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This Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Just Dished a 33-Save Shutout

November 4, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, Alta. - Swift Current Broncos forward Brady Birnie has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The 19-year-old put up four goals, three assists and a +5 rating as the Broncos went 2-1-0-0 on the week.

Swift Current saw a four-game win streak come to a close in a 3-1 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on October 30, though Birnie would register an assist on Luke Mistelbacher's powerplay goal in the second period.

The Broncos wouldn't be held out of the win column for long. Birnie opened the scoring less than two minutes into an East Division tilt against the Prince Albert Raiders on November 1 with a wrister destined for the top shelf. He followed it up with a cross-ice feed to Seattle Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell to double the lead less than five minutes later. Birnie closed out a dominant first period by tapping in a reverse pass from Josh McGregor to give the Broncos a commanding 4-0 lead. He completed his second career hat trick in the second period with a deceptive shot from long range. Birnie's three-goal, one-assist, +5 performance earned him first-star honours in a 9-4 victory over the Raiders.

The Regina, Sask. product closed out the week with another stellar performance in his hometown as the Broncos doubled up the Pats by a score of 4-2. Birnie opened the scoring once again by jamming home a rebound on the powerplay for his 13th tally of the season. Late in the second period, he teed up Caswell once again for the eventual game-tying goal. Birnie was named second star with the point-point performance. The victory also saw the Broncos tie the Eastern Conference-leading Saskatoon Blades in wins with 10.

Birnie has racked up 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 16 games this season. He ranks first on the Broncos in goals and points and is tied for third in both categories league-wide.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pound winger is currently riding a hot streak that's seen him pot 10 goals (including his first two WHL hat tricks) and eight assists for 18 points in eight straight games.

Birnie, who was selected by the Broncos with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, is on pace for a career-best season as he averages 1.63 points per game for the first time in his junior career. He's currently sitting at 59 goals and 71 assists for 130 points in 222 games with Swift Current.

He also netted three goals and an assist in nine games in his first trip to the WHL Playoffs in 2024.

Swift Current (10-6-0-0) has wins in seven of its last 10 games and looks to add another when the team hosts the Edmonton Oil Kings (7-6-1-1) on Saturday, November 9.

2024-25 Tempo WHL Player of the Week

September 23, 2024: Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings

September 30, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers

October 7, 2024: Shea Van Olm, Spokane Chiefs

October 15, 2024: Mazden Leslie, Vancouver Giants

October 21, 2024: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen

October 28, 2024: Nathan Behm, Kamloops Blazers

FLYERS PROSPECT BJARNASON NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Brandon Wheat Kings netminder Carson Bjarnason has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending November 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

The Philadelphia Flyers prospect posted his first shutout of the season with a 33-save performance against the Medicine Hat Tigers to extend Brandon's point streak to five games.

The Tigers, one of the Eastern Conference's top-scoring teams, rolled into Westoba Place on Saturday, November 2 on a three-game winning streak. The Tigers peppered Bjarnason with 33 shots to no avail. Notably, Bjarnason went post to post to deny captain Oasiz Wiesblatt with a pad stop before paddling away opportunities from WHL Player of the Month Gavin McKenna and Florida Panthers prospect Hunter St. Martin. Bjarnason denied all three Medicine Hat powerplays and was named first star of the night.

The 6-foot-3.5, 208-pound netminder is 4-3-1-0 on the season with a 2.77 goals against average, a .924 save percentage and one shutout. Bjarnason is tied for first in save percentage among qualified WHL goaltenders while averaging 33 saves per game.

Bjarnason, from nearby Carberry, Man., was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers 51st overall in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and signed his entry-level contract the following September. He's coming off a promising training camp with the Flyers that featured preseason action against the Washington Capitals and a strong showing against the New York Rangers prospects in the NHL's annual Rookie Series.

The 19-year-old was named a WHL East Division Second-Team All-Star in 2023-24 and has won Hlinka Gretzky gold and an IIHF U18 World Championship bronze medal for Team Canada.

Over the summer, Bjarnason was also invited to participate in Hockey Canada's World Junior Summer Showcase.

He holds a career record of 57-49-11-2 with a 3.18 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage and six shutouts.

Brandon (8-4-1-1) is back in action on Friday, November 8 when the Wheat Kings go west to face the Regina Pats (5-9-1-0).

2024-25 WHL Goaltender of the Week

September 23, 2024: Koen Cleaver, Lethbridge Hurricanes

September 30, 2024: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings

October 7, 2024: Spencer Michnik, Victoria Royals

October 15, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Medicine Hat Tigers (Tampa Bay Lightning)

October 21, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades (Columbus Blue Jackets)

October 28, 2024: Jesse Sanche, Everett Silvertips

AMERICANS FORWARD GARLAND NAMED WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. - Tri-City Americans forward Gavin Garland has been named WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending November 3, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

This marks the second time the Ams standout has earned the honour this season.

Garland led all WHL rookies with two goals and three assists for five points and a +3 rating in three games to help Tri-City extend its league-best winning streak to nine games and its point streak to 10.

After having a six-game point streak snapped, Garland got back on the scoresheet against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on October 28. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound centreman netted his seventh goal of the season by winning a faceoff back to Utah Hockey Club prospect Terrell Goldsmith and tipping the towering defender's shot past the Oil Kings netminder. Tri-City would go on to a 6-5 overtime victory.

Tri-City would come up big again in a 4-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs in front of more than 4,500 fans in Kennewick. Shortly after the Ams opened the scoring midway through the first period, top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Jackson Smith fired a puck on net for Garland to deflect for a 2-0 lead. The Calgary, Alta. product struck again less than 30 seconds into the final period when he picked off a Chiefs pass to send Carter MacAdams and Brandon Whynott in for a two-on-one opportunity and Whynott's eventual game-winning goal.

Whynott and Garland linked up once more in Tri-City's biggest victory of the week- a 6-5 overtime win against the U.S. Division-leading Everett Silvertips the following night. With Everett leading 2-1 in the second period, Garland grabbed a rebound on the penalty kill and flew up the ice to create a two-on-one opportunity, feeding Whynott for the shorthanded game-tying goal. On the same penalty kill, Garland fired the puck down the ice for Jake Gudelj to shovel the puck past the Silvertips goalie just as the penalty expired, giving Tri-City its first lead of the night. The 6-5 win marks a second-straight multi-point game for the 18-year-old.

Tri-City is now 9-0-1-0 in its last 10 games to sit second in the U.S. Division and third in the Western Conference.

Garland currently has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points and a +10 rating through 14 games. He leads all rookies in goals and points and is tied for first in points on the Americans.

Drafted by the Americans 31st overall in the second round of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Garland joins the team after spending 2023-24 with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Calgary Canucks, where he helped the team claim its first championship in more than two decades.

He also won the 2023 World Junior A Challenge as a member of Team Canada West and made the AJHL's First All-Rookie Team.

Tri-City (10-3-1-0) will hunt for a tenth-straight win against the league-leading Everett Silvertips (13-2-1-0) on Friday, November 8.

2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Week

September 23, 2024: Keaton Verhoeff, Victoria Royals

September 30, 2024: Landon DuPont, Everett Silvertips

October 7, 2024: Cooper Williams, Saskatoon Blades

October 15, 2024: Josh Banini, Moose Jaw Warriors

October 21, 2024: Gavin Garland, Tri-City Americans

October 28, 2024: Jaxon Jacobson, Brandon Wheat Kings

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