Hockey player Zach Rose of Paradise is The Telegram sports department’s choice as athlete of the week.
Rose stopped 35 shots as Team Canada West trimmed the United States 5-1 in the championship game to win the 2017 World Junior A Hockey Challenge last Saturday night in Truro, N.S.
Rose, who plays for the Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia Hockey League, was named the tournament’s MVP and earned berth on the all-star team.
Rose opened the tournament on the bench, but replaced starter Mitch Adamyk of the BCHL’s Powell River Kings halfway through a 5-2 loss to the Czechs.
Rose stopped all nine shots he faced in that contest.
It was all Rose after that, as the CBR Minor Hockey Association product was in the nets the rest of the way for Canada West, which lost 2-1 to the States (Rose made 25 saves) in its second round-robin game, but then registered wins over Canada East (4-3 in OT, 18 stops) in the quarter-final and the Czechs (5-1, 26 saves) in the semis.
Canada West became just the second team in the 12-year history of the tournament to win gold after losing both of its preliminary-round games, joining the 2011 edition of Canada West.
Date of birth: July 3, 1999
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180 pounds
Birthplace: St. John’s
Hometown: Paradise
Club: Canada West and Victoria Grizzlies
Coaches: Mike Reagan (Canada West) and Craig Didmon (Victoria Grizzlies)
