Canada West WHL Three Stars: November 23-24, 2018

 

Each week during the Canada West men’s hockey season, CW and the WHL honour three WHL Grads now playing in CW. Here are the CW-WHL three stars for the weekend of Nov. 23-24.

FIRST STAR: F – Luke Philp
Alberta Golden Bears
3rd-year
Business
Canmore, Alta.
WHL experience (2012-16): Kootenay Ice, Red Deer Rebels

GAME LOG: Friday, Nov. 23 – 1 assist in 6-2 home win vs. Calgary / Saturday, Nov. 24 – 3 goals, 2 assists in 8-0 road victory vs. Calgary.

In an authoritative series sweep over the No. 6-ranked Calgary Dinos, Luke Philp led the No. 3-ranked Alberta Golden Bears to a pair of decisive wins over their provincial rival.

Philp finished the weekend with six points, including a five-point outburst in Alberta’s 8-0 win on Saturday in Calgary. The Bears outscored Calgary 14-2 in two games, leapfrogging their provincial rivals to move into second in Canada West.

Last week’s CW-WHL third star of the week, Philp recorded one assist on Friday in their 6-2 win, before recording his first hat trick of the season on Saturday, while also adding a pair of assists.

Despite missing four games with injury this season, Philp is now tied for the CW scoring lead with 17 points in 10 conference games.

The Golden Bears will face another stiff test this weekend, as they travel to Saskatoon to take on the first-place Saskatchewan Huskies.

SECOND STAR: F – Michael Sofillas
Saskatchewan Huskies
5th-year
Kinesiology
Morden, Man.
WHL experience (2010-13): Lethbridge Hurricanes

GAME LOG: Friday, Nov. 23 – 1 goal, 1 assist in 6-3 home win vs. Manitoba / Saturday, Nov. 24 – 2 goals in 8-2 home victory over Manitoba.

Saskatchewan fifth-year forward Michael Sofillas had a pair of stellar performances, helping the Huskies to a weekend sweep of the Manitoba Bisons.

The former Lethbridge Hurricane scored three goals and added an assist on the weekend, as he helped the Huskies push their winning streak to 12 games.

In a 6-3 win on Friday night, the Kinesiology major tallied both a goal and an assist as Saskatchewan rolled to the victory.

In Saturday’s 8-2 win over Manitoba, Sofillas scored two goals in a row in the second period to help put the game away.

Sofillas and the Huskies will be back in action this weekend when they host the reigning Canada West and U SPORTS champion Alberta Golden Bears at Merlis Belsher Place.

THIRD STAR: G – Zach Sawchenko
Alberta Golden Bears
2nd-year
Business
Calgary, Alta.
WHL experience (2013-17): Moose Jaw Warriors

GAME LOG: Friday, Nov. 23 – 2 goals against, 15 saves in 6-2 home win vs. Calgary / Saturday, Nov. 24 – 21-save shutout in 8-0 road win against Calgary.

Second-year Alberta netminder Zach Sawchenko delivered for the Golden Bears over the weekend, surrendering just two goals to the Calgary Dinos in a showdown for second in the conference.

Sawchenko made 15 stops Friday night at home in a 6-2 win, before saving all 21 shots he faced Saturday in an 8-0 victory to record his second shutout of the season.

The former Moose Jaw Warrior sits second in the conference in wins with eight and is fourth in CW save percentage (.916).

 

 

About Canada West men’s hockey:
Each season more than 100 WHL Graduates use their WHL Scholarship with one of eight Canada West men’s hockey programs. Through CW’s continued partnership with the WHL, players are given the opportunity to pursue high level hockey and a degree simultaneously, allowing student-athletes to achieve their athletic and academic goals.

You can watch every CW men’s hockey game all season long by visiting CanadaWest.TV. For more information on CW men’s hockey, click here.

Canada West – training leaders, building champions

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.