Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey product and Chemainus native John Hawthorne, now tending goal for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, was named the B.C. Hockey League’s Player of the Week for the final week of 2017.
Hawthorne saw a lot of action over a two-day stretch as the Bulldogs hosted the Island Division-leading Powell River Kings for a two-game set. Both matches went to overtime, with Powell River winning 3-2 on Dec. 30 and Alberni prevailing 3-2 on New Year’s Eve. Hawthorne made 33 saves and was named third star of the first game, then earned second-star honours with 46 saves the next night.
Playing his first year in the BCHL after spending 2016-17 with the junior B Nanaimo Buccaneers, the 19-year-old Hawthorne has 10 wins on the season and a .911 save percentage, and has made 35 or more saves in 10 of his 27 appearances.