Red Deer, Alta. native Tanner Jaillet of the University of Denver Pioneers has been named one of the five finalists for the 2017 Mike Richter Award as the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA Division 1 men's hockey. The winner will be announced during the Frozen Four in Chicago on April 7. (University of Denver Athletics)

Junior goaltender Tanner Jaillet is hoping to back-stop the top-ranked University of Denver Pioneers to the NCAA men's hockey Frozen Four national championship finals in Chicago (April 6 to 8) and also has the opportunity to pick up one of the top individual awards in the Windy City.

Jaillet, from Red Deer, Alta, was named earlier this week as one of five finalists (the other four are all American-born) for the fourth annual Mike Richter Award as the most outstanding goaltender in the NCAA. The winner will be announced during the finals on April 7.

The 23-year-old Canadian is competing for the honour against junior Michael Bitzer of the Bemidji State University Beavers, freshman Hunter Miska of the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, junior Cal Petersen of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish and senior Charles Williams of the Canisius College Golden Griffins.

Starting all but six games in 2016-17, Jaillet finished with a record of 24-5-4 for the NCHC regular season champion Pioneers. He led the conference in save percentage with .930, goals-against-average at 1.82 and tied with Miska with most wins at 24.

His GGA ranked third in the nation and save percentage was fifth in the entire NCAA. For his efforts, he was named NCHC goaltender-of-the-year and was selected to the first all-star team.

In three seasons in Denver, Jaillet has appeared in 92 games while sporting a record of 56-18-9.

Prior to heading south of the border, the undrafted Jaillet toiled for three seasons with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the AJHL. He appeared in 108 games and finished with a record of 67-27-10.

The five finalists were selected from a group of 10 semifinalists which included senior Parker Gahagen of Army Black Knights, Junior Merrick Madsen of Harvard Crimson, freshman Jake Oettinger of Boston University Terriers, junior Kyle Hayton of St. Lawrence Saints and sophomore Shane Starrett of Air Force Falcons.

The semifinalists, finalists and winner of the Richter Award are selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Previous winners of the award include Thatcher Demko of the Boston College Eagles (2016), Zane McIntyre of the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks (2015) and Connor Hellebuyck of the UMass-Lowell River Hawks.