Monday, March 29, 2010

Watson nets Player of the Week honours after Gm 7 shutout

Press Release

Powell River Kings goaltender Josh Watson has been named the British Columbia Hockey League's Player of the Week for the week ending March 28th, the league announced Monday.

Despite nine goals allowed in two games early in the week, Watson rebounded nicely to steal the series back for the Kings. Playing on three straight nights -- all must-win games down 3-1 in the Coastal Conference Finals -- he stifled top-seeded Alberni Valley Bulldogs with a 0.66 goals-against average in the final three contests, two of which were on the road. In the all-important Game 7 showdown, Watson was named the first star after a 41-save shutout performance.

In all, the Lititz, Pennsylvania native turned aside 101 of the 103 shots that the Bulldogs threw his way during that three-day span. He finished the week with a 3-2 mark, but it was his tremendous poise under pressure that helped Powell River pull off the comeback and earned him the weekly BCHL honours.

It’s the second week in a row a goaltender’s name has been called. A week after Vernon’s Graeme Gordon earned the honours for his stellar play in net, Watson followed it up with an equally impressive effort this week for the Kings. Now the two will battle each other for BCHL supremacy when Vernon and Powell River face off for the second straight year in the Fred Page Cup Finals.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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