The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Mackenzie Skapski of the Kootenay Ice is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending November 18 after posting a 3-0-0-0 record with two shutouts for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .964.
Skapski has been solid between the pipes over the last three games, shutting out the Hitmen last Monday 4-0 by making 17 stops in Calgary. He then had a stellar weekend in a home series with the Brandon Wheat Kings, making 32 saves on Friday as part of a 5-3 win, while posting his second shutout in three games on Saturday, turning away 31 shots in a 4-0 victory.
Skapski, who seemed to struggle a bit in the beginning of the season, has found his footing while the team in front of him has sharpened its defensive play as well.
“I’m having fun,” said Skapski, after Saturday’s game against the Wheat Kings. “I came into Calgary’s game and I started to have a little bit of fun and it’s amazing when you have fun how far it goes.”
Skapski, 18, is playing in his second WHL season with the Kootenay Ice, after making 19 appearances in the crease last year as a backup to Nathan Lieuwen. Skapski’s performance netted him an appearance at a specialty Hockey Canada goaltender camp in Calgary over the summer, along with a free-agent invite to the Minnesota Wild’s rookie development camp.
