Photo: Jack Murray
PENTICTON, B.C. – The B.C. Hockey League (BCHL) announced their 2023-24 year-end award winners Wednesday, and Penticton Vees’ goaltenders Andrew Ness (’04) and Will Ingemann (’05) have won the Wally Forslund Trophy, as the league’s top goaltending tandem.
The Wally Forslund Trophy is handed out to the team with the goaltenders who have the best combined goals-against average (GAA) in the regular season.
Ingemann and Ness combined for a league-best 2.15 GAA in the regular season and posted a combined save percentage (SV%) of .915. They also had eight shutouts between them. This is the third consecutive season the Vees have been awarded the Wally Forslund Trophy, and the ninth time in the last 11 years.
Ingemann, 19, posted a 22-6-1-2 record in 32 regular season appearances. He had a 1.85 GAA and .919 SV%, to go along with six shutouts. The Plymouth, Minnesota, product led the BCHL in GAA and shutouts. He also set a new BCHL consecutive shutout streak of 260:09 in March. Ingemann was named to the BCHL All-Rookie Team two weeks ago and was a finalist for both the BCHL’s Mike Garteig Trophy (Top Goaltender) and the Bruce Allision Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year). Ingemann is 5-0 in the playoffs and has a 1.09 GAA and .943 SV%. He has two shutouts. He is committed to the University of St. Thomas.
Ness, 19, compiled a 16-3-2-1 record in 25 regular season games, sporting a 2.20 GAA and .915 SV%. He posted two shutouts. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native ranked third in the BCHL in GAA and sixth in SV% in the regular season. He was named the First Star of December after he posted two shutouts and four wins in five games. He stopped 99 of 102 shots he faced that month. Through four playoff games, Ness is 3-1 with a 1.47 GAA and .917 SV%. He also has one shutout. Ness is committed to Bemidji State University.
The Vees open the Interior Conference Final on Thursday, May 2nd, against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office and online at www.valleyfirsttix.com
