Wojtala signs professionally with Worcester Railers
Men’s ice hockey goalie Blake Wojtala ’19 has signed a professional contract with the Worcester Railers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).
The Railers began play in the 2017-2018 season and are a member of the north division of the ECHL’s Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the DCU Center and are the ECHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.
“I am very excited and proud of Blake,” said Salve Regina head coach Zech Klann. “He has worked extremely hard throughout his career as a Seahawk for this opportunity. The Salve Regina coaching staff and I look forward to watching this special player develop at the professional ranks.”
Wojtala played four seasons for Salve Regina, ending his career as the program’s all-time leader in wins (63), saves (2900), save percentage (.927), goals against average (2.32) and shutouts (11). He had three straight shutouts in the 2016 Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast playoffs en route to the program’s first conference title, a record 55 saves in the Seahawks’ 3-0 win over the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the 2018 NCAA semifinals, and 36 saves in a shutout over Endicott College, the nation’s top scoring team, in this year’s Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals.
A 2017-2018 American Hockey Coaches Association first team all-American and all-New England goalie, Wojtala made the all-conference team three times in his career and was twice named CCC goaltender of the year. He joins John Scorica ’15, Peter Gintoli ’16, Alex Pompeo ’16, Chase Hatcher ’17, Nick Owen ’17 and Evan Schultz ’17 as former Seahawks who have moved on to the professional ranks.
