The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced Monday Gavin McKenna of the Medicine Hat Tigers has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 7.

According to a WHL press release, McKenna led the WHL with four goals, eight assists and a plus-six rating as Medicine Hat went 3-1-0-0 for the week.

McKenna’s first of the week was a stunner against the Red Deer Rebels, blasting a one-timer so fast, fans and officials were unsure whether the puck actually crossed the goal line. McKenna’s 12th tally of the season would tie the game at one, and the 16-year-old would chip in an assist on Oasiz Wiesblatt’s long powerplay marker en route to a 3-2 overtime victory for the Tigers.

Red Deer would get the best of Medicine Hat in a rematch three days later, but McKenna flexed his speed to overtake a pair of Rebels and snap the puck just inside the post for a powerplay marker.

The next day, against the Tri-City Americans, McKenna then racked up five assists – his highest single-game assist total since wracking up four apples in his WHL debut last season. McKenna earned first star of the night for his efforts.

McKenna would pad his totals once again with a double-double in a 10-4 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs. With Medicine Hat playing its third game in three nights, the Chiefs jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period. McKenna one-timed a sweet feed from Tomas Mrsic to get the Tigers within one and showed off his wicked release on a partial breakaway to tie the game two minutes later. McKenna won a puck battle in the corner that would lead to Wiesblatt’s game winner tally and added another powerplay helper late in the game to seal a successful week.

McKenna told the Star Monday that the award "feels awesome.

"Our team has been playing really well, which has led to my success. My line mates Oasiz Weisblatt and Hunter St. Martin have been playing really well." McKenna added that the Tigers' power play helped a lot with his success this past week.

He’s second in the rookie scoring race with 16 goals (including two game-winners), and 31 assists for 47 points in 33 games.

The 6-foot, 165-pound forward is also third in scoring with the Tigers despite missing a handful of games to play in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in P.E.I. in November.

Medicine Hat (25-12-2-0) leads the Central Division and has the most goals (178) and second-highest goal differential (+62) in the WHL.

– With files from the Western Hockey League and Medicine Hat Tigers