Giants netminder Mirwald named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for a fifth time
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Vancouver Giants netminder Brett Mirwald has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 17, 2024.
This marks the fifth time Mirwald has earned the award this season.
The 20-year-old led all WHL goaltenders with a 3-0-0-0 record, a 1.34 goals-against average and a .956 save percentage.
Mirwald kicked off the week with a 24-save performance against the Tri-City Americans, allowing only one goal on the powerplay.
He got the call to the crease again in Kamloops on March 15. The Saskatoon, Sask. product steered aside an early barrage of shots, but Blazers forward Max Sullivan found the opening goal off a two-on-one rush. It was all Kamloops would get as Mirwald turned aside the other 33 shots he faced, including an Emmitt Finnie breakaway opportunity with the game tied 1-1 in the third period. Mirwald was named first star of the night as the Giants snagged a 3-1 victory.
Mirwald closed out his week by making back-to-back starts against Kamloops. His second effort saw him stop 30 of 32 attempts, beaten only by a Blazers powerplay marker and a three-on-one play by Jordan Keller. This marked the 31st game this season where Mirwald stopped 30 shots or more.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound netminder is up to a 29-20-3-0 record (including two shutouts) in a career-best season. His 29 victories are tied for second-most among WHL goaltenders. Mirwald has shaved his goals-against average down to 3.05 while cranking his save percentage to .914, which ranks fourth in the league. He continues to lead the league in saves (1652) and has played the second-most minutes (3073).
Mirwald was selected by Moose Jaw in the seventh round, 154th overall, in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft before being acquired by Vancouver prior to the 2021-22 season.
Vancouver (32-30-4-0) wraps up its regular season slate this weekend with a home-and-away series against Kelowna (31-30-4-1) started on March 22.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
March 11, 2024: Kolby Hay, Edmonton Oil Kings
March 4, 2024: Ethan Buenaventura, Calgary Hitmen
February 26, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
February 20, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 12, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 5, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
January 29, 2024: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
January 22, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 15, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels
November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
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.
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