Hitmen netminder Buenaventura named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Calgary Hitmen netminder Ethan Buenaventura has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 25, 2024.
Buenaventura posted a 2-1-0-0 record to keep his team’s playoff hopes alive, registering an impressive 1.67 goals-against average, a .950 save percentage and his first WHL shutout.
The 19-year-old got off to a tough start as the Edmonton Oil Kings scored just 10 seconds into a battle at the Scotiabank Saddledome on February 28, but bounced back with several highlight-reel saves, including a breakaway stop on Gavin Hodnett and sharp poke-check on Ty Nash. Buenaventura would go on to turn aside 32 of 35 shots as the Hitmen doubled up the Oil Kings 6-3.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound netminder battled hard in a goaltender duel against Red Deer’s Rhett Stoesser on March 2. Buenaventura flexed his dexterity by leaping across his crease to deny Talon Brigley’s wide-open shot after a deflected pass and stretched out to rob Evan Smith on the doorstep. Brigley would go bar-down to net the game-winner with 30 seconds to play in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss for the Hitmen.
Buenaventura would follow up the frustrating loss with one of the best performances of his WHL career. In a March 3 duel against the Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers, the Winnipeg, Man. product set the tone by denying top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Andrew Basha on a sensational backhand effort. The Hitmen held the Tigers’ powerplay- which is ranked third in the league- without a goal and Buenaventura denied all kinds of odd-man rushes, including a brilliant cross-crease stop on Medicine Hat captain Tyler MacKenzie. Late in the game, Buenaventura had his stick knocked away but navigated the scramble of bodies in front of him to freeze the puck and preserve a 2-0 Hitmen victory to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive, earn first star and secure his first WHL clean sheet.
In his third season with a young Calgary squad, Buenaventura sports a 19-19-5-1 record, supported by a 3.54 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. He’s faced the third-most shots of any goaltender in the league (1534) and has the third-most saves to match (1379). He’s made at least 30 stops in his last five starts.
He was selected by the Hitmen in the fourth round, 77th overall in the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.
With eight games remaining, Calgary (25-27-7-1) sits three points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Hitmen will continue their push for the postseason when they host Brandon (29-25-5-1) on March 6 at 7:00 p.m. MST.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
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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