Huskies’ Austring gets Canada West award

SP Staff with CP Files

University of Saskatchewan Huskies forward Curtis Austring has been named the Canada West conference winner of the University of British Columbia Hockey Alumni Trophy, presented to the hockey player who best combines sportsmanship and athletic ability.

“It is an honour always to receive any kind of award, especially for sportsmanship and ability,” Austring said at practice Wednesday as the Huskies prepared for a bestof-three Canada West final against the University of Alberta Golden Bears this weekend in Edmonton.

“I always try and play the game with a certain amount of integrity. It’s just a matter of the other coaches and players in the league recognizing that I play the game hard and try and do my best out there.”

Austring, in his third season with the Huskies, continues a trend that has seen a Saskatchewan player win the award eight times in the last 12 seasons and 13 times since the award was first presented in 1978-79. The 6-foot-1, 200pound commerce student, from Stewart Valley, was the Huskies’ third-leading scoring with 25 points in 26 games during the regular season.

Lethbridge defenceman Jay Langager won three Canada West hockey awards Wednesday, including the conference’s most valuable player honour.

The native of Loreburn also won the Mervyn(Red)DuttonTrophyastheoutstanding defenceman in Canada West and the Randy Gregg Award, which is given to the player who best combines athletic ability, academics and community involvement.

Langager led all Canada West defenceman in scoring this season with three goals and 26 assists in 27 games. He will be Canada West’s candidate for the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as the CIS player of the year.

Langager’s teammate Mark Shefchyk won a pair of awards, earning the Dave (Sweeney) Schriner Trophy as the conference’s leading scorer and the University of Alberta Hockey Alumni Trophy as the outstanding rookie. He had 14 goals and 31 assists this season.

Alberta goaltenders Aaron Sorochan and Blake Grenier shared the Adam Kryczka Memorial Trophy for the lowest team goals-against average.

The Alberta Golden Bears claimed the two team awards — the Adam Kryczka Memorial Trophy for the lowest goals against average and the Fair Play Award for being assessed the fewest penalty minutes over the conference schedule.