Ice Bats Get Their Goalie

Published on August 15, 2002 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Austin Ice Bats News Release


The Austin Ice Bats of the Central Hockey League today announced the signing of goaltender Matt Barnes to contract for the 2002-03 season. The Western Professional Hockey League Goalie of the Year in 1999-00, Barnes is slated to be the Ice Bats' number-one netminder this season.

The 28-year-old Barnes, a native of Brantford, Ontario, made a splash in his rookie campaign with the WPHL Central Texas Stampede, recording a 26-8-3 record, with a league-best 2.34 goals-against average and .931 save percentage. With Barnes in net, the Stampede had the WPHL's best regular season record, winning the Governors Cup Trophy.

In addition to earning Most Outstanding Goaltender status, Barnes finished just behind the Ice Bats' Dan Price for 1999-00 WPHL Rookie of the Year honors. He also appeared in the 2000 WPHL All-Star Game, was the league's November Goalie of the Month, and was named "Best Goalie" and "Best Rookie" in the league's annual "Best of the Best Poll."

A four-year collegiate player at Western Michigan University, Barnes followed up his outstanding rookie campaign with a 14-15-5 season in 2000-01 at Central Texas. After the Belton-based Stampede folded, Barnes finished the year with the CHL Tulsa Oilers, where he was 10-6-3 with a 3.11 GAA.

Barnes elected to play overseas last year with the Amsterdam Boretti Tigers, recording a 16-4-2 regular season record and 3.33 GAA. In the playoffs, Barnes was the top goalie in the Dutch Superleague, allowing just 13 goals in leading Amsterdam to a six-game sweep for the championship.

"Ideally, you like to build your hockey team from the goal out," said Brent Hughes, Ice Bats Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. "We think the signing of Matt gives us a solid foundation in net. He's got great quickness, he's extremely durable and his work ethic is spectacular. Matt wanted to come back to the Central Texas area, and we think he'll be a great goalie for us."

Hughes said it didn't take much to convince him to ink Barnes as the team's top goalie. "Every time we played Central Texas, Matt was a huge thorn in our side," Hughes said. "The mental side of his game is very strong. He's a little guy at 5-7, 150 pounds. But even though, as a shooter, you think you've got a lot of net to shoot at, it's tough to get the puck by him."

With the signing of Barnes, the Bats have seven players officially under contract for the coming season, including forwards Dan Price, Gerald Tallaire and Kelly Smart, and defensemen Greg Willers, Darryl McArthur and Pat Brownlee.

The Ice Bats, defending Southern Conference champions, will open the 2002-03 CHL season on Friday, October 18th at the new Ford Center in Oklahoma City. The team's home opener at the newly-remodeled Travis County Expo Center will take place the next night, Saturday, October 19th, against the expansion Laredo Bucks. For the first time in franchise history, the team will play all 32 home games on weekend dates—Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons.

Season tickets and corporate partnerships for the 2002-03 Ice Bats season are on sale at the Ice Bats office. Season tickets are available in full season, 16-game and 10-game plans. Free Belfry Club membership is included with all full season packages, and free parking with all full season and 16-game plans. For the coming season, improvements at the Travis County Expo Center will include all-new glass surrounding the rink, and climate control for the first time ever. For more information, fans may call the Ice Bats Ticket Office at (512) 927-PUCK.

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Central Hockey League Stories from August 15, 2002


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