CWUAA PLAYER OF THE MONTH

The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and the Western Hockey League are pleased to announce that forward DEAN BEUKER of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies has been named Canada West Hockey’s – HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month for November 2003.r 
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BEUKER, a 22-year-old Arts & Science student from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan becomes the second winner of the award in the 2003-04 season, joining Paul Deniset of the University of Manitoba Bisons, who won the award in October. The former Portland Winter Hawk finished ahead of Calgary Dinos defenceman Sheldon Nedjelski in the voting conducted by the seven Canada West Hockey coaches. The Saskatchewan forward received four first place votes and two third place votes, while Nedjelski finished with two first, two second and two third place votes.r 
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Celebrating its 15th season, the Canada West Hockey’s HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month Award is presented monthly to a graduate of the Western Hockey League who is now playing on one of the seven teams in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. Each monthly winner, between October and March, receives a cheque for $500.00 from the WHL to go towards the cost of his education and a gift from HUSKY.r 
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Canadian intercollegiate hockey is a quality option for players who wish to combine both hockey and education. Over 50 WHL grads were members of Canada West Hockey’s eight teams in 2003-04. CIS hockey in general, and Canada West Hockey in particular, has allowed these players to further their hockey careers as well as their education at some of Canada’s finest academic institutions. During the 2002-03 season a total of 71 former Canada West Hockey players were playing professional hockey in North America and Europe, including former University of Alberta Golden Bears defenceman Cory Cross, who split time with the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers.r 
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BEUKER played in all seven of the Huskies’ games in November, scoring nine points with four goals and five assists. The 6’0”, 190 pound sophomore scored points in five of the seven conference games, including three consecutive multiple point games from November 7th to 14th, as he helped the Huskies to a 3-3-1 record. He scored two goals and an assist in Saskatchewan’s 4-1 win against the UBC Thunderbirds on November 7th and then had two assists in back-to-back games against UBC and the Alberta Golden Bears on November 8th and 14th.r 
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Among BEUKER’s four goals was a pair of powerplay goals and one shorthanded goal. He also earned assists on both Huskies’ game winning goals in a series sweep of the UBC Thunderbirds on November 7th-8th.r 
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Through the season’s first half, BEUKER sits in third place in the Canada West Hockey scoring race with 9-10-19 in 14 games and is third in goals. Overall, he has scored 10-13-23 in 19 games.r 
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BEUKER played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Portland Winter Hawks from 1998-99 to 2001-02.r 
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Other nominees for Canada West Hockey’s HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month award for October were University of Alberta Golden Bears forward Ryan Wade (Kelowna Rockets), Calgary Dinos defenceman Sheldon Nedjelski (Saskatoon Blades) and University of Manitoba Bisons goaltender Jomar Cruz (Portland Winter Hawks).r 
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HUSKY, proud sponsor of the WHL Education Program and the Canada West Hockey – WHL Graduate of the Month.”r