second round, 35th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He was originally picked by Moose Jaw in the fourth round, 82nd overall in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.
Firkus has skated in 230 WHL regular season games, racking up an admirable 144 goals and 166 assists for 310 points. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound winger has an additional 17 goals and 18 assists in 22 postseason matches.
Firkus and the Warriors look to take a formidable 3-0 series lead as their First Round tilt against the Wheat Kings moves back to Brandon. Game three between the Warriors and Wheat Kings is set for Wednesday, April 3 at 7:00 p.m. CST.
2023-24 WHL Player of the Month
February: Atley Calvert, Moose Jaw Warriors
January: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
December: Riley Heidt, Prince George Cougars (Minnesota Wild)
November: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
September/October: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars (Washington Capitals)
2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE NETMINDER GARDNER NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH
Calgary, Alta. – Saskatoon Blades netminder Evan Gardner has been named WHL Goaltender of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced today.
The 2024 NHL draft-eligible goaltender went undefeated in March, posting a 5-0-0-0 record with a 1.59 goals-against average, a .938 save percentage and one shutout, helping the Saskatoon Blades clinch the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL regular season champions.
Gardner also dazzled in his WHL playoff debut by steering aside 31 of 32 shots for a .969 save percentage in a 4-1 win over the Prince Albert Raiders to tie the First Round series at one win apiece.
The Lake Country, B.C. product was named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the first time on March 25 (he was previously recognized as Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week twice) after posting a 2-0-0-0 record, a 1.49 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage and a shutout.
The 6-foot-2, 174-pound netminder finished his rookie WHL regular season with a 21-5-0-2 record, becoming one of only two rookies to surpass the 20-win mark. Gardner has not lost a game in regulation since January 17, 2024.
Gardner is ranked 16th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting ahead of June’s NHL Entry Draft. He was selected by Saskatoon in the third round, 53rd overall, of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
The Blades will look to take their first lead of their First Round series against the Raiders as the playoff battle moves north to Prince Albert. Game 3 is set for April 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Month
February: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
January: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
November: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
September/October: Jan Spunar, Portland Winterhawks
2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE FORWARD PARASCAK NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH
Calgary, Alta. – Prince George Cougars forward Terik Parascak has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for March, the Western Hockey League announced today.
The 17-year-old led all first-year skaters with 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points at a +9 rating in 12 games throughout March.
Parascak recorded seven multi-point games to close out the regular season and finish first in the WHL’s rookie scoring race with 43 goals and 62 assists for 105 points and a +49 rating in 68 games.
He was one of 14 rookies to surpass 40 goals and one of only 10 skaters to eclipse 100 points.
Parascak’s month was highlighted by a five-point (two goals, three assists) outing on March 8 and a four-point (two goals, two assists) effort on March 18, both against the Vancouver Giants.
He was a key piece in Prince George’s B.C. Division-winning campaign that saw the team finish first in the Western Conference with a 49-15-1-3 record. It marks the most successful season for the Cougars since moving to the Northern Capital for the 1994-95 season.
The Lethbridge, Alta. product scored a hat trick in his WHL playoff debut against the Spokane Chiefs- including the game-winning goal- and added an empty netter the following night to help the Cougars to a 2-0 series lead.
Parascak has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week six times this season and as now earned WHL Rookie of the Month Honours for a third time.
The 5-foot-11, 179-pound winger, is ranked 14th among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Parascak was originally selected by the Cougars in the fourth round, 76th overall, in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
Parascak and the Cougars will try to take a commanding 3-0 series lead as their first-round matchup against the Chiefs shifts south to Spokane.
Game 3 between the Cougars and Chiefs is set for Tuesday, April 2 at 7:05 p.m. PST at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Month
February: Gavin Mckenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January: Carter Bear, Everett Silvertips
December: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
November: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
September/October: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
