Lehtonen Named to Finnish World Cup Team
May 25, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
Chicago Wolves' 20-year-old rookie goaltender Kari Lehtonen (KAH-ree LEH-tuh-nehn) will represent Finland in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 30.
Lehtonen joins Calgary Flames Miikka Kiprusoff  2004 Stanley Cup Finalist  and San Jose Sharks Vesa Toskala in net for Team Finland in the second World Cup of Hockey tournament.
The competition features the world's top professional talent from eight countries around the world: Canada; Czech Republic; Finland; Germany; Russia; Slovakia; Sweden; and the United States. Players highlighting the tournament include Team USA right wing Brett Hull, Team Canada right wing Jerome Iginla, and Team Sweden center Peter Forsberg.
Lehtonen, who was dubbed the world's top National Hockey League prospect for each of the last two years according to The Hockey News, will represent Finland in international competition for the fourth time. The Helsinki native led Finland to the bronze medal at the 2003 World Junior Championships with a 3-2-1 mark, two shutouts, a 2.19 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. He also backed up former Wolves goaltender Pasi Nurminen in the 2002 and 2003 World Championships.
Picked second overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Lehtonen was named the starting netminder for PlanetUSA in the American Hockey League's All-Star Game during his first North American season this year with Chicago. Lehtonen, the highest chosen European goaltender in NHL draft history, paced Wolves netminders with 20 wins, a 2.41 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in 39 regular-season appearances and helped Chicago reach the West Division Final in the 2004 Calder Cup Playoffs. Lehtonen ranks second in the AHL with 374 shots and shares fourth in the league with a .942 save percentage in 10 postseason games.
Lehtonen made his NHL debut at the end of the regular season and finished with a perfect 4-0-0-0 mark in four games with Atlanta, posting a 1.25 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage, including his first NHL shutout on March 27 against the Florida Panthers.
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American Hockey League Stories from May 25, 2004
- Cincinnati Mighty Ducks extend agreement with Anaheim - Cincinnati RailRaiders
- Head Coach Gary Agnew Signs Extension - Syracuse Crunch
- Lehtonen Named to Finnish World Cup Team - Chicago Wolves
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Griffins alumni take aim at Stanley Cup - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Former P-Bruins in Stanley Cup Finals - Providence Bruins
- Playoff game to be televised - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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