Hershey's Sauve, Norfolk's Leighton Win Monthly AHL Award
Published on April 2, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL) News Release
SPRINGFIELD, MA ... The American Hockey League announced today that Philippe Sauve of the Hershey Bears and Michael Leighton of the Norfolk Admirals have been named the ITECH Goaltender of the Month and the AHL Rookie of the Month, respectively, for the month of March.
Sauve, who was also named the league's top goaltender in February, was a perfect 10-0-0 in March, stopping 275 of 288 shots for a 1.29 goals against average and a .955 save percentage, along with one shutout. Leighton posted a record of 6-3-1 with a 1.39 goals against average, a .949 save percentage and three shutouts.
Hershey's remarkable resurgence in the AHL's South Division has been thanks largely to Sauve, who has a record of 17-2-1 in his last 20 starts. The month began with a key home-and-home sweep of Philadelphia on Mar. 1-2, with Sauve making a total of 56 saves in the two wins. He stopped 31 shots in a win over Bridgeport on Mar. 17, and he recorded his sixth shutout of the season on Mar. 29, blanking Cleveland, 1-0. In recognition of his achievement, Sauve will receive a jade crystal award from the AHL and ITECH, to be presented to him during an on-ice ceremony prior to an upcoming game. In addition, ITECH will donate a professional-level goalie mask to the Hershey Area Minor Hockey Association in Sauve's name.
In 52 appearances this season, Sauve has a record of 24-18-6, with a 2.13 GAA (third in the AHL) and a .928 save percentage (tied for third). The second-year pro was 17-18-1 with a 2.75 GAA for Hershey in 2000-01.
Sauve, 22, was born in Buffalo but raised in Quebec province, where he enjoyed a stellar junior career in the QMJHL. Colorado's second-round choice, 38th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Sauve is following in the footsteps of his father Bob, who played 420 NHL games with Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago and New Jersey and won the Vezina Trophy (then awarded for outstanding team goaltending) in 1980. The elder Sauve also spent parts of three seasons (1976-79) with the Hershey Bears.
Leighton, 20, won six consecutive starts from Mar. 9-29, including consecutive shutouts of the Philadelphia Phantoms on Mar. 23-24, helping Norfolk to a franchise-record eight-game winning streak. He also turned aside a season-high 50 shots in a 3-1 loss to Saint John on Mar. 1, and allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his 10 appearances. On Mar. 28, Leighton was named to the 2002 AHL All-Rookie Team.
In recognition of his accomplishment, Leighton will be presented with an etched crystal trophy by the AHL prior to an upcoming game.
A native of Petrolia, Ont., Leighton was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1999. He has dressed as a back-up for one NHL game with the Blackhawks this season, and was the winning goaltender for the Canadian squad in the 2002 AHL All-Star Game. In 50 games on the season, Leighton (25-16-8) ranks third in the AHL with 25 victories, fourth with a 2.18 GAA and tied for second with six shutouts.
Other players nominated for ITECH AHL Goaltender of the Month for March include Rick DiPietro of Bridgeport, Martin Prusek of Grand Rapids, Johan Holmqvist of Hartford, Jamie McLennan of Houston, Jean-Marc Pelletier of Lowell, Alfie Michaud of Manitoba, Jan Lasak of Milwaukee, Michael Leighton of Norfolk, Tom Askey of Rochester, Kay Whitmore of Saint John, Mikael Tellqvist of St. John's and Jean-Francois Labbe of Syracuse.
Other players nominated for AHL Rookie of the Month for March include Chicago center Derek MacKenzie, Cincinnati center Mike Green, Houston center Cory Larose, Lowell right wing Tomas Kurka, Manitoba center Brandon Reid, Milwaukee right wing Bryan Lundbohm, Portland left wing Graham Mink, Rochester right wing Milan Bartovic, Saint John right wing Garett Bembridge, Syracuse defenseman Duvie Westcott and Worcester center Jeff Panzer.
American Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2002
- Minard Presented with Maple Leafs Man of the Year Award - Toronto Marlies
- Maple Leafs Recall Palahnuk - Toronto Marlies
- Cabana Signed to Moose Contract - Manitoba Moose
- Wolves Look Forward to Fan-Tastic Weekend - Chicago Wolves
- Worcester IceCats Weekly - Worcester IceCats
- Brule Named Mighty Ducks Player of the Month - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Blackhawks Reassign Hankinson to Norfolk - Norfolk Admirals
- Mighty Ducks Report - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Phantoms Flier - Adirondack Phantoms
- Defenseman Tyler Sloan Assigned to Syracuse - Syracuse Crunch
- Hershey's Sauve, Norfolk's Leighton Win Monthly AHL Award - AHL
- Norfolk Goaltender Michael Leighton Named Rookie of the Month - Norfolk Admirals
- Phantoms to Host Career Fair - Adirondack Phantoms
- Bears Make Roster Moves - Hershey Bears
- Sauve Named AHL I-TECH Goaltender of the Month for March - Hershey Bears
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
