Monday, October 7, 2013

Merkley Denny's WHL Player of the Week

Press Release

The Western Hockey League announced today that Kelowna Rockets’ 16-year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley is the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 6, 2013.   

Merkley recorded six points on four goals and two assists to go with a +6 rating over three games in the last week, helping lead the Rockets to three wins in that span.

On Wednesday, October 2nd, Merkley scored a pair of goals in the third period and was named the game’s 2nd Star in a 6-3 Rockets’ win over the Silvertips in Everett, WA.  On Friday, October 4th, Merkley scored another two goals, including the game-winner, and was named the game’s 3rd Star as the Rockets defeated the visiting Portland Winterhawks 6-2.  On Saturday, October 5th, Merkley chipped in a pair of assists for his third straight two-point outing as the Rockets defeated the Winterhawks 6-3 in Kelowna.

Merkley, a product of Calgary, AB, is in his first WHL season with the Rockets, having been drafted with the ninth overall selection in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.  The 5’11”, 176-lb center currently leads the Rockets in goals with five on the season, and ranks third among all WHL rookies in scoring with eight points in six games.

The WHL has also nominated Ty Edmonds of the Prince George Cougars for the CHL Goaltender of the Week award.  Edmonds, a 17-year-old native of Winnipeg, MB, posted a 2-1 record with two shutouts in three starts for the Cougars over the past week, allowing just one goal on 82 shots for a 0.34 goals-against average and a stellar .988 save percentage in that span.  Edmonds turned aside all 31 shots he faced and was the game’s 1st Star in a 2-0 win over the Victoria Royals on Tuesday, October 1st, allowed one goal on 24 shots while earning 2nd Star honors in a 1-0 loss to the Royals on Wednesday, then made 27 saves for his second shutout of the week while taking 1st Star honors in a 3-0 win in Kamloops on Saturday.  Edmonds, a ninth-round pick of the Cougars in 2011, is in his first WHL campaign.

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

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