Mudbugs Sign Goaltender Ryan Munce
February 23, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs News Release
BOSSIER CITY, LA - The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the Central Hockey League have officially signed sixth-year pro goaltender Ryan Munce, who served as the team ¬â¢s back-up goaltender in last night ¬â¢s 4-1 road win over Rio Grande Valley. Munce joined the Mudbugs two weeks ago, but was not cleared to play until his immigration status was approved yesterday.
Munce, 25, is a former third-round draft pick of the NHL ¬â¢s Los Angeles Kings who has had stints in the American Hockey League in two of the last three seasons. After originally planning to play this year overseas in Italy, Munce spent the past few months rehabbing from an injury and now finds himself in Bossier-Shreveport, where he could be between the pipes for the ¬ËBugs as soon as tomorrow night against Bloomington.
The 6-2, 190-pound netminder spent last season with the ECHL ¬â¢s Charlotte Checkers, where he went 26-14-3 with a solid 2.77 goals-against average, a .913 saves percentage and one shutout. He also posted a 6-5 playoff record with two shutouts as the Checkers advanced to the American Conference Semifinals before falling to the eventual Kelly Cup Champion Cincinnati Cyclones 2-1 in Game 7.
A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Munce spent his amateur career with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League before signing an NHL contract with the LA Kings as a rookie. He starred for the ECHL ¬â¢s Bakersfield Condors in 2005-06, winning a career-high 30 games and helping the Condors to their first-ever playoff series win.
After another full year in the ECHL in 2006-07, he then appeared in a total of 13 AHL games with Norfolk and Syracuse over the next two seasons, posting a 2.99 GAA and a .906 SV%. The remainder of his time between 2007 and 2009 was spent with the ECHL ¬â¢s Mississippi Sea Wolves, where he compiled a 43-40-3 record despite the club finishing well below .500 in both seasons.
The Mudbugs are preparing to host "Pink in the Rink" weekend, which begins tomorrow at 6:35 pm against Bloomington and continues Saturday at 7:05 against Texas. One dollar from every single game and group ticket sold for the games will be donated to the Northwest Louisiana affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the entire weekend will be devoted to raising donations and awareness about breast cancer.
Mini-plans and group ticket packages for all home games are available now through the Mudbugs office at 752-BUGS. Individual tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster at 318-741-9700, online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the CenturyTel Center main box office. Visit www.mudbugshockey.com for more information about "Pink in the Rink" and all the latest team news.
Season and group tickets are on sale by calling 318-752-BUGS (2847) or by visiting our website at www.mudbugshockey.com.
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