This seems to be a common trend, doesn’t it?
Carter Hart was named the WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of January 15th to 21st, making that the fifth time he has been awarded the honor this season. Hart won both games this week, including his 25th career WHL shutout with 25 saves on Saturday. He followed that up with 23 saves on 24 shots on Saturday. He allowed just one goal on 49 total shots this weekend.
Hart’s 25th career shutout puts him one behind Tyson Sexsmith’s record of 26 career WHL shutouts. It took Sexsmith four complete seasons to set the record, but if Hart can get two more shutouts before this season ends, he’d hold the record in only three complete seasons.
Hart’s fifth Goaltender of the Week award gives him five in his last six “eligible” weeks. The only week in his last si that he didn’t was a 2-0 weekend with 55 saves on 60 shots in his return from World Juniors. Stuart Skinner won that one with a 29-save shutout and 20-save win with his new team. Hart won four straight from the week of November 19 to December 10 prior to leaving to join Team Canada for the World Junior Championship, where he only backstopped his team to the gold medal.
That’s called domination.
Thus far, Hart is leading the WHL in save percentage (.958), goals against average (1.35), and shutouts with 6. He has double the amount of shutouts (6) than losses (3) this season. He leads the league in shutouts despite missing time with mono and for the World Juniors.He has also given up just 28 goals in 21 games.
The second-place goalie in both save percentage and goals against average is Cole Kehler of the Portland Winterhawks. He has a 2.75 GAA and a .913 save percentage, and that’s a huge difference from Hart’s numbers. Over his last 16 starts, Hart has given up only 16 goals. In 12 out of 21 games this season, he has given up one goal or less. He has won
It’s safe to say this guy doesn’t have much more to accomplish in juniors, so it’s only a matter of time before he is stopping pucks in Pennsylvania. First in Lehigh Valley, then in Philadelphia.
Let’s hope.
Originally published on SonsOfPenn.com