Murray Named Oakley Central Hockey League Goaltender of the Week

March 19, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


MOLINE, Ill. (March 19, 2013) - The Quad City Mallards' John Murray has been named Oakley Central Hockey League Goaltender of the Week, the Mallards announced today in conjunction with the CHL.

Murray, 25, stopped 71 of the 74 shots he faced and posted his second shutout of the season while backstopping the Mallards to a pair of wins last weekend. Last Friday evening, Murray made 36 saves in the Mallards' 5-3 victory over Bloomington. Sunday afternoon, Murray turned aside 35 shots in a 5-0 whitewashing of the Missouri Mavericks, a win that left the Mallards in need of just one point from their game tonight against the Denver Cutthroats to clinch a playoff berth.

"John has been playing some of his best hockey at the most important time of the year," said Mallards coach and general manager Terry Ruskowski. "When your goaltender is playing as well as he is it also gives the team in front of him a lot of confidence and that has shown in our results."

Murray, who has gone 14-11-6 in 33 games this season, is tied for fifth in the league in save percentage (.914) and ranks tenth in goals against average (2.73). Sunday's shutout was the ninth of his career. The 6' 0", 186-pound Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native has allowed just four goals while winning his last three starts, a streak during which he has turned in a 1.33 goals against average and a .963 save percentage.

This is second time this season Murray has earned Goaltender of the Week honors- he also took home the award for the period ending January 29- and the third time in 2013 a Mallard netminder has been so recognized- Neil Conway was Goaltender of the Week for the period ending January 1.

Murray joined the Mallards this season after excelling for the Ruskowski-coached Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees last year. Murray last season finished tied for first in the CHL in shutouts (3), tied for fifth in save percentage (.919) and tenth in goals against average (2.66) while going 16-14-2 in 36 games.

M urray returned to North America with the Killer Bees last year after heading to Serbia to join HK Partizan Belgrade for the 2010-11 campaign. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native turned in superlative numbers- a 1.98 goals against average and a .941 save percentage in 25 games- while backstopping Partizan to a league title.

Murray tended goal in the ECHL for the bulk of his first two professional seasons. He started 2009-10 with the Victoria Salmon Kings before going on to spend the majority of the year with the Johnstown Chiefs. As a rookie in 2008-09, Murray saw action with the Ontario Reign and - briefly- Mississippi Sea Wolves and was also chosen to play in the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game. Murray also played one American Hockey League game- for the Syracuse Crunch- during his first full year as a pro. The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, native got his first taste of the professional ranks when he took the ice with the Reading Royals of the ECHL for eight games at the tail end of the 2007-08 season.

Before turning pro, Murray played two years of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League and two more north of the border in the Ontario Hockey League. He suited up for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede from 2004 to 2006 and represented Sioux Falls in the 2006 USHL All-Star Game. 2006-07 saw Murray earn team Most Valuable Player honors with the Kitchener Rangers and make another All-Star appearance, this time in the OHL's mid-season classic. He closed out his junior career with the Kingston Frontenacs in 2007-08.

Tonight's game against the Cutthroats faces off at 7:05 p.m. at the i wireless Center. Just in time for the onset of March Madness, tonight will feature $1 Nacho Madness- nacho baskets will be available for just $1 at I wireless Center concession stands. This evening is also a $2 Tuesday- fans attending the game will be able to purchase $2 soft drinks and beers.

Tickets for tonight's game- as well as seats for all remaining Mallards regular season home games- can be purchased in person at the i wireless Center ticket office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000. The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.



Central Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2013


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