Gwinnett's Garnett Named ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week

Published on December 9, 2003 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Gwinnett goaltender Michael Garnett is the ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week for December 1-7.

Under contract to Atlanta of the National Hockey League, Garnett was 3-1-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and a .958 save percentage as the Gladiators went 3-1-0, finishing the week with an ECHL high and Central Division-leading 33 points and a 15-5-3 record.

Assigned to Gwinnett by Atlanta, Garnett made 23 saves in a 5-1 win at Charlotte on Tuesday and had 29 saves in a 3-1 win against Columbus on Friday. He entered Saturday's game at South Carolina in the third period and stopped nine of 10 shots in a 2-1 loss, and he closed out the weekend making 31 saves in a 3-1 win against Columbia on Sunday.

Selected in the third round (80th overall) by Atlanta in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Garnett is tied for third in the ECHL with 11 wins (11-3-2). In his last four games, the 21-year-old has lowered his goals against average from 2.53 to 2.25 while raising his save percentage from .904 to .916.

In his first professional season in 2002-03, Garnett was 16-15-3 with a 3.41 goals against average and a .895 save percentage in 38 regular season games and 1-2 with a 4.38 goals against average and a .885 save percentage in three Kelly Cup Playoff games with Greenville of the ECHL. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Garnett also appeared in two games with Chicago of the American Hockey League, going 0-1-0 with a 3.64 goals against average and a .875 save percentage.

In three seasons in the Western Hockey League playing with Red Deer and Saskatoon, Garnett was 48-56-7 with a 3.07 goals against average and a .899 save percentage.

Runners Up: Tyler Masters, Cincinnati (1-0-1, 1.92 GAA, .950 save pct.), Brian Eklund, Pensacola (2-0-1, 2.26 GAA, .947 save pct.) and Kirk Daubenspeck, South Carolina (2-0-0,
1.50 GAA, .957 save pct.).

Also Nominated: Jake Moreland (Atlantic City), Jason Saal (Augusta), Scott Meyer (Charlotte), Matus Kostur (Columbus), Matt Underhill (Florence), Jeff Maund (Florida), Daniel Berthiaume (Greensboro), Dan Ellis (Idaho), Cory Campbell (Johnstown), Sean Matile (Mississippi), Mike Valley (Peoria), Cody Rudkowsky (Reading), Davis Parley (Texas), Andrew Allen (Trenton) and Nick Boucher (Wheeling).

ECHL Stories from December 9, 2003

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• Third Period Rally Lifts Sea Wolves over Everblades 3-2 - Florida Everblades
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• Church, Denike Recalled…Chouinard Returning to Royals - Reading Royals
• Stingrays To Swing Hammers With Habitat For Humanity - South Carolina Stingrays
• Tyler Deis Named InGlasCo ECHL Player of the Week - Cincinnati Cyclones
• ECHL Transactions - ECHL
• Falcons Meet & Greet at Edwards Theatres December 11th - Fresno Falcons
• Aeros Assign Mitchell to IceGators - Louisiana IceGators
• Eklund Runner-Up for Itech Hockey Saver of the Week - Pensacola Ice Pilots
• Former Rivermen Head Coach Bob Plager to Sign Copies of His Book - Tales from the Blues Bench - on F - Peoria Rivermen
• Rivermen to Host First-Even Fan Fest Following 2004 Par-A-Dice ECHL All-Star Game - Peoria Rivermen
• Aquino Reassigned to the Gladiators - Atlanta Gladiators
• Garnett Named Goalie of the Week - Atlanta Gladiators
• Hodson makes return to Greensboro - Greensboro Generals
• Cincinnati's Deis Named InGlasCo ECHL Player of the Week - ECHL
• Gwinnett's Garnett Named ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week - ECHL
• Joey MacDonald returns to the Storm - Toledo Walleye
• Leahy Becomes 228th Former ECHL Player In NHL - ECHL
• Today In The ECHL - ECHL
• Pride to hold Season-Ticket Autograph Session on Sunday - Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz

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