NICHOLLS DENNY’S WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CALGARY, AB. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Saskatoon Blades’ forward Josh Nicholls is the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week.
Nicholls collected eight points, scoring three goals and five assists in four games over the past week, helping the Blades to a 4-0-0-0 record in that span.
On Tuesday, December 11, Nicholls picked up one assist in the Blades 7-5 win over the Wheat Kings in Brandon. On Wednesday, December 12, the Blades were in Moose Jaw to face the Warriors. Nicholls collected one goal, one assist and was named the game’s 1st Star in the Blades 5-2 victory over the Warriors. On Friday, December 14 the Swift Current Broncos were in Saskatoon to take on the Blades. Nicholls netted two goals, added an assist and was named the games’ 2nd Star as the Blades edged the Broncos 4-3. On Saturday, December 15, Nicholls gathered two more assists in the Blades 5-2 triumph over the visiting Kootenay Ice.
Nicholls currently leads all WHL snipers with 26 goals and sits 9th among all scorers with 44 points (26 goals, 18 assists) in 33 games played thus far this season. The Blades have won six straight and currently sit 2nd in the WHL East Division with a 19-14-0-1 record for 39 points.
A 20-year-old from Tsawwassen, BC, Nicholls is in his fifth full season with the Saskatoon Blades. The 7th round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010, Nicholls was originally a 2nd round pick by the Blades in the 2007 WHL Draft and has since gone on to appear in 294 WHL games collecting a 117 goals and 272 points.
The WHL has also nominated Brett Zarowny of the Prince George Cougars for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Zarownyposted a 2-1-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 91 of 94 shots faced for a 0.968 save-percentage and 1.00 goals-against average. Zorowny, a 17-year-old rookie from Edson, AB, helped lead the Cougars to a pair of victories over the Vancouver Giants 6-0 (Dec. 15 / 2nd Star) and 2-1 (Dec. 16 / 1st Star), and was also named 1st Star in a hard fought 2-0 loss to the Swift Current Broncos on December 11.
Denny’s WHL Player of the Week
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Josh Nicholls, Saskatoon Blades
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Jaimen Yakubowski, Lethbridge Hurricanes
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Jaimen Yakubowski, Lethbridge Hurricanes
Nov. 19 – 25: Brendan Leipsic, Portland Winterhawks
Nov. 12 – 18: Colin Smith, Kamloops Blazers
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Mark McNeill, Prince Albert Raiders
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Justin Feser, Tri-City Americans
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Curtis Valk, Medicine Hat Tigers
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Colin Smith, Kamloops Blazers
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: JC Lipon, Kamloops Blazers
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: JC Lipon, Kamloops Blazers
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers
Sept. 20 – Sept. 23: Nicolas Petan, Portland Winterhawks
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