For one young man, his efforts propelled his team into the W-H-L Playoffs…for the other, the weekly honour capped off a brilliant season.
Prince Albert’s Tikhon Chaika and Connor Bedard of Regina are the latest W-H-L Goaltender and Player-of-the-Week, the last for the 2021-22 regular-season. Chaika stopped 51 of 53 shots as the Raiders captured two must-win games in order to capture the eighth and final post-season berth in the Eastern Conference. Bedard had eight points, including six assists, in three games for the Pats. That allowed the 16-year-old centre to finish the season with 51 goals and 100 points, the youngest player in league history to record 50 goals in a season. Following is the news release from the W-H-L…..
PATS FORWARD BEDARD NAMED WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard has been named WHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 17, 2022.
The 16-year-old led all WHL skaters with eight points (2G-6A) in three outings with the Pats this past week, reaching the 50-goal and 100-point marks in the process.
The product of North Vancouver, B.C. garnered a trio of assists over two setbacks versus the Winnipeg ICE Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16.
In Regina’s season finale Sunday, April 17, Bedard matched a career best with five points (2G-3A) as the Pats upended the Moose Jaw Warriors 7-4.
Bedard scored his 50th goal of the season at the 13:50 mark of the third period before adding his 100th point of the campaign with an empty-net tally in the final minute of play.
The 5-foot-9, 181-pound forward became the youngest player in WHL history to record 50 goals in a season, finishing the 2021-22 Regular Season fourth in League scoring.
Bedard was originally selected by the Regina Pats with the first-overall pick in the 2020 WHL Draft. In 77 career WHL regular season appearances, Bedard has amassed 128 points (63G-65A).
RAIDERS NETMINDER CHAIKA NAMED WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
The Western Hockey League announced today that Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Tikhon Chaika has been named WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 17, 2022.
Chaika turned aside 51 of the 53 shots he faced this past week, posting a 2-0-0-0 record, a 1.01 goals-against average and .962 save percentage, all while helping the Raiders secure a berth in the 2022 WHL Playoffs.
The product of Minsk, Belarus. started his week with a 32-save effort Friday, April 15, as the Raiders turned in a 4-1 road victory over the Swift Current Broncos.
The 18-year-old then turned aside 19 shots Saturday, April 16 as Prince Albert upended the Brandon Wheat Kings 5-1.
The Raiders clinched the eighth and final Eastern Conference berth in the 2022 WHL Playoffs with Saturday’s results.
Chaika has now earned three WHL Goaltender of the Week nods this season. He was previously awarded the weekly honour for the weeks ending March 13, 2022 and April 3, 2022.
The 6-foot-1, 161-pound puck-stopper was originally selected by the Raiders in the first round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft. In 51 career WHL regular season games, he holds a 22-21-3-1 record, a 2.79 goals-against average, .904 save percentage and three shutouts.
Chaika and the Prince Albert Raiders will face the Winnipeg ICE in the opening round of the WHL Playoffs. The best-of-seven series begins Friday, April 22 in Winnipeg (6:00 p.m. MT, Wayne Fleming Arena).
