WHL Announces Weekly Award Winners
February 12, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Emmitt Finnie of the Kamloops Blazers has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 11, 2024.
The Detroit Red Wings prospect led all WHLers with seven goals, two assists and a plus-three rating in three games.
Finnie kicked his week off with a bone-crunching hit on Seattle's Nico Myatovic to steal the puck and set up Ashton Ferster's game-opening goal on February 7. In a crucial third-period penalty kill, Finnie picked off a Thunderbirds pass to streak up the ice on a breakaway and slip a five-hole shot through the pads of Scott Ratzlaff to seal a 4-1 victory at the Sandman Centre.
The Blazers would trail the Kelowna Rockets 6-0 in their next game out, but Finnie helped minimize the damage by ripping a powerplay marker past Jari Kykkanen to get Kamloops on the board late in the second period. The alternate captain would add a second with a nifty deflection in front of the Kelowna net in the final frame, though the Blazers would ultimately fall by a score of 6-3.
However, Finnie would get the final word in a rematch the following night. With Kelowna leading 2-1 in the middle frame, Finnie leveled the match with a sharp angle shot that pinballed off a Rockets player and into the net. He'd help the Blazers take their first lead of the game with an assist on a Harrison Brunicke powerplay goal. Finnie found the scoresheet again after cutting in the slot from behind the Kelowna net and firing a no-look backhander past Kykkanen for what would stand as the game-winner. The Rockets would get within one in the third period, but Finnie ripped another shot from an impossible angle to score his first WHL hat trick and restore the two-goal lead. He'd add an empty net for good measure to cap off a 7-3 win and five-point night.
The Lethbridge, Alta. product leads the Blazers with 16 goals and 30 assists for 46 points in 45 games and is currently riding an 11-game point streak that's seen him pile up 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points.
Finnie was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh round, 201st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Kamloops (16-30-3-2) is 7-3-0-0 in its last 10 games.
The Blazers get back in the saddle to face the northern rival Prince George Cougars (35-15-0-2) at the CN Centre on February 16.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
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
GIANTS NETMINDER MIRWALD NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Vancouver Giants netminder Brett Mirwald has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 11, 2024.
It's the third time the 20-year-old puckstopper has snagged the honour this season.
Mirwald went 2-0-0-0 in back-to-back showdowns against Seattle and Wenatchee, putting up a 1.50 goals-against average and .955 save percentage as Vancouver continues to claw its way up the WHL standings.
The second-year Giants netminder held the Seattle Thunderbirds to a single goal in a 3-1 victory on February 9. Mirwald earned first star by turning aside 35 of 26 shots in Kent. It marks the third straight game where he's stopped 35 or more attempts.
After allowing two goals in the first period against the Wenatchee Wild the following night, Mirwald slammed the door as the Giants scored seven unanswered to take the win. Mirwald stopped 28 of 30, including a remarkable pad save on Briley Wood as the Wild alternate captain attempted to tie the game with a powerplay blast from below the faceoff dot. With the 7-2 decision, Vancouver remains a perfect 6-0-0-0 on home ice at the Langley Events Centre in 2024.
The Saskatoon, Sask. product is enjoying a career-best season with a 21-17-2-0 record, 3.17 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. He's faced the most shots of any WHL goaltender this season (1448), played the second-most minutes (2404) and is on pace to start more games this season than in his past three campaigns combined (45).
Mirwald has only suffered one regulation loss in his last ten matches.
He has made eight consecutive appearances for the Giants, which have gone on an impressive 7-0-1-0 run (including wins over top-ranked Prince George and Everett) to climb to sixth in the Western Conference standings with less than 20 games remaining in the regular season.
Vancouver is back in action on February 14 against the sliding Victoria Royals in a battle on the Island before returning home to host the Western Conference-leading Portland Winterhawks on February 16.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
February 5, 2024: Reid Dyck (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
2024 NHL DRAFT- ELIGIBLE FORWARD LAING NAMED KAL TIRE WHL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Hunter Laing of the Prince George Cougars has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending February 11, 2024.
The 17-year-old led all rookie WHLers in goals with three lamp-lighters, an assist and a plus-two rating as Prince George went 2-0-0-0.
Laing struck first as Prince George's second powerplay unit went to work against the Victoria Royals on February 9. The 6-foot-6 right winger parked himself on the Royals' doorstep and collected a fortuitous rebound off the end boards to roof the puck short side on the Victoria netminder for his eighth of the season. The Cougars would go on to collect a 4-1 win.
The youngster was even more effective in a rematch against Victoria the following night. Laing pounced on a loose puck in the offensive zone and evaded a pair of defenders before opening the scoring again with a sweet backhand move. Just three minutes later, Laing joined the Cougars rush and drove the net to hammer a long rebound from Ephram McNutt's shot into the yawning net. With Prince George leading 7-6 in the third period, Laing would serve up an assist to Borya Valis for some added insurance as the Cougars seized a dramatic 9-6 decision. This marks the first three-point game of Laing's young WHL career.
Laing's season total has grown to 10 goals and nine assists for 19 points in 52 games.
The Kelowna, B.C. product made his WHL debut at 15 years old after being selected by Prince George in the second round, 33rd overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. He played eight games over two seasons before making the team full-time in the 2023-24 season.
Laing is ranked 108th among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting Service ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in June.
Prince George (25-15-0-2) has won three straight and has points in seven of its last 10 games to remain atop the WHL's B.C. Division.
The Cougars will wrap up a four-game homestand at the CN Centre when they host the Kamloops Blazers (16-30-3-2) on February 16.
2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
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
Western Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2024
- Preview: Chiefs At Rockets - Kelowna Rockets
- Winterhawks Weekly: First-Place Hawks Facing Four-Game Week - Portland Winterhawks
- Rebels this Week - Red Deer Rebels
- 2024 NHL Draft-Eligible Forward Laing Named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week - Prince George Cougars
- Mirwald Named WHL Goaltender of the Week for 3rd Time - Vancouver Giants
- WHL Announces Weekly Award Winners - WHL
- February 12 - Canes Chatter Presented by Peka Rollshutters - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Chiefs Face Rival Americans on TV Saturday Night - Spokane Chiefs
- Hurricanes Sign Owen Nelson - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Broncos Set for RE/MAX Presents: Nickelodeon Nights for Children's Miracle Network - Swift Current Broncos
- Pats Raise over $9,000 for Orange Jersey Project as Part of Indigenous Celebration Night - Regina Pats
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