Monday, April 30, 2012

WINTERHAWKS' ROSS WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

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

Ross collected four points, scoring two goals and two assists while maintained a +3 rating in two games over the last week, helping the Winterhawks capture the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship with a 4-0 series win over the Tri-City Americans.

On Wednesday, April 25th, the Winterhawks played host to the Tri-City Americans at the Rose Garden holding a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Championship.  Ross scored one goal and one assist in the Winterhawks 3-1 win over the Americans.  The next night, Thursday, April 26th, Ross had another one goal and one assist performance as the Winterhawks downed the Americans 4-1.

The Portland Winterhawks have advanced to the WHL Championship Series with a 4-0 series victory of the Tri-City Americans in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Championship.  The Winterhawks will now face the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL Championship Series with the first two games schedule for Thursday, May 3 and Friday, May 4 at 7:00pm MT in Edmonton at Rexall Place.

Ross, a 20-year-old (born 1992) from Lethbridge, AB, is playing his fourth full season with the Portland Winterhawks.  The ‘Hawks made him the 5th overall selection at the 2007 WHL Draft and was selected in the 2nd round (43rd overall) in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.  During the 2011-12 WHL regular season Ross set career highs in goals (42) and points (82).  He currently sits 4th among all WHL scorers in the playoffs with 20 points (12 goals, 8 assists) in 15 games played.

The WHL has also nominated Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award.  Carruthposted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week, stopping 77 of 79 shots faced for a 1.00 goals-against average and 0.975 save percentage.  Carruth, a native of Shorewood, MN, helped the Winterhawks emerge with a 4-0 series win over the Tri-City Americans in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Final.

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

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