KC's Ruff and Motor City's Branch earn honors

Published on April 15, 2005 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2) News Release


LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO--- The United Hockey League (UHL) announced Friday that Kansas City Outlaws left wing Jason Ruff has been named Sher-Wood Player of the Month and Motor City Mechanics goaltender Rod Branch has been named Southern Sports Supply Goaltender of the Month for April.

Ruff finished the final month of the regular season with 14 points (5g, 9a) and a plus-five rating in five games. He led the team in goals and assists during the month, including two game-winning goals and one shorthanded goal. He had three multi-point games including a four-point game (1g, 3a) on April 2nd vs. Missouri and a five-point game (2g, 3a) in the season finale vs. Fort Wayne on April 10th. In 66 games this season, the 35-year-old native of Kelowna, British Columbia tallied 80 points (29g, 51a) which led Kansas City and placed him 15th among all UHL scorers.

Other players nominated for the Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Month include: Adirondack left wing Hugo Belanger, Danbury forward Bruce Richardson, Elmira center Alex Mathieu, Flint right wing Bobby Reynolds, Fort Wayne right wing Jonathan Goodwin, Kalamazoo left wing Sean Starke, Missouri center Ryan Johnson, Motor City right wing Joe Burton, Muskegon forward B.J. Gaustad, Port Huron defenseman Chris Slater, Quad City forward Mike Kompon, Richmond right wing David Hymovitz, and Rockford right wing Bruce Watson.

Branch finished the month with a 6-0-0 record, a 1.33 GAA, and a .953 save percentage. He made 163 saves during the month including a 47-save effort in the final game of the regular season on April 10th vs. Elmira. Branch has won each of his last 11 starts. His season record was 31-25-6 with a 2.85 GAA and a .912 save percentage. He also added two assists for the Mechanics. The 30-year-old Fort St. John, British Columbia native led UHL goaltenders this season in saves (1,812) and was second in minutes played (3,686).

Other players nominated for the Southern Sports Supply UHL Goaltender of the Month include: Adirondack's Derek Gustafson, Danbury's Frank Novello, Elmira's Kevin Kurk, Flint's Nathan Grobins, Fort Wayne's Tyler Masters, Kalamazoo's Chad Alban, Kansas City's Maxime Gingras, Missouri's Kevin Reiter, Muskegon's Sylvain Daigle, Port Huron's Kory Cooper, Quad City's Robert Gherson, Richmond's Brent Belecki, and Rockford's Grady Hunt.

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International Hockey League 2 Stories from April 15, 2005


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