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AHL Rochester Americans

Amerks' Miller wins Baz Bastien Award

April 14, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Ryan Miller of the Rochester Americans has been named the winner of the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding goaltender for the 2004-05 season, as voted by players and members of the media in each of the league's 28 cities.

A 2004-05 First Team AHL All-Star, Miller has backstopped Rochester to one of the best regular seasons in the franchise's 49-year history. Miller leads the league in victories (40), saves (1,788) and shots faced (1,938), while ranking second in shutouts (8) and minutes played (3,680). With his record of 40-17-4 in 62 appearances, he has become the AHL's first 40-game winner in four decades, since Gerry Cheevers in 1964-65. Miller has recorded a 2.45 goals-against average and .923 save percentage for the Americans, who enter the final weekend of the regular season in first place in the AHL's overall standings.

A native of East Lansing, Mich., the 24-year-old Miller made a return to the AHL All-Star Classic in 2005, claiming Top Goaltender honors in the All-Star Skills Competition for the second consecutive year and earning the win in net as the PlanetUSA team snapped a five-year losing streak in the All-Star Game. Miller was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1999 and captured the Hobey Baker Award at Michigan State in 2001. In 169 career AHL appearances with Rochester, Miller has posted a record of 90-60-16 with 15 shutouts.

The Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award, which was first presented in 1984, honors the late "Baz" Bastien, who played four seasons in goal with the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets (1945-49) before suffering a career-ending eye injury. Bastien would go on to serve as head coach and general manager of the Hornets, leading them to the 1967 Calder Cup championship.

Previous winners of the award include Sam St. Laurent (1986), Mark Laforest (1987, '91), Wendell Young (1988), Felix Potvin (1992), Manny Legace (1996), Martin Biron (1999), Dwayne Roloson (2001), Martin Prusek (2002), Marc Lamothe (2003) and Jason LaBarbera (2004).

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. This season, nearly 6.4 million fans - an all-time league record - have attended AHL games to date, and 16 clubs will continue to vie for the league's coveted championship trophy when the 2005 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway next week.

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