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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Holmberg, Aviani Headline Chiefs Team Award Winners

March 14, 2014 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


SPOKANE, Wash. - The Spokane Chiefs announced the winners of their 2013-2014 team awards in a ceremony prior to Friday night's Coca-Cola Regular Season Finale versus the Tri-City Americans. Headlining the award winners were 20-year-olds Mitch Holmberg and Mike Aviani, winners of multiple awards.

Holmberg was named the Chiefs' Player of the Year as well as the Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player. The forward from Sherwood Park, Alta. has scored 61 goals entering Friday night's contest, leading the WHL in both goals scored and overall scoring. He could be the first Chiefs player since Ray Whitney in 1990-91 to lead the league in points and the first since Tyler Johnson in 2010-11 to lead in goals. He was named WHL Player of the Week twice and Player of the Month once (Sept/Oct).

Holmberg's 146 career goals ties him with Pat Falloon for the all-time franchise record in goals scored. His 148 career assists ranks him 13th in franchise history, 294 points ranks 5th, and 312 games played ranks 9th. Additionally, entering the final weekend of the 2013-14 regular season, Holmberg is tied for 9th in the league in assists with 55, while he leads in power play goals with 22 and in game-winning goals with 10. Holmberg's Most Sportsmanlike Player award was his third consecutive honor in that category.

Fellow 20-year-old forward Mike Aviani pulled in two awards of his own, including the Players' Player award and Humanitarian of the Year. Aviani, in his 4th full season with the club, has 38 goals and 42 assists, both career highs. His 114 penalty minutes rank 2nd on the team and Aviani was named WHL Player of the Week once. The Surrey, B.C. native won Humanitarian of the Year honors for the 2nd year in a row, acknowledging his efforts in the community, including his participation in the "Chiefs Fight Cancer" campaign with teammates Holmberg and Liam Stewart. The "Chiefs Fight Cancer" campaign, inspired and organized by the three Chiefs forwards, raised funds for Susan G. Komen Fight for the Cure, with their yearly total surpassing $2,500.

The third and final 20-year-old on the Chiefs roster this season, goaltender Eric Williams, earned the Coaches' Award for his play in net this season. Through 70 games, Williams has posted career bests in save percentage (.908,t-12th in the WHL ) and goals against average (2.64, 10th) while tying career highs in wins (32, t-3rd) and shutouts (4, t-5th). Williams also tallied 4 assists this year, a career high.

The John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year honors went to team captain Reid Gow. A 19-year-old from Killarney, Manitoba, Gow ranks 4th in the WHL in scoring by a defenseman with 6 goals and 62 points, a career high. His 56 assists rank 8th in the WHL while his +29 +/- ranks 2nd on the team only to Holmberg's +34.

Import forward Dominic Zwerger earned the Chiefs' Rookie of the Year award. The 17-year-old from Dornbirn, Austria has 16 goals and 10 assists on the season in 51 games played. Zwerger joins notable players Stefan Ulmer and Michael Grabner as Chiefs standouts native to Austria.

Rounding out the team awards was rookie defenseman Jeff Rayman, who earned the team's Scholastic Player of the Year award. A 17-year-old from Fernie, B.C., Rayman completed courses in AP Calculus and college prep English as well as a university-level course in psychology. On the ice, Rayman has appeared in 33 games, scoring a goal and 2 assists.

SPOKANE CHIEFS 2013-14 AWARDS WINNERS

Player of the Year - #17 Mitch Holmberg

John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year - #18 Reid Gow

Rookie of the Year - #22 Dominic Zwerger

Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player - #17 Mitch Holmberg

Humanitarian of the Year - #16 Mike Aviani

Players' Player - #16 Mike Aviani

Coaches' Award - #35 Eric Williams

Scholastic Player of the Year - #5 Jeff Rayman

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