WINTERHAWKS' RATTIE WHL PLAYER OF WEEK

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Portland Winterhawks forward Ty Rattie is the WHL Player of the Week.

Rattie picked up eight points, scoring six goals and two assists to go with a +8 rating in two road games over the last week, helping the Winterhawks to 4-0 series win over the Kelowna Rockets in the 2012 Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Quarter-Final.

On Tuesday, March 27th, the Winterhawks were in Kelowna to face the Rockets in game three of their opening round series. Rattie scored two goals, two assists and was named the games 2nd Star as the ‘Hawks downed the Rockets 6-3. On Thursday, March 29th, Rattie collected four goals and was named the games 1st Star as the Winterhawks defeated the Rockets 5-3.

The Portland Winterhawks have advanced to the Kal Tire WHL Western Conference Semi-Final and will face the B.C. Division Champion Kamloops Blazers with the opening games set for Friday, April 6th and Saturday, April 7th at 7:00pm PT at the Memorial Coliseum.

A 19-year-old (born 1993) from Airdrie, AB, Rattie is in his third season with the Portland Winterhawks. The ‘Hawks made Rattie the 2nd overall selection in the 2008 WHL Draft and the St. Louis Blues selected the forward 32nd overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. Rattie finished 3rd in WHL regular season scoring with 123 points and currently leads all players in WHL Playoffs scoring with 10 goals, 3 assists for 13 points. This is his second WHL Player of the Week Award.

The WHL has also nominated Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Bunz posted a 2-0-0-0 record this past week with one shut-out, stopping 64 of 66 shots faced for a 0.93 goals-against average and .970 save percentage. Bunz, a 20-year-old (born 1992) from St. Albert, AB, led the Tigers to a pair of wins last week over the Saskatoon Blades to win their opening round WHL Playoff series 4-0.

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