“I think the biggest thing for me and the team is just to keep things rolling the way we have been,” said goaltender Owen Millward. “Enjoy the success, but don’t get too comfortable. Keep battling every day.” The Jets won all five of their games in February and are currently riding a seven-game winning streak. Millward has started each game during their streak.
The Jets averaged over five goals per game in February, which added a great amount of confidence to Millward’s game. (Shelley Schmidt Photography)
Millward earned Midwest Star of the Week two weeks ago following his perfect week against the Springfield Jr. Blues. He recorded two wins, including one shutout in the dominant sweep over the division rival.
The Jets opened February with a game in Chippewa against the Steel and came away with a 4-0 win, Millward’s first shutout of the year and fourth of the season. The win also moved the Jets to above .500 for the first time and was an integral moment in keeping the momentum en route to a current playoff position.
Milly followed up his shutout on the road with another in front of a home crowd against the Jr. Blues, who were the top team in the league at the time. The defense helped keep the workload light for Millward, who saw only 22 shots and stopped all of them to record consecutive shutouts in a 3-0 win. Millward just narrowly missed his third straight shutout in the rubber match against Springfield but still turned in another marvelous effort by making 27 saves on 28 shots. The Jets trounced the Jr. Blues in the final matchup, 9-1.
Millward has lost just one game in the 2022 calendar year and has, statistically, been one of the best goaltenders in the league.
Just recently, Millward continued to build on his eye-opening month with another pair of wins against the Chippewa Steel. Milly was tested early in Friday’s game, with 10 and 14 shots faced in the first and second periods, respectively. He only saw five in the final 20 and stopped those, too, to record yet another shutout, his third in four games and sixth of the season in the 4-0 win. Milly put a stamp on the month of February with one more win in a 27-save outing in a 6-2 win over the Steel. It was Millward’s seventh consecutive win and 22nd of the year.
“Owen has been a workhorse for us. We have had quite the turnaround in the second half as a team, and a lot of that is credit to Owen and how he has elevated his play,” said head coach Parker Burgess. “He has given us a chance to win every single game. Owen has a tremendous work ethic, he’s competitive, he’s coachable, and above all, he’s just a great young man. He’s one of the best goalies in the league, and our players and staff are proud of him and this recognition.”
The Jets schedule includes two games against the Steel this weekend, followed by one game against the St. Cloud Norsemen on Sunday. The Springfield Jr. Blues will travel back to Janesville next weekend for another two-game series.
Owen Millward’s honors are just a few of many great recognitions for the Jets in the last few weeks. Cal Mell made his Division I commitment to Union College two weeks ago, and Cy LeClerc was named this past week’s Midwest Division Star of the Week, just one week after Owen Millward earned the same honors.
