CLEVE DHEENSAW
sa国际传媒
Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton was a revelation in coming unheralded last season to being named sa国际传媒 Hockey League rookie of the year. His crease heroics this week earned him an NCAA Div.1 commitment to Colgate University.
“It’s a good program that made the NCAA tournament last season and is also academically prestigious,” Auyeung-Ashton said of the Hamilton, New York-based school.
He has that covered both on the ice and in the classroom. Auyeung-Ashton, who graduated high school with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, had a BCHL second-best .927 save percentage, league fourth-best 2.48 goals-against average and second-best five shutouts last season as he played the second- most minutes of any goaltender in recording a 21-14-6 record. He has started the bulk of the Grizzlies games this season and is 8-2 with a 2.88 goal-against average and .906 save percentage.
“Just a couple of years ago I was playing U-15. I’ve just had trust and learned to love the process. Colgate liked my game and was the best fit for me,” said Auyeung-Ashton.
“It’s one thing off the mind and now I can just go out and play.”
Auyeung-Ashton became the 12th current Grizzlies player on the roster to earn an NCAA Div. 1 commitment.
The five-foot-10 Auyeung-Ashton doesn’t stress himself about the modern hockey mantra that pro scouts don’t even look at goaltenders under six-foot-one.
“That’s out of my control. All I can do is go out and play,” he said.
That he has been doing very well since coming to the Grizzlies from his hometown Coquitlam youth hockey system — but he deflects his success back to the team.
“We’ve had a hot start and have the depth to go far this season,” said Auyeung-Ashton.
Auyeung-Ashton and the Grizzlies (11-3) are in Port Alberni tonight to play the defending Coastal Conference-champion Bulldogs (10-4) in a marquee match-up before hosting the Powell River Kings (3-8-1) on Saturday night at The Q Centre.
