WEST DEFEATS PACIFIC 3-1 TO WIN THE 2005 WORLD UNDER-17 HOCKEY CHALLENGE
WHL CLUBS RAISE OVER $123,000 FOR TSUNAMI RELIEF – Western Hockey League clubs and their fans have shown their spirit and generosity, raising much-needed aid money for tsunami relief efforts in Southeast Asia.
r
rIn total, WHL teams raised $123,339 for rebuilding efforts and for victims of the deadly tsunami that struck on Boxing Day, killing over 220,000 people and affecting millions more in several countries on the Indian Ocean.
r
rFunds raised by Western Hockey League clubs and their fans were earmarked for a number of relief organizations like the Canadian Red Cross’ Asia Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, Northwest Medical Teams, and the Salvation Army.
r
r———————————————————————-
r
rBRIDGES A BIG PART OF T-BIRD’S REVIVAL
r
rEvery Western Hockey League season provides a few comeback stories – teams that go from down-and-out one year to cream-of-the-crop the next. Netminder Bryan Bridges has been an integral part of just such a scenario this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
r
rWith the exception of the Saskatoon Blades, no team has made as dramatic a turnaround from the 2003-04 season to the 2004-05 season as the Thunderbirds.
r
rWhen Bridges came to Seattle mid-way through last season, he was joining a T-Birds squad that would go on to finish fifth in the U.S. division and 10 points out of a playoff spot.
r
rRight now, with only six weeks remaining in the 2004-05 season, the Thunderbirds find themselves with an 11-point lead at the top of the U.S. division and 16 games over .500. Bridges says a big reason for the team’s improvement was having a different attitude and identity from the outset.
r
r”At the beginning of the year, we went over how we wanted out team to be,” said the 19-year-old from Victoria, B.C. “Coach (Rob) Sumner etched in our minds that our team has to be all about hard work, defence-first, and capitalizing on our chances.
r
rSo far, Seattle’s hard-working, defence-first approach has worked. The T-Birds have been the league’s stingiest defensive teams, allowing a paltry 107 goals-against. Their hard work has enabled them to be one of the league’s most consistent teams throughout the season considering they didn’t even lose back-to-back games until January.
r
rBridges, of course, has played no small part in Seattle’s success this season. The 5’11, 165-pound goaltender leads the league with 27 wins, has been among the league’s top three in goals-against average and save-percentage, and set a new T-Birds’ franchise record with nine shutouts (and counting). Bridges, however, is quick to point out that his success can be directly attributed to the guys playing in front of him.
r
r”My success this season is not only my own,” said Bridges. “I’ve had great defence in front of me all year who have helped me keep my numbers down.
r
r”I do feel I’ve put my game together a lot more consistently night in and night out, but, it’s pretty easy to keep puck out of the net when you have a team that’s playing well in front of you,” he added.
r
rWhile they continue to lead a tough U.S. division by a comfortable margin, the T-Birds have cooled a bit lately prompting many to believe the team has been overachieving this season. However, Bridges insists the T-Birds are for real and, while they may be exceeding the expectations of others, he and his teammates were always confident they could be a legitimate contender.
r
r”I don’t think we’ve exceeded our expectations,” said the fourth-year netminder. “In fact, we expect a lot more from ourselves.
r
r”In our minds, we knew that if we played our game day in and day out, we were good enough and had just as good a chance as anyone to make it to the Memorial Cup,” said Bridges.
r
rAnd if anyone on the Thunderbirds knows what it takes to get to the Memorial Cup, it’s Bridges – having hoisted the CHL’s biggest prize as a rookie with the Kootenay Ice in 2002. His Memorial Cup experience is something he can pass along to his Seattle teammates as they gear up for what they hope will be a long and rewarding playoff run.
r
r”I can help them because I know what kind of mindset you need, and how hard you have to work to get there,” said Bridges. “It takes so much grit and hunger to get there, and I can see that in our team.
r
r”I can see some similarities between the Memorial Cup team in Kootenay and our team,” he added.
r
rAs for his own play this season, Bridges, who was eligible for the 2004 NHL entry draft but was passed over, says he hopes it gets some of the scouts to take notice.
r
r”It would be nice to get picked,” said Bridges, who admits his numbers last season didn’t help his stock. “It’s my last year to really make an impression on someone’s mind, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
r
rJesse Watts
rwhl.ca
r
r———————————————————————-
r
rWHL KEY PERFORMERS
r
r
rClarke MacArthur, Medicine Hat Tigers – MacArthur has scored 3 goals and seven points in his last three outings, helping the Tigers to three straight wins. He currently ranks 13th in the league in scoring. Click here to view scoring leaders.
r
rReid Jorgensen, Kamloops Blazers – Jorgensen has scored four goals and an assist in his last three games, helping the Blazers to a win and two ties. He scored twice versus Swift Current on Wednesday – including the game-winner. Click here to view game-winning goal leaders.
r
rJakub Sindel, Brandon Wheat Kings – Sindel has scored four goals in his last four games, helping the Wheat Kings to a 3-1 record. He leads all Wheat Kings rookies with eight goals this season. Click here for rookie scoring leaders.
r
rBraydon Coburn, Portland Winter Hawks – Coburn had a four-goal game versus Seattle last Friday, equaling a WHL record for most goals in a game by a defenceman. He ranks 13th in the league in scoring among defencemen. Click here for defencemen leaders.
r
rMike Wall, Everett Silvertips – Wall is 2-0 in his last two starts for the Silvertips, allowing just one goal on 41 shots in that span. He posted his ninth shutout of the season in a win over Seattle on Saturday. Click here for goaltending leaders.
r
r———————————————————————-
r
rTHE PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE
r
r
rThe Vancouver Giants have one of the most explosive offences in the Western Hockey League. They’re a team boasting several players that can bury the biscuit with the best of them.
r
rOne of the Giants’ key offensive contributors this season has been left-winger Mitch Bartley. Bartley, a 19-year-old product of Maple Ridge, B.C., has been one of the most consistent goal-scorers on the Giants this season. So far, Bartley has netted 25 times in 54 games, putting him on pace to break his personal best of 31 goals which he netted last season with the Giants.
r
rWith the Playoffs fast approaching, the Giants will need Bartley’s nose for the net as they head down the stretch and look to secure a spot in the post season.
r
rMitch Bartley’s Perspective
r
r
rOn the Giants’ season to dateâ¦
r
râWe’ve played well at times this season. Our defence has really missed the presence of Mark Fistric. A lot of guys were worried at the beginning of the season that they couldn’t carry the load that he carries.â?
r
rOn his personal success this seasonâ¦
r
râIt’s been goodâ¦I’ve learned not to get down on myself when the goals aren’t coming. Eventually, they do come if you keep up the effort. At the same time, there are always parts of my game that I can work on.â?
r
rOn the possibility of a first-round match-up with Kelowna or Kootenayâ¦
r
râIt doesn’t matter which one we play. In terms of travel, I’d rather play Kelowna. However, both teams are strong and we’ll be prepared for either team.â?
r
rOn the Giants’ key contributors this seasonâ¦
r
râI think everyone has really stepped up this seasonâ¦especially with the loss of Fistric. I think we’ve brought in some guys over the course of the year who have really helped spread out the load. We know we can depend on guys like (Marek) Schwarz, Gilbert Brule, and (Andrej) Meszaros.â?
r
rOn who his hockey idol was growing upâ¦
r
râI’d definitely say Jarri Kurri.â?
r
r———————————————————————-
r
rSTANLEY ETCHING NAME IN AMS HISTORY BOOKS
r
rKennewick, WA – Tri-City Americans five-year veteran center Dylan Stanley has
rnow cracked the Top 10 all-time lists for games played, goals, assists and points heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Kootenay Ice.
r
rStanley is second all-time in games played with 319. He trails all-time leader Brent Ascroft who appeared in 355 games.
r
rWith his goal Saturday night in Spokane in a 4-2 road victory over the Chiefs, he is now tied for ninth all-time with Mike Hurley with 110 goals. Stu Barnes is eighth with 111 tallies and Eric Johansson is seventh with 112. The club’s all-time leader is Daymond Langkow with 159 career goals.
r
rDylan has also moved into sixth all-time in assists with 162. Stu Barnes is next on the assist list with 174. The club’s all-time leader in helpers is Brian Sakic with 297. The Edmonton, Alberta native is now seventh in all-time points with 272. His two-point night in Spokane Saturday vaulted him past former American Bill Lindsay who’s now eighth with 271.
r
r———————————————————————-
r
rHITMEN TO RETIRE MORAN’S NUMBER
r
rCalgary, AB – Brad Moran‘s no. 20 will become the first Calgary Hitmen jersey to be retired in the club’s 10-year history.
r
rThe Hitmen will raise Moran’s jersey to the roof before the February 25th contests versus the Red Deer Rebels.
r
rMoran, who currently plays for the Syracuse Crunch in the American Hockey League, played five seasons with the Hitmen from 1995 to 2000 and holds the Hitmen records for games played (357), goals (204), assists (244) and points (448).
r
rMoran posted three straight 100-point seasons and won the league scoring title in 1999-00 with 120 points, also earning him the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year. In 1998-99, Moran, along with linemate Pavel Brendl, led the Hitmen to a WHL championship and an appearance in the Memorial Cup final.
r
rMoran ranks third in all-time WHL regular-season games played with 357 and 13th in all-time scoring with 448 points.
r
r———————————————————————-
r