Seattle Thunderbirds Milic named WHL goaltender of the week
Published 12:46 pm Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Seattle Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic was named Western Hockey League Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Dec. 12.
The WHL announced Dec. 13 that Milic had received the honor.
Milic posted a 2-0-0-0 record, 0.96 goals-against average and .966 save percentage over 125 minutes of work this past week, turning aside 56 of 58 shots in the process, according to a WHL news release.
The product of Coquitlam, B.C., began his week Dec. 7 by turning aside 31 shots in a 2-1 Thunderbirds shootout victory over the Kelowna Rockets at the accesso ShoWare Center in Kent.
Three nights later, the 18-year-old posted a victory in his first-ever start in his home province of British Columbia, stopping 25 of 26 shots in a 6-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers.
Milic, who was named the U.S. Division Rookie of the Year during the 2020-21 WHL season, has helped Seattle, as of Dec. 13, collect nine of a possible 10 points in his last five outings.
The 6-foot, 170-pound netminder was originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the third round of the 2018 WHL Draft. In 30 career WHL appearances, all with the Thunderbirds, Milic holds a 17-10-2-0 record to go along with a 2.65 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and two shutouts.
Seattle entered this week in third place in the Western Conference just behind the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers. The Thunderbirds play Everett at 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17 at the ShoWare Center and then travel to play the Silvertips on Dec. 18. They are then off for 10 days before playing the Spokane Chiefs at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at the ShoWare.
