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Triton
12-10-2007, 04:49 PM
http://www.wheatkings.com/news_item.aspx?news_id=4191


Calgary, Alberta -- The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and the Western Hockey League are pleased to announce that goaltender KRISTER TOEWS of the University of Manitoba Bisons has been named the Canada West Hockey - HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month for November 2007.

TOEWS, a 24-year-old fourth-year senior from Kleefeld, Manitoba is the second winner of the award in 2007-08, joining freshman forward Eric Hunter of the University of Alberta Golden Bears, who won the award in October. The former Portland Winter Hawk appeared in nine of Manitoba’s 10 Canada West Hockey games during the month and compiled a 6-3-0 record with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage as he backstopped the Bisons to third place in the conference standings and ninth in the CIS Top Ten rankings.

TOEWS won the award for the first time in his four seasons with Manitoba, beating out Kyle Ross of the University of Regina Cougars in the balloting conducted by the seven Canada West Hockey coaches (NOTE: A coach cannot vote for the player from his own team.) The 6’2”, 175 pound fourth-year Science student received 26 points in the voting, including three first place votes, to finish three points in front of Ross. It marks the eighth time that a member of the Bisons has won the monthly award since it was first established in the 1989-90 season.

Now in its 19th season, the Canada West Hockey’s HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month Award is presented monthly to a graduate of the Western Hockey League who is playing on one of the seven teams in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. Each monthly winner, between October and March, receives a cheque for $500.00 from the WHL to go towards the cost of his education and a gift from HUSKY.

Canadian intercollegiate hockey is a quality option for players who wish to combine both hockey and education. A total of 140 WHL grads are members of Canada West Hockey’s seven teams in 2007-08. CIS hockey in general, and Canada West Hockey in particular, has allowed these players to further their hockey careers as well as their education at some of Canada’s finest academic institutions.

TOEWS put together two three-game winning streaks in November, earning three consecutive road victories to open the month and ending the second month of the conference schedule with three more wins. He earned Canada West Hockey Player of the Week honors for the week ending November 4th after he backstopped Manitoba to two road wins against the UBC Thunderbirds. He stopped 64 of 69 shots for a .928 save percentage as the Bisons defeated UBC 4-3 and 3-2 on November 2nd-3rd. He then made 31 more saves in a 6-4 road win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns on November 9th.

After losing his next three games between November 16th and 23rd, TOEWS put together his second three-game winning streak of the month with his fourth road win of the month at Regina on November 24th and back-to-back victories over the third ranked Saskatchewan Huskies on November 30th and December 1st. Against Saskatchewan, TOEWS had a .933 save percentage as he stopped 42 of 45 shots sent his way by the Huskies in 5-1 and 4-2 victories.

For the month TOEWS faced a total of 279 shots and made 254 saves, allowing 25 goals in 541:29 minutes of play.

On the season, TOEWS has appeared in 15 of Manitoba’s 16 Canada West Hockey conference games and is 9-6-0 with a 2.93 goals-against average and a.903 save percentage. He leads the conference in games and minutes played and is second in wins, fourth in save percentage and sixth in goals-against average.

Overall, he is 10-8-0 in 18 games with a 3.15 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage.

TOEWS played three seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Portland Winter Hawks from 2001-02 to 2003-04, after beginning his WHL career as a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Other nominees for the Canada West Hockey - HUSKY WHL Graduate of the Month award for November were defencemen Harlan Anderson of the University of Alberta Golden Bears (Moose Jaw Warriors) and Craig Lineker of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (Chilliwack Bruins) and forwards Brett O’Malley of the University of Calgary Dinos (Calgary Hitmen) and Kyle Ross of the University of Regina Cougars (Regina Pats).

“HUSKY, proud sponsor of the WHL Education Program and the Canada West Hockey – WHL Graduate of the Month.”