WHL Announces Weekly Award Winners

Published on April 10, 2017 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release

HURRICANES' ESTEPHAN NAMED

WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2017

Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Lethbridge Hurricanes forward Giorgio Estephan has been named the WHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 9, 2017.

Estephan registered seven points (4G-3A) in three games, helping the Hurricanes score a Game 7 victory over the Red Deer Rebels to advance to the second round of the WHL Playoffs, where they've since split the opening two games of their best-of-seven series with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

On Tuesday, April 4, Estephan provided a goal and two assists in a 6-2 win versus Red Deer, earning third-star recognition as he helped the Hurricanes claim a Game 7 victory to advance to the second round of the WHL Playoffs. After being held off the scoresheet on Friday, April 7, he made a major impact the following night. Estephan scored three goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist in a 7-4 win at Medicine Hat on Saturday, April 8, as the Hurricanes evened their best-of-seven series with the Tigers.

Estephan, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round (152nd) of the 2015 NHL Draft, is currently tied for the WHL Playoffs scoring lead with 13 points (5G-8A) through seven games, alongside teammate Tyler Wong.

The 19-year-old product of Edmonton finished the WHL regular season second on the Hurricanes in scoring with 89 points (35G-54A) in 68 games.

The 6-foot, 191-pound centre has accumulated 239 points (101G-138A) in 258 career WHL regular season outings. Additionally, he has 17 points (7G-10A) to his credit through 12 career WHL playoff games.

He was originally a first-round pick (fourth overall) of the Hurricanes at the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

Estephan and the Hurricanes will look to make use of home ice as they host the Medicine Hat Tigers for Games 3 and 4 in their best-of-seven series Tuesday, April 11 and Wednesday, April 12, respectively, at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge.

BRONCOS' PAPIRNY NAMED

WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 10, 2017

Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Swift Current Broncos goaltender Jordan Papirny has been named the WHL Goaltender of the Week and the league nominee for Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 9, 2017.

The 21-year-old Papirny went 2-1 with a 2.47 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and 126 saves as the Swift Current Broncos collected a Game 7 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors to advance to the second round of the WHL Playoffs, where they've since split the opening two games of their best-of-seven series with the Regina Pats.

On Monday, April 3 at Moose Jaw, Papirny turned aside 39 of the 41 shots he faced, earning first-star honours as he helped backstop the Broncos to a 3-2 win in Game 7. On Thursday, April 6, in Game 1 of his club's second-round series at Regina, Papirny stopped 53 of the 54 shots sent his way and was named first star as the Broncos collected a 2-1 overtime win. Finally, on Friday, April 7, Papirny kicked out 34 of the 39 shots he was tested with in a 6-2 loss at Regina.

To this point in the 2017 WHL Playoffs, Papirny is 5-4 with a 2.18 GAA. He ranks second in SV% (.944), T-3rd in wins (five) and T-2nd in shutouts (one).

Papirny, who is in his final WHL campaign, went 21-18-1-2 with a 3.21 GAA and .907 SV% through 43 regular season appearances split between the Brandon Wheat Kings and Swift Current Broncos. He was acquired by the Broncos at the WHL Trade Deadline.

The 6-foot-1, 171-pound product of Edmonton, Alta., has gone 119-60-13-9 with a 2.93 GAA, .907 SV% and 12 shutouts in 205 career WHL regular season appearances.

In 58 career WHL post-season contests, Papirny is 38-20 with a 2.76 GAA, .917 SV% and two shutouts, highlighted by winning the 2016 Ed Chynoweth Cup as a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Papirny and the Broncos will look to utilize home ice as they host Games 3 and 4 in their best-of-seven series with the Regina Pats tonight and Tuesday, April 11, respectively, at the Credit Union i-Plex in Swift Current.

WHL Player of the Week

Sept. 23 - Sept. 25: Chad Butcher, Medicine Hat Tigers

Sept. 26 - Oct. 2: Sam Steel, Regina Pats

Oct. 3 - Oct. 9: Cody Glass, Portland Winterhawks

Oct. 10 - Oct. 16: Tyler Benson, Vancouver Giants

Oct. 17 - Oct. 23: Kale Clague, Brandon Wheat Kings

Oct. 24 - Oct. 30: Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane Chiefs

Oct. 31 - Nov. 6: Connor Hobbs, Regina Pats

Nov. 7 - Nov. 13: Adam Brooks, Regina Pats

Nov. 14 - Nov. 20: Alexander True, Seattle Thunderbirds

Nov. 21 - Nov. 27: Jayden Halbgewachs, Moose Jaw Warriors

Nov. 28 - Dec. 4: Sergey Zborovskiy, Regina Pats

Dec. 5 - Dec. 11: Calvin Thurkauf, Kelowna Rockets

Dec. 12 - Dec. 18: Deven Sideroff, Kamloops Blazers

Dec. 26 - Jan. 1: Adam Brooks, Regina Pats

Jan. 2 - Jan. 8: Brayden Burke, Moose Jaw Warriors

Jan. 9 - Jan. 15: Tyler Wong, Lethbridge Hurricanes

Jan. 16 - Jan. 22: Tyler Soy, Victoria Royals

Jan. 23 - Jan. 29: Jake Bean, Calgary Hitmen

Jan. 30 - Feb. 5: Kole Lind, Kelowna Rockets

Feb. 6 - Feb. 12: Mathew Barzal, Seattle Thunderbirds

Feb. 13 - Feb. 19: Ethan Bear, Seattle Thunderbirds

Feb. 20 - Feb. 27: Nick Henry, Regina Pats

Feb. 28 - March 5: Tyler Wong, Lethbridge Hurricanes

March 6 - March 12: Cody Glass, Portland Winterhawks

March 13 - March 19: Brandon Hagel, Red Deer Rebels

March 20 - March 27: Sam Steel, Regina Pats

March 28 - April 2: Ethan Bear, Seattle Thunderbirds

April 3 - April 9: Giorgio Estephan, Lethbridge Hurricanes

WHL Goaltender of the Week/Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week nominee

Sept. 23 - Sept. 25: Travis Child, Swift Current Broncos

Sept. 26 - Oct. 2: Nick Schneider, Medicine Hat Tigers

Oct. 3 - Oct. 9: Logan Flodell, Saskatoon Blades

Oct. 10 - Oct. 16: Ryan Kubic, Vancouver Giants

Oct. 17 - Oct. 23: Michael Herringer, Kelowna Rockets

Oct. 24 - Oct. 30: Payton Lee, Kootenay ICE

Oct. 31 - Nov. 6: Zach Sawchenko, Moose Jaw Warriors

Nov. 7 - Nov. 13: Patrick Dea, Edmonton Oil Kings

Nov. 14 - Nov. 20: Carter Hart, Everett Silvertips

Nov. 21 - Nov. 27: Carter Hart, Everett Silvertips

Nov. 28 - Dec. 4: Connor Ingram, Kamloops Blazers

Dec. 5 - Dec. 11: Dylan Ferguson, Kamloops Blazers

Dec. 12 - Dec. 18: Ty Edmonds, Prince George Cougars

Dec. 26 - Jan. 1: Griffen Outhouse, Victoria Royals

Jan. 1 - Jan. 8: Rylan Parenteau, Tri-City Americans

Jan. 9 - Jan. 15: Carter Hart, Everett Silvertips

Jan. 16 - Jan. 22: Rylan Toth, Seattle Thunderbirds

Jan. 23 - Jan. 29: Cole Kehler, Portland Winterhawks

Jan. 30 - Feb. 5: Stuart Skinner, Lethbridge Hurricanes

Feb. 6 - Feb. 12: Brodan Salmond, Kelowna Rockets

Feb. 13 - Feb. 19: Zach Sawchenko, Moose Jaw Warriors

Feb. 20 - Feb. 27: Zach Sawchenko, Moose Jaw Warriors

Feb. 28 - March 5: Michael Herringer, Kelowna Rockets

March 6 - March 12: Tyler Brown, Regina Pats

March 13 - 19: Cole Kehler, Portland Winterhawks

March 20 - 27: Michael Herringer, Kelowna Rockets

March 28 - April 2: Carter Hart, Everett Silvertips

April 3 - April 9: Jordan Papirny, Swift Current Broncos

Western Hockey League Stories from April 10, 2017

• Rockets Head into Portland with a 2-0 Series Lead - Kelowna Rockets
• WHL Announces Weekly Award Winners - WHL
• Maxwell James Named Americans Playoff MVP - Tri-City Americans
• T-Birds Loooking Forward to Playing in Front of Home Crowd - Seattle Thunderbirds

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