Griffins' MacDonald named Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week
Published on February 16, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... The American Hockey League announced today that Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Joey MacDonald has been named the Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week for the period ending February 15, 2004. In two games, MacDonald stopped all 57 shots he faced to record back-to-back shutouts and keep the Griffins atop the AHL's overall standings.
With Griffins teammate Marc Lamothe on recall to Detroit following injuries to Dominik Hasek and Curtis Joseph, MacDonald manned the crease in Grand Rapids over the weekend and posted his second and third shutouts of the season. The native of Pictou, N.S., turned aside 22 shots in a 4-0 win over Manitoba on Friday, then stopped 35 shots in a 3-0 victory over Houston on Saturday, as Grand Rapids extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 games (9-0-3-0). MacDonald has now posted three consecutive shutouts at Van Andel Arena.
In recognition of his achievement, MacDonald will receive a Sher-Wood leather jacket, presented to him during an on-ice ceremony prior to an upcoming game. In addition, Sher-Wood will donate five travel bags to the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation Home Ice Program in MacDonald's name.
The undrafted MacDonald signed as a free agent with Detroit on Dec. 21, 2001, and made his AHL debut with Cincinnati in the 2002 Calder Cup Playoffs. This season, the 24-year-old netminder has a sterling record of 13-2-3 in 19 appearances with Grand Rapids for a league-leading .806 winning percentage. His 1.87 goals against average (fifth) and .939 save percentage (fourth) also place him among the AHL's elite. In 44 games over the last two seasons, MacDonald has a record of 27-8-3, including a remarkable 19-3-2 on the road. He and Lamothe shared the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for team goaltending in 2002-03.
Other nominees for Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week include Bridgeport right wing Jeff Hamilton, Cincinnati goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, Cleveland right wing Miroslav Zalesak, Hamilton right wing Jozef Balej, Hartford goaltender Jason LaBarbera, Houston right wing Dan Cavanaugh, Manchester left wing Chris Schmidt, Milwaukee goaltender Wade Flaherty, Norfolk center Ajay Baines, Rochester left wing Jason Botterill, Springfield center Jason Jaspers, St. John's center Aaron Gavey, Syracuse right wing Tim Jackman, Utah center Rob Valicevic and Worcester center Johnny Pohl.
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