Cougars netminder Ravensbergen named WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Prince George Cougars rookie netminder Joshua Ravensbergen has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending November 5 2023.
Ravensbergen is the first back-to-back winner and first repeat winner of WHL Goaltender of the Week honours this season.
The 16-year-old product of North Vancouver, B.C., went 1-0-0-0 with a 0.65 goals-against average, .980 save percentage and one shutout across two appearances this past week.
Ravensbergen’s first appearance came Friday, November 3 as he entered the contest in relief during the second period of play. Over 32:20 of crease time, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound puckstopper turned aside 10 of the 11 shots he faced, finishing the night with no decision in a 5-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades.
The rookie netminder was given the start Saturday, November 4 at Prince Albert, where he made 38 saves and was perfect in a 5-0 shutout victory over the Raiders. Ravensbergen stopped 16 shots during the first period of play, before then facing 11 shots in each of the second and third periods. He was named First Star of the game.
Through seven games this season, Ravensbergen is 4-1-0-0 with a 1.98 GAA, .929 SV%, and three shutouts. He leads the WHL in shutouts, is tied for the League lead in SV% and sits second in GAA.
Ravensbergen has won three consecutive starts dating back to October 6 versus Wenatchee.
Having gone 6-4-0-0 over their previous 10 games, the Prince George Cougars sit first atop the WHL’s Western Conference with a record of 12-5-0-0.
Unselected in the WHL Draft, Ravensbergen was signed to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement Monday, April 24, 2023. Prior to joining the Cougars, he spent three seasons with the Vancouver NW Hawks AAA program, going 15-2-3 with a 2.10 GAA and two shutouts at the U18 level in 2022-23.
Following a five-game East Division road swing, Joshua Ravensbergen and the Prince George Cougars return home Friday, November 10 (7 p.m. PT) to host the Red Deer Rebels at the CN Centre.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild
October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels
October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips
September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders
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 offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six 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 close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 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.