Greyhounds’ Matthew Villalta named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the regular season week ending March 17 with a 2-0-0-0 record, a goals-against average of 1.20, and save percentage of .964.
Villalta claims the honour for the first time this season after going undefeated in two games last week in which he stopped a combined 53 shots to help the Greyhounds conclude the 2018-19 regular season with a 44-16-7-1 showing, good for third in the Western Conference and a date with the Owen Sound Attack in the opening round of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Kings prospect began his week with a 33-save performance in a 2-1 overtime victory over the West Division rival Saginaw Spirit. He then followed it up the next night when he turned aside 20 shots en route to a 6-3 win against the London Knights.
Villalta, 19, is competing in his third season with the Greyhounds. Through 51 games this year, the product of Godfrey, Ont., posted a 33-12-5-0 record alongside a 3.03 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.
Also considered for the award this week was Samuel Harvey of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who went a perfect 2-0-0-0 across two appearances as he picked up wins over the Val-d’Or Foreurs and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to go with a goals-against average of 2.00 and save percentage of .940. In the WHL, Adam Evanoff of the Moose Jaw Warriors went 2-0-0-0 as he made a combined 52 saves in wins over the Brandon Wheat Kings and Swift Current Broncos for a goals-against average of 1.50 and save percentage of .945.
2018-19 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Joel Hofer (Portland Winterhawks)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Jet Greaves (Barrie Colts)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Olivier Rodrigue (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Kevin Mandolese (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Ivan Prosvetov (Saginaw Spirit)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Cedrick Andree (Ottawa 67’s)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Mads Sogaard (Medicine Hat Tigers)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Kyle Jessiman (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Joseph Raaymakers (London Knights)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Emile Samson (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Alexis Gravel (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Trent Miner (Vancouver Giants)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
