The top point-getter from this past weekend in both W-H-L Conference finals, is the latest Player-of-the-Week in the loop.
Saskatoon Blades’ right winger Egor Sidorov (pictured) had four points in two games against Moose Jaw, scoring twice in Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Warriors, then registering two assists as the Bridge City Bunch rallied for a 3-2, Game 2 triumph in extra time. Meanwhile, Moose Jaw’s Jackson Unger is the Goaltender-of-the-Week after stopping 62 of 68 shots in the two games.
Staying with the series, it resumes Tuesday and Wednesday in Moose Jaw. Blue and Gold left winger Easton Armstrong is chomping at the bit to return to action after sitting out the last four Saskatoon games due to a league-imposed suspension. CJWW will be on hand with the Palliser Rooms E-Q-3 Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show kicking off at 6:45 p.m. both evenings, followed by the play-by-play at 7 o’clock. Following are news releases from the Blades and the W-H-L…..
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DUCKS PROSPECT SIDOROV NAMED TEMPO WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024
Calgary, Alta. – Saskatoon Blades winger Igor Sidorov has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 28, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
This marks the second straight week the Anaheim Ducks prospect has earned the award, in addition to a third win in February.
Sidorov leads all WHL skaters with two goals and two assists for four points in the first two matches of the WHL Conference Championships.
The Blades star continued his hot streak in Game 1 against the Moose Jaw Warriors with a two-goal effort. The Belarusian winger gave Saskatoon a 2-0 lead with a deceptive shot through traffic from the point. Moose Jaw would storm back to take a 3-2 lead in the dying minutes of the third period. But with netminder Evan Gardner pulled for the extra attack, Sidorov came through with a lethal one-timer from the hash marks to force overtime. Moose Jaw’s Brayden Yager would tally the overtime winner, but Sidorov was recognized as the second star of the night.
Saskatoon would need to play catchup once again in Game 2 on April 27. With the Warriors up 2-0, Sidorov and Captain Trevor Wong cycled the puck on the powerplay to tee up Nashville Predators prospect Tanner Molendyk, who wristed the puck past Jackson Unger to cut the Saskatoon deficit in half. Sidorov got the crowd of more than 9,300 on their feet once more by stealing the puck in the Warriors’ zone and going between the legs for a strong chance on net. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brandon Lisowsky was on the doorstep to bury the rebound and tie the game. Another Leafs prospect, Fraser Minten, completed the comeback with the overtime winner to tie the series.
Sidorov is third in the postseason points race with 18 and leads all WHLers with 12 goals, highlighted by back-to-back hat tricks against Red Deer in the second round. He also has the most game-winning goals of the postseason with three and has 12 points in his last four contests.
The regular season-champion Blades now look to take their first lead in the Eastern Conference Championship as the series moves to Moose Jaw.
Game 3 is set for Tuesday, April 20 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre at 7:00 p.m. ST.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
April 22, 2024: Egor Sidorov, Saskatoon Blades (Anaheim Ducks)
April 15, 2024: Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors (Columbus Blue Jackets)
April 9, 2024: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
April 1, 2024: Briley Wood, Wenatchee Wild
March 25, 2024: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
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 UNGER NAMED GIUSEPPE WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – Moose Jaw Warriors netminder Jackson Unger has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 28, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
This is the second time the 19-year-old has won the award.
Unger posted a 1-0-1-0 record, a 2.47 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage to open up the WHL Eastern Conference Championship.
The 6-foot-1, 188-pound goaltender steered aside 28 of 31 shots in Game 1 of the series against the regular-season champion Saskatoon Blades, holding the Blades scoreless on the powerplay and denying all three shots he faced in the extra frame. Moose Jaw star and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Brayden Yager netted the overtime winner as the Warriors seized a 4-3 win and 1-0 series lead.
In Game 2, Unger turned in another solid performance, denying 34 of 37 shots and allowing one goal on four Blades powerplay opportunities. His finest save came in the third period as Egor Sidorov flew down the right wing and cut to the net, with Unger staying in position to make a pad stop in tight. The match required overtime for a second straight night, where Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten solved Unger to level the series, 1-1.
Unger is 9-1-1-0 in the 2024 WHL Playoffs with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.
He’s the busiest netminder remaining in the 2024 WHL Playoffs, stopping 333 shots in 11 games for an average of 30 saves per match.
Unger is the East Division nominee for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the WHL Goaltender of the Year. He made a career-high 54 appearances in the 2023-24 regular season, leading all netminders with 35 wins and putting together a 3.08 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and three shutouts.
The 2024 NHL Draft-eligible netminder is ranked 27th among North American goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting in the agency’s final rankings ahead of June’s draft.
The WHL Eastern Conference Championship now shifts south to Moose Jaw.
Puck drops on Game 3 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m. ST.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
April 22, 2024: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
April 15, 2024: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
April 9, 2024: Tyler Palmer, Everett Silvertips
April 1, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
March 25, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
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
COUGARS NETMINDER RAVENSBERGEN NAMED KAL TIRE WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – Prince George Cougars netminder Joshua Ravensbergen has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending April 28, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.
Ravensbergen has been recognized as the league’s top rookie twice, in addition to three Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week wins and Goaltender of the Month honours for November.
The 17-year-old went 1-1-0-0 in the first two matches of the WHL Western Conference Championship, leading all WHL netminders with a 2.05 goals-against average, a .943 save percentage and one shutout.
Facing the formidable Portland Winterhawks, Ravensbergen turned in one of his most stunning performances of the 2024 WHL Playoffs in Game 1. The West Vancouver, B.C. product set the tone for the night with a sensational pair of pad saves in close on Winterhawks Captain Gabe Klassen early in the first period. Ravensbergen would steer aside 33 saves- the most he’s faced in the postseason- to preserve a 5-0 shutout and dish Portland its first loss of the playoffs. He was named first star of the night.
Game 2 proved even busier as Ravensbergen was peppered with 15 shots in the opening frame, registering highlight-reel saves on Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson and Edmonton Oilers prospect James Stefan. The Winterhawks would break through and level the series with a 5-3 win over Prince George, with Ravensbergen saving 33 of 37 shots faced. The series is tied 1-1.
Ravensbergen is 8-1-0-0 in the postseason. His .934 save percentage and three shutouts lead all starting netminders in the playoffs, while his 1.89 goals-against average ranks second.
In Round Two, he became the first Cougars netminder to record back-to-back postseason shutouts with clean sheets against Kelowna in Games 1 and 2.
The Western Conference Championship now shifts south of the border for Games 3-5.
Game 3 is set for Monday, April 29 at Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 7:00 p.m. PST.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
April 22, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
April 15, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
April 9, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
April 1, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 25, 2024: Reese Hamilton, Calgary Hitmen
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
