MHKY: T-Birds, Huskies set for first meeting in CW Final

Total of 43 WHL grads ready for best-of-three series in Saskatoon

SASKATOON – While the UBC Thunderbirds and Saskatchewan Huskies may have no history when a conference title is on the line, the players involved in this weekend's Canada West Men's Hockey Final won't be strangers.

A combined 43 players with WHL experience dot the UBC and Saskatchewan rosters, as the influence of major junior hockey will once again be on full display in Saskatoon when the best-of-three CW Final opens Friday at Merlis Belsher Place (8 p.m. CST).

22 T-Birds and 21 Huskies played in the WHL before making the jump to university and are sure to dominate the action as the teams vie for a CW banner before travelling to Halifax later this month for the University Cup (March 12-15).

Among the players who will play key roles in the series are UBC goaltender Rylan Toth and Saskatchewan forward Jared Dmytriw.

Toth, who played three full seasons in the WHL, has the Thunderbirds rolling. The former Seattle netminder guided UBC to a three-game quarter-final win over MRU two weeks ago, before a nail-biting series win over Alberta in the semis when he combined for 91 saves in Game 1 and 3 wins. Toth's stellar play allowed UBC to become just the second No. 5 seed ever to advance to the CW Final, pushing UBC to their first CW Final since 1978.

Dmytriw, who was named earlier this week as the CW Rookie of the Year, led the Huskies in scoring this season with 28 points and will be looking to help lift Saskatchewan to the top of the conference for the first time since 2016.

Not to be forgotten in this weekend's series is another former Seattle goalie in Taran Kozun, who was named the CW Player of the Year on Wednesday. Kozun backstopped the Huskies to 17 wins this season, while leading CW in goals-against average (1.87), save percentage (.931), and shutouts (5).

For a complete preview of the CW Final, click here.

You can watch all the action this weekend from Saskatoon by tuning into Canada West TV Presented by Co-op.


UBC THUNDERBIRDS  WHL GRADS IN THE CW FINAL

22 WHL grads / 5,315 combined WHL GP / 2,103 combined WHL points

NAME / POSITION / HOMETOWN / LAST WHL TEAM (WHL GP/PTS.)

  • Shaun Dosanjh / D / Richmond, B.C. / Prince George Cougars (191/15) ​ ​
  • Tanner Faith / D / Wilcox, Sask. / Moose Jaw Warriors (152/39) ​ ​
  • Dryden Michaud / F / Maple Ridge, B.C. / Saskatoon Blades (62/5) ​ ​
  • Matt Revel / F / Abbotsford, B.C. / Portland Winterhawks (336/183) ​ ​
  • Jarret Tyszka / D / Langley, B.C. / Seattle Thunderbirds (260/115) ​ ​
  • Kyle Becker / D / Langley, B.C. / Medicine Hat Tigers (229/85) ​ ​
  • Jake Kryski / F / Vancouver, B.C. / Calgary Hitmen (332/216) ​ ​
  • Austin Vetterl / F / Surrey, B.C. / Kootenay ICE (299/119) ​ ​
  • Tyler Sandhu / F / Richmond, B.C. / Tri-City Americans (332/236) ​ ​
  • Austin Glover / F / Clavet, Sask. / Red Deer Rebels (248/150) ​ ​
  • Quinn Benjafield / F / North Vancouver, B.C. / Edmonton Oil Kings (344/201) ​ ​
  • Colton Kehler / F / Port Coquitlam, B.C. / Edmonton Oil Kings (207/109) ​
  • Joe Carvalho / D / Burnaby, B.C. / Prince George Cougars (254/84) ​ ​
  • Jerret Smith / D / Surrey, B.C. / Seattle Thunderbirds (320/128) ​ ​
  • Anthony Bishop / D / Kelowna, B.C. / Tri-City Americans (199/26) ​ ​
  • Rylan Toth / G / Saskatoon, Sask. / Seattle Thunderbirds (172) ​ ​ ​
  • Brett Clayton / F / Abbotsford, B.C. / Regina Pats (230/30) ​ ​
  • Jonathan Smart / D / Kelowna, B.C. / Kootenay ICE (254/83) ​ ​
  • Carter Popoff / F / Richmond, B.C. / Vancouver Giants (283/181) ​ ​
  • Ryan Pouliot / D / North Vancouver, B.C. / Swift Current Broncos (184/35) ​ ​
  • Maxwell James / F / Pitt Meadows, B.C. / Tri-City Americans (242/63) ​ ​
  • Patrick Dea / G / St. Albert, Alta. / Tri-City Americans (185) ​ ​

SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES  WHL GRADS IN THE CW FINAL

21 WHL grads / 5,389 combined WHL GP / 2,184 combined WHL points

NAME / POSITION / HOMETOWN / LAST WHL TEAM (WHL GP/PTS.)

  • Sam Ruopp / D / ​ Zehner, SK / Prince George Cougars (272/95)
  • Gordie Ballhorn / D / Wetaskiwin, AB / Kelowna Rockets (214/64)
  • Colby Harmsworth / D / Saskatoon, SK / Calgary Hitmen (275/55)
  • Jeff Faith / D / Wilcox, SK / Kamloops Blazers (244/29)
  • Shane Collins / D / Rosetown, SK / Prince George Cougars (196/42)
  • Tanner Lishchynsky / D / Saskatoon, SK / Kootenay Ice (180/45)
  • Jordan Tkatch / F / Prud'homme, SK / Prince Albert Raiders (341/189)
  • Levi Cable / F / Hudson Bay, SK / Kootenay Ice (291/132)
  • Collin Shirley / F / Saskatoon, SK / Kamloops Blazers (362/246)
  • Carter Folk / F / Regina, SK / Victoria Royals (255/81)
  • Logan McVeigh / F / Kenaston, SK / Kamloops Blazers (340/156)
  • Jared Dmytriw / F / Craven, SK / Vancouver Giants (370/146)
  • Carson Stadnyk / F / Saskatoon, SK / Everett Silvertips (314/188)
  • Donovan Neuls / F / Grenfell, SK / Seattle Thunderbirds (332/219)
  • Kohl Bauml / C / Saskatoon, SK / Everett Silvertips (294/176)
  • Andrew Johnson / F / Saskatoon, SK / Swift Current Broncos (294/107)
  • Wyatt Johnson / C / Saskatoon, SK / Spokane Chiefs (250/143)
  • Evan Fiala / D / Clavet, SK / Saskatoon Blades (278/71)
  • Declan Hobbs / G / Saskatoon, SK / Spokane Chiefs (31) 
  • Taran Kozun / G / Nipawin, SK / Seattle Thunderbirds (148)
  • Travis Child / G / Killam, AB / Edmonton Oil Kings (108) 

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Since 1972, Canada West (CW) has been a leader in Canadian university sport, working to provide our student-athletes the opportunities to excel in sport, the classroom, and their communities. CW and our 17 members from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba collectively carry on a legacy of competitive excellence, as our champions proudly go on to represent the conference at U SPORTS national championships.

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