Monday, February 13, 2012

BLAZERS' RANFORD WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Kamloops Blazers’ forward Brendan Ranford is the WHL Player of the Week.

Ranford collected eight points, scoring three goals and five assists to go with a +3 rating, in three games over the past week helping the Blazers to a 3-0-0-0 record.

On Wednesday, February 8, the Blazers hosted the high flying Tri-City Americans at the Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops. Ranford scored 2 goals and added an assist in the Blazers 5-1 triumph over the Ams’. On Friday, February 10 the Rockets were in Kamloops to face the Blazers. Ranford netted one goal, added two assists and was named the games 1st Star in the Blazers come-from-behind 5-4 overt-time win over the Rockets. The Rockets hosted the Blazers on Saturday, February 11, in the back half of their home-and-home series. Ranford gathered a pair of assists in the Blazers 3-2 victory.

Ranford currently ranks 10th among all WHL scorers with 72 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 53 games played thus far this season. The Kamloops Blazers have won seven of their last 10 games and currently sit 1st in the WHL Western Conference and entire League with a 40-12-1-3 record for 84 points.

A 19-year-old from Edmonton, AB, Ranford is in his fourth full season with the Kamloops Blazers. He was a 15th overall selection in the 2007 WHL Draft and was a 7th round pick by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 NHL Draft.

The WHL has also nominated Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Lieuwen posted a 2-1-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 80 of 84 shots faced for a 0.952 save-percentage and 1.33 goals-against average. Lieuwen, a 20-year-old from Abbotsford, BC, currently leads all WHL goalies with 0.923 save-percentage and 2.24 goals-against average.

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

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