The Week That Was – Wolf unbeatable to begin new season
Each week, CHL.ca goes coast to coast to highlight the top stories from around the league.
Wolf perfect through pair of contests
Dustin Wolf has picked up where he left off.
Through two games to begin the new campaign, the Everett Silvertips netminder and reigning CHL Goaltender of the Year turned in back-to-back shutout performances, stopping a combined 40 shots to come away with a pair of victories versus Spokane and Tri-City.
A 2019 seventh-round selection by the Calgary Flames, Wolf began the year by getting a taste of the pro ranks with the club’s top minor-league affiliate, the Stockton Heat. There, the 19-year-old Wolf suited up alongside fellow netminder and Guelph Storm graduate Garret Sparks, and a close bond quickly developed.
2 games, 2 shutouts.
Dustin Wolf is Goaltender of the Week.
(Is that good, @TheWHL?)
🐺#LetsGoTips 🐺
News: https://t.co/AbmSxOxtaW pic.twitter.com/4snBi7BOqN
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) March 22, 2021
“I still talk with him on the phone pretty much every day, just to see how things are going. We have created a really good friendship,” Wolf told Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun. “He has been through injuries, he has been through the ups and downs of being in the ECHL up to the NHL, so he has kind of seen it all. I am very grateful to have a guy like that to chit-chat about whatever – whether it be life, hockey, what is going on in the world … It is something that I do not take for granted.”
Coming away with two victories through three appearances with the Heat, Wolf is now back with the Silvertips as part of an abbreviated 24-game slate that could see him chase the record books. Now in his fourth season with Everett, the Tustin, Calif., native continues to be a dominant presence between the pipes, owning 22 shutouts in only 129 career appearances. The WHL’s all-time mark is held by Tyson Sexsmith, who pitched 26 perfect games with the Vancouver Giants from 2005-09.
Tourigny joins Hockey Canada full time
Andre Tourigny is about to see plenty of time under the national spotlight.
Announced Wednesday, the Ottawa 67’s bench boss has been named to Hockey Canada’s coaching staff for the coming year, an opportunity that will see him lead the Great White North in four revered tournaments.
“I want to thank Hockey Canada for the unbelievable opportunity, and I look forward to implementing plans for a successful season ahead,” Tourigny said in a statement. “It is not an easy decision to take time away from the Ottawa 67’s family and I am extremely grateful to (ownership) as well as the entire hockey operations and front office staff for affording me this privilege.”
In all, Tourigny will be behind the bench as an assistant for the 2021 World Championship as well as the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, and then elevated to head coach for the 2022 World Championship and the 2022 World Juniors.
“It’s a dream to have the chance represented your country.” https://t.co/O3M9s1F0QT
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) March 24, 2021
Most recently, Tourigny helped guide Canada to a silver-medal finish at the 2021 World Juniors where the squad was particularly dominant in the round robin portion in which it outscored the opposition by a 33-4 margin. Tourigny was also an assistant to London’s Dale Hunter at the 2020 World Junior Championship where Canada captured gold in the Czech Republic.
Joining the 67’s in 2017, Tourigny has twice received OHL Coach of the Year honours in addition to the Brian Kilrea Award in 2019-20 as the CHL Coach of the Year after leading Ottawa to a 50-11-0-1 record in the pandemic-shortened campaign. Serving as head coach of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 2003-13, Tourigny was awarded the Ron Lapointe Trophy as QMJHL Coach of the Year in 2005-06 after guiding the club to a 43-22-2-3 showing.
A native of Trois-Rivieres, Que., Tourigny is the first full-time coach of Hockey Canada’s men’s program since Marc Habscheid of the Prince Albert Raiders last held the title in 2005. Tourigny plans to remain with the 67’s and will return to the club on a full-time basis after fulfilling his duties on the national stage.
Ellis tops the charts
The record now belongs to Colten Ellis.
Turning aside 22 shots versus Cape Breton on Sunday, the Charlottetown Islanders netminder took sole possession of the QMJHL’s all-time mark for career shutouts with 18 perfect games. Additionally, the victory marked the second-straight shutout for Ellis, and his seventh this season, as part of a dominant campaign in which he has found the win column in 19 of his 20 appearances while putting together a .926 save percentage with a 1.80 goals-against average.
With the achievement, Ellis eclipses Philippe Cadorette who recorded 17 career shutouts through 209 total appearances with Baie-Comeau and Shawinigan.
HISTORY MADE!
With today's shutout, Colten Ellis moves into sole possession of 1st in QMJHL history with 18 career shutouts!
His seven shutouts this season are also tied for the QMJHL single-season high! pic.twitter.com/ByX36lAJOm
— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) March 21, 2021
“It was pretty special because it obviously was not something I had my sights on when I came into the league,” Ellis told CBC’s Paul Palmeter. “Even coming into this year, I do not even think I knew what the record was.”
Joining the Islanders following an offseason deal with Rimouski, Ellis also appears poised to take command of the all-time mark for shutouts in a single season, a record he currently shares with six other netminders including gold medalist and long-time NHL goaltender Roberto Luongo.
“Being able to join this team (in Charlottetown) was pretty awesome for me,” Ellis added. “I definitely knew that they would contend and were looking to make a run for the championship, and so far it has been a great year.”
A 2019 third-round selection of the St. Louis Blues, Ellis inked his three-year entry-level contract with the NHL club earlier this month.