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Mississippi's Kevin Beech Named CHL's Most Outstanding Goaltender

March 20, 2009 - Central Hockey League (CHL) News Release


The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today that Kevin Beech of the Mississippi RiverKings has been named the recipient of the 2008-09 Central Hockey League's Most Outstanding Goaltender award (Scott Brower Award). The award is 'presented annually to the Central Hockey League's most outstanding goaltender, in memory of Scott Brower, former Memphis goaltender and Corpus Christi employee.' Voting was done by CHL head coaches, communications departments and selected media members in each market.

In what turned out to be the closest race of any of the CHL awards, Beech earned 18 votes of the 50 ballots turned in. Texas' Brett Jaeger finished second among the finalists earning 11 votes.

Beech is engrained among the league leaders with his 35 wins (first), 2.43 goals against average (third), three shutouts (tied for first, 2966:16 minutes (first) and four shootout wins (tied for first). His 35 wins are the most in the CHL since Tyler Weiman's 33 wins with Colorado during the 2003-04 season and is the eighth highest win total in league history.

The Brantford, Ontario native has won many awards throughout the 2008-09 season being named the Oakley CHL Goaltender of the Week on two occasions and the Sher-Wood/CHL Goaltender of the Month for January and February. In his short two-year professional career, Beech has posted a 49-18-4 record with seven shutouts playing with Laredo and Youngstown along with Mississippi. Beech could also take home the CHL Most Valuable Player (to be awarded on Monday, March 23rd) as he is one of five finalists for the award.

The second-year pro and first-year RiverKings defeated the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, 6-0, on New Year's Eve earning his first shutout of the season spring boarding him to an unbelievable second half of the season. Since December 31st, Beech has gone 23-3-3 with three shutouts allowing just 64 goals in those 29 games. The 2005 sixth round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning has saved his best for the best going 9-2-1 versus the other three division winners.

The remaining CHL awards will be announced on Monday, March 23rd with the Joe Burton Scoring Championship and CHL Most Valuable Player awards. Already announced earlier this week were the recipients of CHL Athletic Trainer of the Year (Rocky Mountain's Osama Kassab), CHL Gunner Garrett Equipment Manager of the Year (Rapid City's Shawn Smith), CHL Coach of the Year (Mississippi's Kevin Kaminski), Rick Kozuback Award (Tulsa's Jeff Lund), CHL's Most Outstanding Defenseman (Colorado's Aaron Schneekloth), CHL Rookie of the Year (Laredo's Darryl Smith) and CHL Man of the Year (Amarillo's Austin Sutter) honors, along with both the 2008-2009 All-CHL and All-Rookie teams.

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Central Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2009


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