Cunningham named Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. - The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Craig Cunningham of the Vancouver Giants.

Cunningham picked up seven points, scoring four goals and three assists to go with a +5 rating in two games over the last week, helping the Vancouver Giants jump out to a 2-0 series lead over the Kamloops Blazers in the 2010 Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Finals best-of-seven series.

On Friday, March 19th, the Giants (2) hosted the Kamloops Blazers (7) at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver for game one of 2010 WHL Playoffs opening round series. Cunningham scored a pair of goals and was named the games 1st Star as the Giants took game one 4-3 in overtime. Game two of the opening round series went the following evening, Saturday, March 20th, in Vancouver. Cunningham found the net twice and added three assists and was named the games 1st Star for the second night in a row as the Giants downed the Blazers 6-3.

The Vancouver Giants currently have a 2-0 series lead over the Kamloops Blazers, with games three and four set in Kamloops at the Interior Savings Centre on Tuesday, March 23rd and Wednesday, March 24th at 7:00 pm (PT).

Cunningham, a 19 year old from Trail, British Columbia, is currently playing his fourth season with the Vancouver Giants. The recently named WHL Western Conference first team all-star accumulated 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 72 regular season games this year.

The WHL has also nominated Steven Stanford of the Saskatoon Blades for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Stanford posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week with two shut-outs, stopping all 57 shots faced for a 0.000 goals-against average and 1.000 save percentage. Stanford, a 19 year old from Calgary, Alberta, is in his third WHL season and finished the year eighth among WHL Goaltenders with a 2.72 GAA.


(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)