TYLER JOHNSON WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. – The WHL Player of the Week is forward Tyler Johnson of the Spokane Chiefs.

Johnson picked up 10 points, scoring two goals and eight assists to go with a +3 rating, in four games over the past week, helping the Chiefs to 2-1-1-0 record.

On Tuesday, January 18th, the Chiefs were in Chilliwack to face the Bruins; Johnson collected a pair of assists in their 6-1 win. On Friday, January 21st the Chiefs hosted the Kootenay Ice; Johnson scored one goal, added two assists and was name the games 2nd star in their 5-2 victory. The next night, Saturday, January 22nd, the Kelowna Rockets were in Spokane to take on the Chiefs. Johnson netted one goal and one assist in a losing effort as the Rockets downed the Chiefs 5-3. On Sunday, January 23rd, in a battle of the top two teams in WHL U.S. Division, the Chiefs travelled to Portland to face the Winterhawks. Johnson picked up three assists in the see-saw affair that saw the Winterhawks come out on top 6-5 in over-time.

Johnson’s 10 points in the past four games has him ranked 1st among all WHL scorers with 79 points (36 goals, 43 assists) in 46 games played. The Chiefs have posted a 7-2-1-0 record in their past ten games and currently sit third in the WHL Western Conference with a record of 29-12-4-2 for 64 points, just three back of the Conference leading Winterhawks .

Johnson, a 20 year-old from Spokane, WA, is playing his fourth season with the Chiefs who made the hometown product their 11th round selection at the 2005 WHL Bantam Draft. He has since gone on to appear in 241 WHL games gathering 111 goals, 135 assists for 246 career points, all while maintaining a +77 plus/minus rating.

The WHL has also nominated Mark Segal of the Vancouver Giants for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Segal posted a 3-0-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 61 of 64 shots faced for a 1.06 goals-against average and a 0.953 save percentage. Segal, a native of Vancouver, BC, helped the Giants shut-out the Prince George Cougars 3-0 at home, defeated the Blazers 6-1 in Kamloops and the Chilliwack Bruins 7-3 at home.

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