Monday, March 21, 2011

MARK McNEILL WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Prince Albert Raiders forward Mark McNeill is the WHL Player of the Week.

McNeill picked up 7 points, scoring two goals and five assists to go with a +4 rating in three games this past week, helping the Raiders to a 3-0-0-0 record and a berth into the 2011 WHL Playoffs.

On Wednesday, March 16th, the Raiders were in Calgary to face the Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome. McNeill scored one goal, one assist and was named the games 1st Star as the Raiders tripled the Hitmen 6-2. The Raiders were back at home on Friday, March 18th, hosting East Division rivals the Swift Current Broncos. McNeill collected three assists in the Raiders 6-3 win over the Broncos. The next night, Saturday, March 19th, the Raiders closed out their regular season in Swift Current for the back half of the home-and-home series with the Broncos. McNeill scored one goal and added an assist as the Raiders edged the Broncos 4-3.

McNeill’s seven points this past week ranked him 24th among all WHL scorers this season with 81 points (32 goals, 39 assists) in 70 games played. The Raiders won five of their last six regular season games to secure a spot in the 2011 WHL Playoffs and finish eighth in the WHL Eastern Conference with a 31-36-2-3 record for 67 points.

McNeill, an 18 year-old (1993) from Edmonton, AB, is playing his second full season with the Raiders who made him the 5th overall pick in the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft. He was one of 13 WHL players named to 2011 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and was ranked 22nd overall among domestic skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term rankings for players eligible for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

The WHL has also nominated Deven Dubyk of the Medicine Hat Tigers for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Brown posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week with two shut-outs, stopping all 67 shots faced for an outstanding 0.00 goals-against average and a 1.000 save percentage. Dubyk, a native of Minitonas, MB, led the Tigers to a pair of shut-out victories over the Calgary Hitmen 1-0 and 2-0.

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

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