Luke Morris scored 7:40 into the game back on September 18 and that was all the offence Dauphin needed to earn their first win of the season.
Carson Cherepak did the rest in net as the all-star goaltender turned away 45 shots he faced to record a shutout in his first game as a King.
Fast forward about six months and Carson now leads the league in wins by a goaltender, having recorded 27. Carson’s 2.17 goals-against average and his .922 save percentage also remain near the top of the league. Carson continues to show on a consistent basis why he is one of the top goalies in the league and that’s backed up by some recent hardware he’s received.
The 19-year-old from Winnipeg was recently named the MJHL’s top goaltender and he was also named to the league’s first all-star team.
“It’s a feather in the cap. As a goaltender, you work really hard to gain the respect of your teammates and coaches,” said Cherepak. “To know that I’ve also gained some respect from coaches and players across the league, does mean a lot.”
Carson has won seven straight starts and he’s turned away at least 24 shots in four of the games. Dauphin has clinched the West Division and they’re now ready for a pair of home games this weekend against Swan Valley.
Saturday’s game is Ukrainian Night, a night that should see at least 1200 fans pack into Credit Union Place. Carson isn’t looking past Friday but he is looking forward to being a part of the experience.
“It’ll be a special night, I know everyone on the team has been talking about it,” said Cherepak. “With that said, we just have to treat it like another game where two points are up for grabs, that’s the biggest thing.”
King notes:
- Tickets are still available for Saturday night’s game, head to the Speedy Glass South Ticket Office at Credit Union Place
- This weekend will be the seventh and eighth meeting between Dauphin and Swan Valley