Monday, February 14, 2011

QUINTON HOWDEN WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. – The WHL Player of the Week is forward Quinton Howden of the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Howden picked up nine points, scoring five goals and four assists to go with a +5 rating, in three games this past week, helping the Warriors to 1-1-1-0 record.

On Wednesday, February 9th, the Warriors were in Saskatoon taking on the League leading Blades. Howden scored his first career WHL hat-trick, added two assists and was named the games 2nd Star as the Blades won the offensive juggernaut 6-5 in over-time over the Warriors. On Friday, February 11th, the Warriors played host to the Edmonton Oil Kings. Howden scored one goal, two assists and was named the games 1st Star as the Warriors downed the Oil Kings 5-4 in the shoot-out. The Saskatoon Blades then paid a visit to the Civic Centre in Moose Jaw to face the Warriors on Saturday, February 12th. Howden scored one goal in the Warriors’ 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Blades.

Howden now has 33 goals on the season ranking him 10th in the WHL and sits 29th among all WHL scorers with 62 points (33 goals, 29 assists) in just 45 games played. The Warriors have a 4-4-2-0 record in their past ten contests to maintain their fifth spot in the WHL Eastern Conference standings with a 32-21-2-2 record for 68 points.

Howden, a 19 year-old (1992) from Oak Bank, MB, is playing his third full season with the Warriors who made him the 1st overall pick in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. The 1st round – 25th overall NHL Draft pick of the Florida Panthers also helped Team Canada to a Silver Medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.

The WHL has also nominated Darcy Kuemper of the Red Deer Rebels for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Kuemper posted a 2-1-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 97 of 101 shots faced for a 1.35 goals-against average and a 0.960 save percentage. Kuemper, a native of Saskatoon, SK, came up just short in a 3-1 loss to Medicine Hat Tigers then led the Rebels to wins over the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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