Inferno's Minard Named Sun National Bank ECHL Saver of the Month

January 7, 2005 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Mike Minard of the Columbia Inferno is the Sun National Bank ECHL Saver of the Month for December.

Minard, who has been voted as the starting goaltender for the American Conference in the 2005 Coors Light ECHL All-Star Game, led ECHL goaltenders during the month with nine wins, finishing December 9-0-0 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 1.65 and a save percentage of .936 as Columbia went 9-2-0 in December.

Under contract to Manitoba of the American Hockey League, Minard is 13-1-2 with two shutouts and a save percentage of .922. He ranks third in the league in wins and ninth in the league in goals-against average with 2.24. He is 8-0-0 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.73 and a save percentage of .934 in his last eight home games and overall at home he is 8-0-2 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.98 and a save percentage of .927.

Minard, who began his professional career in the ECHL in 1996 with Wheeling, is 38-21-10 with a goals-against average of 3.29 and a save percentage of .896 in five ECHL seasons. He has played eight seasons in the AHL, going 64-39-18 with a goals-against average of 2.90 and a save percentage of .911. Selected in the fourth round (83rd overall) by Edmonton in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Minard won his only NHL game with Edmonton in 1999-2000.

Runners Up: Craig Kowalski, Florida (6-1-1, 2.31 GAA, .931 save pct.) and Todd Ford, Pensacola (5-0-0, 1.58 GAA, .954 save pct.).

Also Nominated: Lance Mayes (Alaska), Jake Moreland (Atlantic City), Jason Saal (Augusta), Alex Westlund (Charlotte), Mike Morrison (Greenville), Sean Fields (Gwinnett), David Currie (Johnstown), Sebastien Centomo (Las Vegas), Nathan Marsters (Louisiana), Matt Underhill (Mississippi), Nick Boucher (Pee Dee), Chris Beckford-Tseu (Peoria), Barry Brust (Reading), Mathieu Chouinard (San Diego), Kirk Daubenspeck (South Carolina), Phil Osaer (Texas), Scott Fankhouser (Toledo), Chris Houle (Trenton) and Dany Sabourin (Wheeling).

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