Cardiff Devils netminder Ben Bowns has been named the Elite League Player of the Week.

The 27-year-old was instrumental as the Devils picked up three wins over the last week and he stopped 73 out of 76 shots fired at him.

Devils have opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

The GB international faces further tests this week when his team meet Sheffield Steelers away in the Challenge Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Then they head to Belfast for a top of the table double header against Giants where that lead to extend to as many as 11 points.

Bowns immediately credited his teammates for their part in helping him win the League award and says it’s a collective effort from everybody at the Devils.

“It’s nice to receive, but it’s more of a team thing for us this season compared to a couple of seasons ago,” he said.

“The guys have been unreal in front of me and it’s because of them. They make my job a hell of a lot easier.

“For me, these three games this week have been something of a goalie battle with my opponents and that added a little more pressure, but it’s a challenge I enjoy.

“Coventry came out and played well against us, but our guys kept grinding away, took care of our defensive zone and popped those goals away.

Bowns shutout Braehead Clan in a 1-0 win when they visited Glasgow last Wednesday before following up with two victories over Coventry Blaze, 2-1 at home and 3-2 away.

His contribution over the weekend was noted Cardiff  coach, Andrew Lord, who says his goalie has been immense in the last few weeks.

“We are extremely pleased as an organisation to hear Bownsy has been named the league’s Player of the Week,” said Lord.

“It’s well deserved and a great reflection of his performance as he has been solid all season. His game has definitely picked up the last six weeks or so.

“We were faced two very good goalies in Ryan Nie (Braehead) and Kevin Nastiuk (Blaze). Both made some highlight saves and Bownsy rose up to the challenge.”

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ELITE LEAGUE GOALIE LEADERS

Rk	Player	Team	W	L	GA	GAA
1	Ervins Mustukovs	SHF	22	12	81	2.22
2	Ben Bowns	CAR	28	7	88	2.45
3	Patrick Galbraith	NOT	11	4	36	2.56
4	Andy Iles	FIF	22	7	79	2.59
5	Chris Carrozzi	GUI	18	10	87	2.81
6	Mike Clemente	MAN	21	12	113	2.95
7	Kevin Nastiuk	COV	14	21	116	3.01
8	Ryan Nie	BRA	15	19	118	3.11
9	Jackson Whistle	BEL	22	10	106	3.23
10	Michael Garnett	NOT	10	8	74	3.44

Elite League media staff talked to Ben Bowns for the 2+10 feature recently – here are the questions and his answers.

He won the league and the Challenge Cup, played for his country and played in one of the finest play-off finals the Elite League has ever seen.  But how does that compare with the challenge of our 2+10 questions?  Find out as Cardiff Devils goalie Ben Bowns faces it head on:

1) What are your favourite things about Cardiff Devils and Cardiff as a city?

A: Devils, I love the pure professionalism and how they treat you at the club.  No other club compares on that front.  Plus the owners are superb and they send me to Calgary to train every summer and I spend a lot of time with them.

There aren’t many clubs that would do that for you.  As a city, it’s got everything you need within a reasonable distance.  You go 45 minutes either way and you’re out in the countryside and there are beaches quite close too.

The city centre is nice and modern and there were plenty of restaurants around and many things to do.  It’s a great place to be.

2) What made you become a pro hockey player?

A: The first game I went to see was between Sheffield and Cardiff in Sheffield Arena and one of my friends played for the Steeldogs.  From then I decided that’s what I wanted to do.

I actually went to training as a skater because the goalie gear was quite expensive and my mum and dad thought it was just a fad.  Six months later, because I spent so much time in the net, they bought me the gear and it took off from there.

3) What did you want to be as a kid growing up?

A: A hockey player, as outlined above

4) Best save you’ve ever made?

A: When you make big saves, they all end up a blur and there are usually four that stick in your head.  The best one this year I can remember was in a game at the Devils where it was 3-3 at the time and there was a lapse in concentration when they managed to cut across the net, beat the D-man and I managed to make a nice little glove save and we went on to win.  The timing of it and the magnitude made it a big one.

5) What do you want to do when you retire from hockey?

A: You’ve got to be prepared in life and my injury last year woke me up to the fact it could all end in a heartbeat.  But I’ve always fancied being a police dog handler when I finish, but my girlfriend, Jade, has her own massage business and I actually studied that in university.  Once the season’s finished, I’ll help her out with it and get the business going.  It’s an option anyway.

6) Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

A: You’ve got to say parents and they’ve given up a lot of me, taking me places and the goalie kit, as I told about earlier. But the first coach I had who really helped me was a guy called John Rowbotham and he’s been struggling with his health in recent years.  It’s sad to see, but he was a big influence on me in my junior career and helped with my first pro contract.

Pasi Raitenan, who played with me at Sheffield Scimitars is another influence and he mentored me as I took my first steps in professional hockey.  Playing with him was a massive learning curve and I’m still good friends with him.

I have to mention Dan Brabon, my goalie coach at the Devils.  He’s a bit special and knows what he’s talking about.  He’s been huge for me and Thomas Murdy.

7) If you were stuck on a desert island and you had one DVD or Boxset you could watch, what would it be?

A: Probably Gavin and Stacey.  Jade and I really enjoy it and because we live where it was filmed, we recognise a lot of places in it.

8) If there was fire at your home and all your family and pets were safe, what one item would you rush back in to save?

A: If I already had my phone in my pocket, I would probably go back in for my coffee machine.  I love a good coffee in the morning.

9) What was the last book you read?

A: Embracing the Grind by Justin Goldman – I was actually reading it earlier and it’s a book about goaltending where it interviews all sorts of NHL goalies and coaches.  It gets their take on what they’ve found and what works for them.  It’s a really interesting book and it’s not like a normal, boring book with big paragraphs.  It’s all interviews and an easy read.

10) What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

A: Asking my girlfriend to marry me.  It’s either the craziest or stupidest.  I’ll pay for saying that later

11) Tell us something about you nobody knows

A: I guess my teammates would know this, but I have a pretty awesome lower back tattoo they’ve chirped me for.  It’s a pair of pads with the Olympic torch, because I got to run with it.  I did want a Yorkshire rose, but the white one didn’t show up too well so I got a blue one because I’d play for the juniors in Sheffield and they played in blue.  I also had a number 21, but as soon as I got it, I moved to Hull and my number changed to 33.

12) What will you do after you’ve finished this interview?

A: Take the dog out for his night walk.  Then when I come back, Jade will be in bed and she’s working early so I’ll play a bit of Call of Duty with ‘Mad Dog’ Murdy.