BARTSCHI NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Portland Winterhawks’ forward Sven Bartschi is the WHL Player of the Week.

Bartschi picked up seven points, scoring five goals and two assists to go with a +2 rating in three games over the last week in the 2011 WHL Western Conference Final and WHL Championship Series.

On Monday, May 2nd, the Winterhawks were in Spokane for game six of the WHL Western Conference Championship against the Spokane Chiefs. Bartschi scored one goal and added two assists as the ‘Hawks downed the Chiefs 6-3, to advance to the WHL Finals.

On Friday, May 6th, game one of the WHL Championship Series opened in Portland at the Rose Garden. Bartschi scored two goals and was named the games 1st Star as the Winterhawks downed the Ice 4-3 in over-time. In game two, on Saturday, May 7th, Bartschi scored another two goals and was named the games 2nd Star in the Winterhawks 7-5 loss to the Kootenay Ice.

The Portland Winterhawks and Kootenay Ice are tied at one game apiece in the 2011 WHL Championship Series. Games three and four are scheduled for May 10th and 11th at 7:00pm MT in Kootenay at the Cranbrook Rec Plex.

Bartschi, a 17-year-old from Langenthal, Switzerland, is playing his first full season in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks. A finalists for the 2010-11 WHL Rookie of the Year Award, he was the 7th overall selection by the Winterhawks in the 2010 CHL Import Draft. Bartschi is a highly touted NHL Top Prospect approaching the 2011 NHL Draft being ranked 7th overall among North American skaters by Central Scouting.

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