ECHL South Carolina Stingrays

Goaltender Jeff Jakaitis Takes Home 2014-15 ECHL M.V.P. Honors

April 17, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release


North Charleston, S.C. - South Carolina Stingrays goaltender Jeff Jakaitis is the CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player for the 2014-15 season and is the second Stingrays goaltender to earn the award in the last three seasons. Stingrays forward and team captain Andrew Rowe finished fourth in the M.V.P. voting.

The CCM Hockey Most Valuable Player award is presented annually to the player selected to be the most valuable to his team as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches, broadcasters, media relations directors and media members.

Chad Costello of Allen finished second, followed by Idaho's Wade MacLeod, Rowe and Fort Wayne's Shawn Szydlowski.

Jakaitis, who was named to the All-ECHL First Team last week and received the ECHL Goaltender of the Year award for the third time in his career yesterday, rewrote the ECHL record book during the 2014-15 season. Over the course of the Stingrays' ECHL-record 23-game winning streak from February 7-March 27, Jakaitis went 15-0-0 with four shutouts, a 1.67 goals-against average and a save percentage of .937.

The Rochester, Minnesota, native set a league record with four consecutive shutouts from March 7-20, his 321:46 shutout streak set both an ECHL and a minor-league professional hockey record and fell just 10:16 shy of the modern-era pro hockey record set by Brian Boucher of the Phoenix Coyotes during the 2003-04 season. Jakaitis also established an ECHL record with a 16-game personal winning streak from February 15-April 2 and posted a record of 17-1-0 in his final 18 decisions this season. He was part of a Stingrays' goaltending group including Adam Morrison and Keegan Asmundson that posted 12 shutouts this season, setting a new ECHL record.

Jakaitis led the ECHL with a 1.96 goals-against average and seven shutouts, which is tied for the second most in a single-season in ECHL history. His 23 career shutouts are just two behind Marc Magliarditi for the all-time league record. Jakaitis finished the season second in the league with a .924 save percentage and was sixth with 26 wins.

CCM Hockey ECHL Most Valuable Player Award Winners

2014-15 Jeff Jakaitis, South Carolina Stingrays

2013-14 Mickey Lang, Orlando Solar Bears

2012-13 Ryan Zapolski, South Carolina Stingrays

2011-12 Chad Costello, Colorado Eagles

2010-11 Wes Goldie, Alaska Aces

2009-10 Tyler Donati, Elmira Jackals

2008-09 Kevin Baker, Florida Everblades

2007-08 David Desharnais, Cincinnati Cyclones

2006-07 Brad Schell, Gwinnett Gladiators

2005-06 Jeff Campbell, Gwinnett Gladiators

2004-05 Scott Gomez, Alaska Aces

2003-04 Scott Stirling, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies

2002-03 Buddy Smith, Arkansas RiverBlades

2001-02 Frederic Cloutier, Louisiana IceGators

2000-01 Scott King, Charlotte Checkers

1999-00 Andrew Williamson, Toledo Storm

1998-99 Chris Valicevic, Louisiana IceGators

1997-98 Jamey Hicks, Birmingham Bulls

1996-97 Mike Ross, South Carolina Stingrays

1995-96 Hugo Belanger, Nashville Knights

1994-95 Vadim Slivchenko, Wheeling Thunderbirds

1993-94 Joe Flanagan, Birmingham Bulls

1992-93 Trevor Jobe, Nashville Knights

1991-92 Phil Berger, Greensboro Monarchs

1990-91 Stan Drulia, Knoxville Cherokees

1989-90 Bill McDougall, Erie Panthers

1988-89 Daryl Harpe, Erie Panthers

The Stingrays open the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs tonight, Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18 with Game 1 and 2 of the East Division Semifinals against the Reading Royals at the North Charleston Coliseum. The puck drops at 7:05!

Do not miss a second of the action! 2015-16 Stingrays Ticket Plans are on sale NOW! Save money off of box receive office prices and great benefits like FREE parking, Buddy Passes, discounts off of merchandise, advanced ticket purchases to North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center events and more!

Check out the South Carolina Stingrays Statistics



ECHL Stories from April 17, 2015


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