Sean Wiles WCHA Offensive POTW

Sean Wiles was named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for his performance this past weekend versus the University of Denver.  Congratualtions to Sean.  The honor comes on the cusp of the Seawolves trip back to his homestate of Wisconsin for a key series in Madison versus the Badgers.

Sean scored UAA's first goal of the night in the Seawolves 3-2 loss on a great move when he split two Pioneer defensemen making them look like they were planting spuds, stepped to his right protecting the puck with his 6'4" frame and firing a cracking wrist shot high to tie the game at 1.  He repeated the 1-1 game-tying effort in Saturday's 7-3 dismantling of Denver when he snapped a one-timer from the top of the circle late in the first period that goaltender Adam Murray never even sniffed.  Early in the third period Sean once again undressed two Denver potato planters using his speed and size to steal the puck, sneak between them and poke it home five-hole.

That goal hurt so much that Adam Murray's South High School alumni Anchorage friends in the Sullivan Arena were seen openly weeping; two of them threw up a little in their mouths.  The one girl back on DU's campus who Murray had been hoping to date texted him simply saying, "No thanks".  Longtime Denver fans immediately labeled him Adam "Sieve" Murray.  And DU bench Czar George "CCCP" Gvozdetsky unceremoniously gave Murray the hook.  Sean finished the series with 6 shots on net and a +4 rating for the weekend.  Here's what I said in my Saturday recap:

Sean Wiles had a monster weekend.  He was active and effective and dangerous on Friday but tonight he owned.  He was unstoppable.  No doubt about it in my mind ... he was the player of the game.  Somebody better get him a beer.  Two somebody's ought to get him a beer.  I haven't looked at other weekend results closely but Wiles sure looks to be a good WCHA Offensive Player of the Week candidate with his three really sweet goals on both nights.  I really see some burgeoning confidence in him.  This weekend's performance is hopefully the beginning of a "breakout" year for him.

Sean was a Mr. Hockey finalist his last year in Wisconsin at Beloit Memorial High School where he was a two time MVP.  Since coming to UAA he has developed tremendously.  In his first season he managed to crack the lineup only 15 times, as a sophomore he played in 30 games scoring 3 goals and adding 7 assists.  At the end of his challenging freshman season he was my pick for Most Improved Player.  Sean is a hugely changed player from the time he arrived on campus and I silently questioned his skating abilities.  At 6' 4" I guess it just took him a while to get it going but now he is as good a skater as anyone (of any size) in the WCHA.

There is some indication that Sean may have dinged his shoulder when his linemates mobbed him on Saturday after his 2nd goal.  Wtih any luck, it won't be something that will keep him out of the lineup back in his home state.  Congrats again Sean.  Enjoy it for a day, then go home and kick some Bucky ass.