Mycampusplug
“Heartbreak in WHL Conference Final: Zac Funk’s Boostful said ..
Zac Funk is a junior player no more.
The Washington Capitals prospect’s final WHL season with the Prince George Cougars ended on Monday night with a double overtime loss to the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference playoffs.
Funk’s Cougars lost the six-game series after defeating the Spokane Chiefs and Kelowna Rockets earlier in the playoffs. The 20-year-old winger ended with 18 points (8g, 10a) in 15 postseason games and will now join the AHL’s Hershey Bears as a black ace in their ongoing quest to repeat as Calder Cup winners.
“I got the call this morning that I’m going to Hershey on Saturday,” Funk stated Tuesday. “It will be good. They have a really good crew there. They’re a championship organization down there, so I’m going to learn a lot and it’ll be very beneficial. It’ll be beneficial to get my feet wet down there before I dive into the actual deal. “I am looking forward to it.”
Funk signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals in early March, following a career-best season with Prince George. The WHL Player of the Year contender scored a CHL-leading 67 goals in 68 games and had a career-high 56 assists. His 123 points placed second in the WHL, and he was one of only two players in Canada’s three major junior divisions to score more than 120 points.
Funk’s 67 goals represent a new franchise record for the Cougars, surpassing Quinn Hancock’s 54 from the 1997-98 WHL season. Furthermore, he recorded nine hat tricks after having none in his career before to this year. His last hat trick helped eliminate Kelowna and current Bears teammate Andrew Cristall.
