WHL Player Bio: Silvertip goaltender Leland Irving

In a shootout with ... Silvertip Leland Irving

Position: goaltender

Height: 6 feet 1

Weight: 185 pounds

Hometown: Swan Hills, Alberta

Age: 17

Key facts: Through games Sunday, Irving led the Western Hockey League in minutes played with 3,351 and is considered a top pro prospect.

First shot: I know you've got all that gear on, but what kind of shots hurt the most?

Answer: "It's not really as bad as it looks, but there are some spots where there is no protection, and those always hurt. You can't catch them all, but I try to get all before they hit me in the mask. Those can really make your ears ring for a while."

Second shot: Everybody looks at stats. Are there any you keep a close eye on?

A: "Save percentage and goals against are the two biggest ones. The biggest thing I always try to do is to give my team a chance to win. If I can do that, I'm pretty happy."

Third shot: You obviously like to play a lot of games. What do you have against taking a night off?

A: "You get into a rhythm and get comfortable when you play every game. It's a lot easier than playing a game here and there. I would never complain about too much ice time."

— Jim Riley