Winterhawks’ Shane Farkas named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Shane Farkas of the Portland Winterhawks is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 4 after posting a 3-0-0-0 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .961.

Farkas turned aside 99 shots last week, helping the Winterhawks keep pace in the WHL’s competitive U.S. Division standings where they hold a second place record of 40-20-1-4 heading into the season’s final two weeks. Farkas put together back-to-back shutouts against the Tri-City Americans including Tuesday with 37 saves in a 9-0 win where he earned second star honours, and Saturday with 30 saves in the 5-0 victory. His week wrapped up Sunday with a 32-save performance in a 7-4 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds.  This marks the third week a Winterhawks goaltender has been recognized following two early season honours by Cole Kehler (Los Angeles Kings).

WHL goaltenders have now captured the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week 12 of the 23 times it has been awarded this season, leading the QMJHL and OHL, who have earned six and five of the weekly honours respectively.

Originally selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the fourth round, 67th overall, of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft, the 19-year-old Farkas is a product of Penticton, B.C. and in his second season with the Winterhawks. This season he’s posted a 14-5-0-0 record including eight straight wins since January 27 with an overall goals-against-average of 2.58 and save percentage of .921. The 6-foot-2, 177-pound goaltender has appeared in 32 career WHL regular season games, compiling a 17-11-0-0 record, 3.25 GAA, .901 SV% and three shutouts.

Also considered for the award for the second straight week was Etienne Montpetit of the Victoriaville Tigres who posted a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory making a total of 65 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .970.  In the OHL, Leo Lazarev of the Barrie Colts posted a 2-0-0-0 record making 66 saves for a goals-against-average of 2.50 and save percentage of .930.

The Winterhawks will open a two-game set on the road against the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday, March 6 (7:00 p.m. PST).

2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
Feb. 26 – Mar. 4: Shane Farkas (Portland Winterhawks)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Emanuel Vella (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Riley Lamb (Red Deer Rebels)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Brody Willms (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Zachary Bouthillier (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Mario Culina (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: James Porter (Kelowna Rockets)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Tristan Bérubé (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Anthony Morrone (Victoriaville Tigres)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 30: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranada Huskies)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Logan Flodell (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Dereck Baribeau (Quebec Remparts)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

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.