Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) Athletics is very proud to announce Tora Ward (Queens hockey) and Tanner Sklaruk (Kings hockey) as the Boston Pizza RDP Athletes of the Week:
Tora Ward – Queens hockey
Program – Bachelor of Education (3rd)
Hometown – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Tora Ward delivered a stellar performance in the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens Hockey team’s 1-0 victory over the NAIT Ooks on Saturday evening.
Ward, a Bachelor of Education student, made 30 saves to earn a shutout and the North Star Sports Queens Player of the Game Award.
Ward has been a cornerstone of the Queens’ success this season, helping the team secure second place (11-4) in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey after 15 games.
She ranks fifth in the league with a 1.96 goals-against average. In seven starts, Saskatoon’s Ward has won five games (0.714) and holds an impressive 0.925 save percentage.
Next, Ward and the RDP Queens will challenge the SAIT Trojans on Saturday, January 10, in Calgary.
Tanner Sklaruk – Kings hockey
Program – Open Studies (4th)
Hometown – Stony Plain, Alberta
Tanner Sklaruk, an All-Conference defenceman, was a key contributor to the RDP Kings hockey team this past weekend, recording a total of three points while taking care of his defensive responsibilities.
In Friday’s 7-4 setback to the SAIT Trojans, Stony Plain’s Sklaruk assisted on teammate Ryland McNinch’s goal 51 seconds into the contest. He also scored the Kings’ third goal at 12:06 of the third period.
On Saturday, Sklaruk helped the Kings maintain their first-place standing (11-1) and even the weekend series with a 5-2 victory over the Trojans in Calgary.
The fourth-year defender assisted on the team’s second goal at 7:21 of the first period.
Sklaruk, an Open Studies student, has 16 points in 12 games. His 13 assists rank second in the league. Sklaruk and the RDP Kings will face off against the Briercrest College Clippers on Friday, January 9, in Saskatchewan.
