Pair Of Burnsville Natives Selected In NHL Draft

A pair of Burnsville natives were selected on Saturday during the second day of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Academy of Holy Angels boys hockey player Joseph LaBate was selected  in the fourth round by the Vancouver Canucks, while Burnsville boys hockey player Edward Wittchow was taken in the sixth round by the Florida Panthers.

LaBate was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks, who reached the Stanley Cup Finals this season, with the 10th pick of the fourth round. He was the 101st overall pick in the draft.

LaBate, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound center, helped Holy Angels finish the regular season with a 16-8-1 record. He led the team in both goals (27) and points (49) during the season.

Wittchow was taken 154th overall in the draft and was the third pick of the sixth round. The 6-foot-3, 189-pound defenseman helped Burnsville to a 17-4-4 record this season and a South Suburban Conference championship. He scored nine goals and added 14 assists on the season and was sixth on the team in points.

The Blaze reached the Section 2AA championship, where they lost 3-2 to Edina.