Sabres prospect Ratzlaff named WHL Goaltender of the Week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Seattle Thunderbirds netminder Scott Ratzlaff has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending January 28, 2024.
The Buffalo Sabres prospect went 2-0-0-0 on the week, posting a 2.00 goals-against average and .960 save percentage.
Ratzlaff turned aside 34 of 37 shots in a 6-3 victory against the Wenatchee Wild on the road on January 26. 19 of Wenatchee’s shots came in the final period and Ratzlaff only allowed one even-strength goal.
The 18-year-old would turn in the performance of a lifetime the following night as the Thunderbirds snapped the powerhouse Everett Silvertips’ eight-game winning streak. Ratzlaff stopped a career-high 62 of 63 shots, denied all six Silvertips powerplays and even added an assist on an empty-net goal to preserve a 3-1 win.
Ratzlaff was named first star of the game and even earned a CHL first star nod for his efforts.
The Irma, Alta. product sports a 12-14-1-0 record with a 3.31 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage in his fourth full WHL season.
Ratzlaff, who was picked by Seattle in the second round, 43rd overall in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, helped Seattle capture its second WHL Championship in the 2022-23 season. He also clinched gold for Canada at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he went 4-0-0-0 with two shutouts, a .50 goals-against average and a .976 save percentage.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound goalie was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round, 141st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Seattle (16-24-2-0) returns home to face the B.C. Division-leading Prince George Cougars (31-14-0-2) on January 30.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
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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