HKY: ALB goalie, UBC defenceman near perfect in tight games
ALB's Oswald, UBC's Smart earn CW Player of the Week honours
CALGARY - Alberta's Halle Oswald and British Columbia's Jonathan Smart were named the Canada West Hockey Players of the Week by the conference Tuesday.
Oswald's record was nearly spotless over the weekend against the then 7-11 Calgary Dinos. After allowing a single goal in Friday night's match-up, the Sanford, MB product shut out the offensively talented Dinos, a team that averages 2.25 goals per game.
She faced 26 shots Friday in a game that remained scoreless until the third period. She battled to give her Pandas a chance, allowing a single goal on a disjointed play out front that ended with Dino Annaliese Meier blocking a clearing attempt close to the net and converting on a back hand with traffic in front. The Pandas took the game 3-1 with an empty net score.
Oswald saw another 27 shots pelted in her direction Saturday, but stonewalled Calgary, allowing the Pandas to win with a single goal.
Two clutch performances by the third-year goaltender gifted the Pandas a more favourable match-up and home ice advantage in the Canada West Women's Hockey Quarter-finals.
That best-of-three series is set for Friday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. at Clare Drake Arena. The tie-breaker (if needed) will go ahead on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
Game log:
Feb. 17: 1 GAA, .961 SV%, in 3-1 W at CGY
Feb. 18: 1 SO, 0 GAA, 1.000 SV% in 1-0 W at CGY
Meanwhile, Jonathan Smart put together a clutch performance to clinch a first-round bye for his UBC Thunderbirds.
The second-year defenceman put his name on three of the team's four goals, including an assist on the overtime winner that gave UBC sole possession of second place in the CW standings.
In the team's final game of the regular season, a gritty match-up with Trinity Western, Smart gave his team the lead late in the second period, after the Spartans evened the score at two. After peddling around a defender near the blue line, Smart fired it over to an open Tyler Sandhu. Sandhu sent it back to Smart, who quickly netted it up and past the goaltender's blocker as he sprawled across.
He also notched an assist on the game-winning goal in overtime, feeding teammate Chris Douglas in the slot before Douglas circled around to notch a wrist shot through with Smart providing help atop the crease.
The Thunderbirds will now skip through to the Canada West Men's Hockey Semi-finals on March 4 and 5. The best-of-three series will see a tiebreaker on March 6 if it is needed. Game times have yet to be announced but all will take place at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.
Game log:
Feb. 19: 1G, 2A, +2 in 4-3 OTW vs TWU