SAWCHENKO NAMED VAUGHN CHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 2016 NHL Draft prospect Zach Sawchenko of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 21 after posting a 3-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.31 and a save percentage of .965.

Sawchenko becomes the league’s second two-time award recipient this season after making 109 saves in three games last week backstopping the Warriors to three wins.  He began his week by posting critical back-to-back road victories against the Prince Albert Raiders who lead the Warriors by two points in the WHL’s East Division standings.  Last Monday he earned first star honours making 37 saves for his second shutout of the season blanking the Raiders by a 5-0 score, then stopped 32 shots on Friday as second star of a 4-3 overtime triumph.  His week wrapped up with a 40-save performance on Sunday in a 5-1 victory against the Swift Current Broncos.

An 18-year-old from Calgary, AB, Sawchenko is currently playing in his third WHL season with the Warriors carrying an overall record of 24-11-4-1 along with a goals-against-average of 2.85 and a save percentage of .920 which is tied for fourth best in the WHL.  Sawchenko was listed third among North American goaltenders in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for the 2016 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was 2016 NHL Draft prospect Tyler Parsons of the London Knights with a 3-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory stopping 78 shots with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .963.  In the QMJHL, Evgeny Kiselev of the Quebec Remparts went 2-0-0-0 with a shutout victory stopping 53 shots with a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .981.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
Feb. 15 – Feb. 21: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 8 – Feb. 14: Leo Lazarev (Ottawa 67’s)
Feb. 1 – Feb. 7: Taz Burman (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Luke Opilka (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Jordan Papirny (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Étienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Callum Booth (Quebec Remparts)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Jack Flinn (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Ty Edmonds (Prince George Cougars)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Keven Bouchard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Etienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Julio Billia (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Coleman Vollrath (Victoria Royals)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)