Royals’ Farkas named WHL Eli Wilson Goaltending Goaltender of the Week

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Victoria Royals goaltender Shane Farkas has been named the WHL Eli Wilson Goaltending Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 12, 2020.

Earning the award for the third time this season, Farkas backstopped his team to a pair of wins over the past week, sporting a 0.49 goals-against average, saving 71 of 72 shots for a 0.986 save percentage, and recording a shutout. Now 6-3-1-0 in their past 10 games, the Royals have surged into second place in the B.C. Division.

Beginning his week on Wednesday, Farkas made 29 saves for his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 defeat of the Kelowna Rockets. Farkas turned aside 10 shots in the first, four in the second, and 15 in the third for the ninth shutout of his WHL career. He was subsequently named the second star of the game and the second star of the night in the WHL.

Returning to home ice two nights later, Farkas stopped 42 of 43 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory against the conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. After allowing a goal on 16 shots in the first period, Farkas stopped the remaining 27 shots in the second, third, and overtime periods. He was recognized as the first star of the game and the third star of the night in the WHL.

Farkas has maintained a 17-7-1-0, 2.15 GAA, 0.931 SV%, and two shutouts in 26 games as part of a superb overage season. Those figures rank him third in the WHL for save percentage, fourth for goals-against average, tied for third in wins, and tied for seventh in shutouts. The 6-foot-2, 187-pound goaltender was originally selected in the fourth round, 67^th overall, at the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft by the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

In 110 games between the Royals and Portland Winterhawks, Farkas has compiled a 64-31-4-4 record, 2.76 GAA, 0.909 SV%, and nine shutouts. He has also appeared in four WHL playoff games with the Winterhawks, sporting a 1.68 GAA and 0.946 SV% in 71 minutes of action.

Farkas and the Royals will play host to the Tri-City Americans for a pair of mid-week games. The puck drops on the first game on Tuesday, January 14 (7:05 p.m. PT) at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.

WHL Eli Wilson Goaltending Goaltender of the Week
January 6 – January 12: Shane Farkas, Victoria Royals
December 30 – January 5: Jiri Patera, Brandon Wheat Kings
December 23 – December 29: Max Paddock, Regina Pats
December 9 – December 15: Sebastian Cossa, Edmonton Oil Kings
December 2 – December 8: Shane Farkas, Victoria Royals
November 25 – December 1: Roman Basran, Kelowna Rockets
November 18 – November 24: Roman Basran, Kelowna Rockets
November 11 – November 17: David Tendeck, Vancouver Giants
November 4 – November 10: Trent Miner, Vancouver Giants
October 28 – November 3: Joel Hofer, Portland Winterhawks
October 21 – October 27: Shane Farkas, Victoria Royals
October 14 – October 20: Dylan Garand, Kamloops Blazers
October 7 – October 13: Joel Hofer, Portland Winterhawks
September 30 – October 6: Ethan Anders, Red Deer Rebels
September 23 – September 29: Beck Warm, Tri-City Americans
September 20 – September 22: Roddy Ross, Seattle Thunderbirds

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.