NAHL Names Nichols First Star of Week
January 17, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Wenatchee Wild goaltender Robert Nichols (Dallas, Texas) was named the first star of the week by the NAHL Tuesday after he shut out the Dawson Creek Rage in a pair of starts last week in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
Tuesday's selection represents the second time that Nichols was named one of the league's three stars of the week. He was named the third star back on Sept. 27.
Nichols, 19, was perfect in Dawson Creek and helped the Wild to three straight shutouts over the Rage. He turned aside all 27 shots he faced in the first game of the series, which the Wild won 2-0. Nichols pitched another shutout in the third game of the series when he made 13 saves on 13 shots to lead the Wild to a 3-0 victory.
Wedged between Nichols' shutouts was a Game 2 shutout by Greg Lewis (Mars, Pa.), who made 19 saves on 19 shots for his fourth shutout of the season. The goalie tandem of Nichols and Lewis combined to stop all 59 shots in Wenatchee's 3-game shutout sweep over Dawson Creek. It was the second time this season that the duo teamed up to record three straight shutouts.
"I really didn't think it would ever happen again," Wild head coach John Becanic said of his team's second 3-game shutout stretch.
Nichols has six shutouts this season, which is a new individual single-season franchise record that was previously owned by Brandon Jaeger (5). Nichols also leads the NAHL in goals-against average (1.48) and save percentage (.943).
"It makes it easier for the entire team when Robert is playing like he is," said Becanic, whose team has won seven of its last eight games. "He is a smart goalie and can play the puck as well as anyone I have seen. To have the goalie tandem like we do really sheds some light on how well these guys are playing in goal and hopefully it leads to some NCAA Division I opportunities."
Nichols and the Wild (20-10-4) will begin a stretch of three straight home series with a 2-game set against the Fresno Monsters (16-12-8) this Friday and Saturday. Both games are slated to begin at 7:05 p.m.
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