Rangers’ Mario Culina named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Mario Culina of the Kitchener Rangers is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 21 after posting a 3-0-0-0 record including two shutout victories for a goals-against-average of 0.67 and save percentage of .980.

Culina turned aside 98 shots last week in a trio of victories for the Rangers who improve their record to 30-14-2-0 atop the OHL’s Midwest Division.  He began the week with back-to-back shutouts, the first two of his career, earning first star honours in both games including Wednesday night with a 34-save performance in a 6-0 win over the Niagara IceDogs and Friday night with 36 saves in a 3-0 victory against the Erie Otters.  He finished the week with 28 saves as part of a 4-2 victory over the Guelph Storm on Sunday afternoon.

A 20-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Culina is playing in his third OHL season and first with the Rangers after being acquired from the Sudbury Wolves in January.  Since joining the Rangers he’s posted a perfect 5-0-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.20 and save percentage of .958.  Culina began his OHL tenure with the Windsor Spitfires during the 2015-16 season and was part of the club’s 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup title.

Also considered for the award this week was Philadelphia Flyers prospect and three-time award winner Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips with a 2-0-0-0 record including one shutout stopping 48 shots for a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .980.  In the QMJHL, Matthew Welsh of the Charlottetown Islanders posted a 1-1-0-0 record making 52 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.52 and save percentage of .945.

2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Mario Culina (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: James Porter (Kelowna Rockets)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Tristan Bérubé (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Anthony Morrone (Victoriaville Tigres)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranada Huskies)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Logan Flodell (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Dereck Baribeau (Quebec Remparts)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)