Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Calvin Pickard was named the CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Nov. 15.
Pickard’s week included three road games in three nights where he posted a 3-0-0-0 record earning two shutout victories. He stopped 76 of 78 shots for a goals-against-average of 0.670 and save percentage of .974.
Friday night against the Kamloops Blazers Pickard made 22 saves in a 7-2 win. He was perfect the rest of the week including Saturday night in Everett against the Silvertips where he stopped 29 shots, including 13 in the third period, to help the T-Birds to a 4-0 win. He was named second star of the game against Everett.
On Sunday Pickard made denied 25 shots by the Vancouver Giants in a 5-0 victory. He was named second star of the game and earned his third shutout of the season.
Pickard, a 17-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is in his second season with the Thunderbirds. He has already matched a career high with three shutouts this season, which is second among WHL goaltenders. He currently has a record of 7-8-1-3 and the fifth best goals-against-average at 2.57 and is tied with a league-best .926 save percentage. Pickard is eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and will compete for Team WHL at the 2009 SUBWAY® Super Series in Victoria on November 25 and in Kelowna on November 26.
NHL Central Scouting released their preliminary rankings of 2010 NHL Draft Eligible players today and Pickard tops the list for goaltenders.
NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings for the WHL
Central Scouting will release mid-term rankings in January and final rankings sometime in April. These rankings are used by NHL clubs as a second opinion and as an aid in making their own prospect evaluations. Over the last few years Central Scouting has invited approximately 100 of the top prospects from around the world to Toronto for Medical and Fitness testing. This event allows NHL teams to view these top players prior to the entry draft during medical and physical tests and gives them an opportunity for one-on-one interviews with the players.
The T-Birds will look to extend their four-game win streak Tuesday in Kennewick as they take on the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. at Toyota Center.
The T-Birds return home to ShoWare Center on Friday, Nov. 20, to face the Kamloops Blazers at 7:35 p.m. They will face the Everett Silvertips on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:05 p.m. at ShoWare Center.
This season the T-Birds created Calvin’s Corner, which is the first three rows of Section 113 in ShoWare Center. This section consists of 50 tickets on the glass in the end that the T-Birds defend in the first and third periods. Fans can watch Calvin up close and personal as he makes stellar kick saves and flashes that quick glove. For more information on Calvin’s Corner contact the T-Birds today at 253-239- 7825.
Talk to us
Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.
To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.
