CALGARY, AB. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Kootenay Ice forward Jesse Ismond is the WHL Player of the Week.
Ismond picked up seven points, scoring three goals and four assists to go with a +6 rating in three games over the past week to help the Kootenay Ice capture the 2011 WHL Championship crown over the Portland Winterhawks.
On Tuesday, May 10th, the Ice hosted the Winterhawks for game three of the WHL Championship with the series tied 1-1. Ismond picked up one assist in the Ice’s 3-2 over-time victory over the ‘Hawks. The next night, Wednesday, May 11th, at the Rec Plex, Ismond scored a pair of goals, added two assists and was named the games 1st Star as the Ice defeated in the Winterhawks 5-4 in over-time. The Ice were back in Portland for game five, on Friday, May 13th, leading the WHL Championship Series 3-1. Ismond scored one goal and one assist to lead the Ice to a 4-1 victory and the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions. The Kootenay Ice will now represent the WHL at the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
The OHL and the City of Mississauga, Ontario will serve as the official hosts for the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The Mississauga St. Michaels Majors will host the Ed Chynoweth Cup – WHL Champion Kootenay Ice, Ontario Hockey League Champion Owen Sound Attack and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Champion Saint John Sea Dogs from May 20 – 29, 2011.
Ismond, a 20-year-old (born in 1991) from Kindersley, SK, is playing his third full season with the Kootenay Ice. Selected in the sixth round of the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft by the Ice, Ismond has gone on to appear in 211 WHL games collecting 46 goals, 76 assists for 122 points.
The WHL has also nominated Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice for the CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Lieuwen posted a 3-0-0-0 record this past week, stopping 91 of 98 shots faced for a 2.11 goals-against average and 0.929 save percentage. Lieuwen, a native of Abbotsford, BC, helped the Ice emerge with a 4-1 WHL Championship Series win over the Portland Winterhawks and was named the 2011 WHL Playoffs MVP.