WHL Spokane Chiefs

Beach And Wahl Earn First Team Honors

Published on March 18, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Spokane Chief forwards Mitch Wahl and Kyle Beach were named to the Western Hockey League's Western Conference All-Star First Team on Thursday morning and defenseman Jared Spurgeon was named the Conference's Most Sportsmanlike Player. Jared Cowen, the Chiefs Captain and John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year, earned second team WHL All-Star honors.

In his fourth season on the WHL Wahl set a career high with 96 points, seventh in the WHL, including 66 assists, third in the WHL. Wahl finished his regular season career third all-time in Chiefs history for career assists with 186 and was named the Chiefs Player of the Year this season. In his career, Wahl climbed up to the following spots on the franchise's all-time list; goals (98-14th), assists (186- third), points (284- 6th) and games played (273- 11th).

Beach's 52 goals this season were a career high and led all WHL Players. His 12 game winning goals were also tops in the league and set a Spokane franchise record. The 19-year-old became the first Chief in 17 seasons to score more than 50 goals in a single season. He recorded four hat-tricks this season and finished the year with a +22. In four seasons, Beach has scored 134 goals and 273 points.

Wahl and Beach become the first Chiefs since the 2001-02 season to be named to the WHL All-Star Team after goaltender Barry Brust and defenseman Kurt Sauer earned the honor. It is the third time that two Chiefs have been named at once and just the second time that a pair of forwards earned the honor. Forwards Pat Falloon and Ray Whitney were All-Stars in 1990-91.

Spurgeon is a finalist for the WHL's Brad Hornung Trophy, the honor that goes to the league's Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, along with the Moose Jaw Warrior's Jason Bast from the Eastern Conference. Spurgeon finished the season, his fifth with Spokane, with a career high in points. In 54 games he had 8 goals, 43 assists and 51 assists. The 20-year-old has played 266 career games in Spokane and has 37 goals, 133 assists, 16th in franchise history, the fourth most for defensemen and 170 points in his five seasons in Spokane.

Cowen, the 18-year-old Captain of the team, set career highs in all categories, including goals (8), assists (22) and points (30). His +23 led all Chiefs defensemen. In January, Cowen won a silver medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

The Western Hockey League announced today the 2009-10 WHL Conference First and Second All-Star Teams and the Conference Finalists for the 2010 WHL Awards. The WHL Player of the Year finalists will be announced on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010. The winners of these awards along with the WHL Player of the Year will be announced at the 2010 WHL Awards Luncheon in Edmonton, Alberta on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010.

The WHL announced the Finalists in the following categories.

WHL Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy

Eastern Conference - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Burnaby, BC), Red Deer Rebels Western Conference - Shane McColgan (Manhattan, CA), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy Eastern Conference - Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen

Western Conference - Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy Eastern Conference - Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen Western Conference - Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Brad Hornung Trophy Eastern Conference - Jason Bast (Moose Jaw, SK) Moose Jaw Warriors

Western Conference - Jared Spurgeon (Edmonton, AB), Spokane Chiefs

WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy Eastern Conference - Adam Lowry (Calgary, AB) Swift Current Broncos

Western Conference - Spencer Main (North Vancouver, BC) Kelowna Rockets

WHL Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy Eastern Conference - Mark Holick, Kootenay Ice Western Conference - Craig Hartsburg, Everett Silvertips

WHL Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy Eastern Conference - Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon Wheat Kings Western Conference - Bob Tory, Tri-City Americans

WHL Humanitarian of the Year, Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy Eastern Conference - Matt Fraser (Red Deer, AB) Kootenay Ice Western Conference - Zack Dailey (Healy, AK) Everett Silvertips

WHL Marketing / Public Relations Award Eastern Conference - Brandon Wheat Kings, Rick Dillabough Western Conference - Everett Silvertips, Zoran Rajcic

WHL Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy Calgary Hitmen: GP - 72 W - 52 L - 17 OTL - 1 SL - 2 Pts - 107

WHL Top Scorer - Bob Clarke Trophy Brandon Kozun - (Calgary, AB) Calgary Hitmen

GP - 65 G - 32 A - 75 Pts - 107 PIM - 50

The WHL Eastern and Western Conference All-Star Teams are as follows:

WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM

Goaltender - Martin Jones (North Vancouver, BC), Calgary Hitmen

Defenceman - Michael Stone (Winnipeg, MB), Calgary Hitmen

Defenceman - Brayden McNabb (Davidson, SK), Kootenay Ice

Forward - Jordan Eberle (Regina, SK), Regina Pats *

Forward - Brayden Schenn (Saskatoon, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings

Forward - Brandon Kozun (Calgary, AB), Calgary Hitmen

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender - Darcy Kuemper (Saskatoon, SK), Red Deer Rebels Defenceman - Travis Hamonic (St. Malo, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings

Defenceman - Colby Robak (Gilbert Plains, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings Forward - Dustin Sylvester (Kelowna, BC), Kootenay Ice

Forward - Matt Calvert (Brandon, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings Forward - Cody Eakin (Winnipeg, MB), Swift Current Broncos

WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender - Calvin Pickard (Winnipeg, MB), Seattle Thunderbirds Defenceman - Tyson Barrie (Victoria, BC), Kelowna Rockets Defenceman - Kevin Connauton (Edmonton, AB), Vancouver Giants Forward - Craig Cunningham (Trail, BC), Vancouver Giants * Forward - Kyle Beach (Kelowna, BC), Spokane Chiefs Forward - Mitch Wahl (Seal Beach, CA), Spokane Chiefs

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM Goaltender - Drew Owsley (Lethbridge, AB), Tri-City Americans Defenceman - Jared Cowen (Allan, SK), Spokane Chiefs Defenceman - Radko Gudas (Kladno, Czech Rep.), Everett Silvertips

Forward - Shane Harper (Valencia, CA), Everett Silvertips

Forward - Nino Niederreiter (Chur, SUI), Portland Winterhawks

Forward - Prab Rai (Surrey, BC), Seattle Thunderbirds

* indicates unanimous selection

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 18, 2010


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