IHL Has Wild Weekend of Shutouts

January 11, 2010 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


ROCHESTER, MI--- It was a wild weekend of shutouts in the IHL this past week, where four different goalies denied the opposing team in four different games. So far this season, the IHL has seen 12 shutouts by nine different goaltenders. At this point last season, there were only six shutouts recorded by five different netminders. During the entire 2008-09 season, there were a total of 18 shutouts recorded.

Friday, Muskegon goaltender Sebastien Centomo stopped all 23 shots he faced from the Flint Generals to earn the Lumberjacks a 1-0 win and his second shutout of the season. Saturday, Dayton rookie netminder Derek MacIntyre made a total of 28 saves against the Generals to earn his league-leading third shutout this season. The Gems were victorious by a score of 3-0 over Flint.

Sunday, Fort Wayne traveled to Dayton and goalie Tim Haun was stellar between the pipes, stopping all 30 shots as the Komets blanked the Gems 3-0. Haun was playing in his third game in three nights, as he came in relief after the first period after teammate Nick Boucher was injured during Friday's contest. The same evening, the Lumberjacks dominated the Generals in an 8-0 victory. Rookie goaltender Matt Lundin earned his first professional shutout in only his 12th career start.

On Sunday, Lumberjack forward Robin Bouchard netted four goals in the 8-0 victory over the Generals. It was the first four-goal output this season and the first for Bouchard in his 16-year career. Bouchard is currently leading the league in scoring with 58 points (31 goals, 27 assists) and is just 25 goals away from breaking the all-time minor league scoring record, set by Don Parsons (682) last season with the Bloomington PrairieThunder.

AROUND THE "I"

Bloomington PrairieThunder (0-2-0-1)- The PrairieThunder has outshot its opponent in three of the last four games, 134-119, but only has been able to register one point in the standings. Bloomington has scored just five goals in its last four games and has allowed only 11. Defenseman Jason Lepine continues to be very productive on offense, scoring at least one point in five of the last six games. Defenseman Cole Ruwe is plus-three over the last seven games. Forward Craig Macdonald leads the team with 10 multi-point games. Macdonald is also tied for third in the IHL in goals scored with 17. Netminder Andrew Martin is currently fourth among IHL goaltenders in minutes played with 1222:46 in 21 appearances this season. Muskegon is the only team the PrairieThunder have yet to record a victory against this season.

Dayton Gems (1-1-0-0)- The Gems had a light week with only two games for the first time this season. The Gems shutout the Generals Saturday for the teams fourth shutout win of the season. It was also the second time they have shut out Flint this season. Sunday, the Komets traveled to Dayton and shutout the Gems 3-0. It was the first time that the Gems have been shutout at Hara Arena this season. Goaltender Ryan Mior returned to the Gems after a 22-day stint with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was Mior's second time joining the Americans this season. Netminder Derek MacIntyre has been between the pipes for the Gems for eight consecutive games, and for 14 of their last 17 contests.

Flint Generals (0-3-0-0)- The Generals went from being shut out once all season to four times in the matter of one weekend. The Generals penalty killing unit had been struggling but despite the 12-0 weekend the team endured, the PK surrendered only two goals on 12 man advantage opportunities for the opponent. The Generals season high five game unbeaten streak was their longest of the season (3-0-0-2). The 8-0 lashing handed to Flint by Muskegon Sunday evening was the largest loss margin for the Generals all season. The biggest loss previously had been a 6-1 loss to the Port Huron Icehawks. The Gens lead the league in shots for with 1106 and shots against with 1,213. They have also allowed the most goals- allowing 119 through 36 games played.

Fort Wayne Komets (3-0-0-0)- The Komets are close to mirroring last year's pace at this time when they were in third place with 38 points after 33 games, but trailing the first-place Icehawks by five points. The three wins for the week extends Fort Wayne's unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-0-1). Defenseman Bobby Phillips scored his first pro goal Friday in the Komets' 3-2 win over Bloomington. Phillips went on to notch his first multi-point game with two assists in Saturday's 4-2 win over Muskegon. Colin Chaulk had his team high seven-game point scoring streak snapped Sunday at Dayton. P.C. Drouin has a three-game point streak and assist streak (1g, 4a) after scoring a goal and adding two assists in Sunday's win at Dayton Goaltender Tim Haun is unbeaten in regulation (4-0-0-1) in his five straight appearances.

Muskegon Lumberjacks (2-1-0-0)- Dating back to last season, the Lumberjacks have defeated Flint six consecutive times on home ice with four of those six victories coming by way of the shutout; having outscored the Generals in the six-game home win streak 35-6. In their last two games, Muskegon has produced its highest number of shots on goal in a single game; Saturday night at Fort Wayne, 43 shots and the next night Sunday against Flint, 45 shots. Todd Robinson's first assist (of four total) Sunday in Flint was his 700th of his career. Robin Bouchard's latest point streak has reached five games (7g, 3a). The Lumberjacks power play is seven for the last 20 for a proficiency rating of 35%. For the second time this season, defenseman Adam Welch earned a plus-four rating in a single game Sunday in the 8-0 victory over Flint.

Port Huron Icehawks (2-0-0-2)- The Icehawks won two games at Bloomington this week to extend their unbeaten streak at U.S. Cellular Coliseum to 15 games (12-0-3), dating back to February 2008. The Icehawks' special teams held their opponents to 1-13 on the power play, while scoring five goals of their own on the advantage. Currently the Icehawks are in first place in power play goals scored (36), power play scoring percentage (22.4%), power play goals allowed (15) and penalty killing percentage (89.8). With 13 goals in four games this week, the Icehawks became the highest-scoring team in the IHL with 121 goals this season. Rookie Brandon Naurato is perfect in shootout action this season. He scored in both of the shootouts last week and is four for four overall, tying him for first in the league in shootout percentage.

Quad City Mallards (2-0-0-0)- The Mallards have established season highs by winning five straight games and going unbeaten in regulation in their last seven games (6-0-0-1). That hot streak has taken Quad City within four points of fourth place and a potential playoff spot. Defensemen Jason Goulet (Friday), Shane Lovdahl (Friday) and Kyryll Katrych (Sunday) all scored their first goal of the season last weekend. Lovdahl's goal was also the first of the rookie's career. The Mallards were not shorthanded a single time in yesterday's game against Port Huron- a first for Quad City this season. The Mallards themselves enjoyed just one power play in that game. The Mallards have killed off 16 of their opponents' 18 power plays in eight games since Christmas.



International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 11, 2010


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