Monday, April 8, 2013

RANFORD NAMED DENNY’S WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

The Western Hockey League announced today that Kamloops Blazers forward Brendan Ranford is the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week.   

Ranford collected 8 points, netting three goals and five assists, while posting a +5 rating in three games over the past week as the Blazers skated to three wins in three post-season games in the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference.   

On Monday, April 1st, Ranford chipped in four assists and a +3 rating as the Blazers closed out their Kal Tire WHL Western Conference quarter final series versus the Victoria Royals with a 6-2 win.  On Saturday, April 6th, Ranford scored twice and was named the game’s 1st Star in a 4-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets in Game 1 of their Kal Tire WHL Western Conference semi-final series.  On Sunday, April 7th, Ranford picked up a goal and an assist to go with 1st Star honors in a 5-1 triumph over the Rockets in Game 2 of the series.

Ranford, a 20-year-old product of Edmonton, AB, is in fifth and final season in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers.  The 5’10”, 181-lb left wing currently sits tied for third in WHL post-season scoring with 14 points in eight games.  The Blazers’ career leader with 348 regular-season games played, Ranford has piled up 137 goals and 357 points in a Blazers jersey.  He is currently a free agent.

The WHL has also nominated Laurent Brossoit of the Edmonton Oil Kings for the CHL Goaltender of the Week award.  Brossoit, a 19-year-old from Surrey, B.C., managed a perfect 2-0 record, including a shutout, in two starts for the Oil Kings over the weekend as they skated to a pair of wins to open their Husky WHL Eastern Conference semi-final series versus the Medicine Hat Tigers.  Brossoit allowed just one goal on 55 shots in those two games for a miniscule 0.50 goals-against average and a .982 save percentage in that span.  Last week, Brossoit signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Calgary Flames.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

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