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Texas Rookie Khudobin Named Rbk Hockey ECHL Goaltender Of The Year

April 10, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release




PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL on Thursday announced that rookie Anton Khudobin of the Texas Wildcatters is the recipient of the Rbk Hockey Goaltender of the Year award for 2007-08.

He is the first rookie to win the award since Frederic Cloutier in 2001-02 and the seventh rookie selected since the honor began in 1993-94.

The Rbk Hockey Goaltender of the Year award is presented annually to the goaltender adjudged to be the best at his position as determined in a vote of ECHL coaches.

Craig Kowalski of the Gwinnett Gladiators finished second in the voting followed by Cedrick Desjardins of the Cincinnati Cyclones and Daniel Manzato, who played for both the Charlotte Checkers and the Las Vegas Wranglers.

Khudobin, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team and First Team All-ECHL, was 20-1-4 and led ECHL goaltenders with a goals-against average of 1.98 and a save percentage of .934 while finishing tied for third with three shutouts in 27 games with the Wildcatters. The 21 year old has also played in the American Hockey League where he was 2-2-1 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 1.99 and a save percentage of .911 in 12 games for Houston.

Selected in the seventh round (206th overall) by Minnesota in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and under NHL contract to the Wild, the native of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan was voted to the ECHL All-Star Game after going 10-0-3 with a goals-against average of 1.85 and a save percentage of .938 in his first 14 games.

He posted back-to-back shutouts in his last two regular season starts in the ECHL on Feb. 1 and 12 and made 24 saves in his first postseason start, a 4-1 win over Mississippi on Thursday. In his last six starts he is 6-0-0 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.17 and a save percentage of .964.

Rbk Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Year Award Winners
2007-08 Anton Khudobin, Texas Wildcatters
2006-07 Adam Berkhoel, Dayton Bombers
2005-06 Matt Underhill, Alaska Aces
2004-05 Chris Madden, Florida Everblades/Long Beach Ice Dogs
2003-04 Scott Stirling, Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
2002-03 Alfie Michaud, Peoria Rivermen
2001-02 Frederic Cloutier, Louisiana IceGators
2000-01 Scott Stirling, Trenton Titans
1999-00 Jan Lasak, Hampton Roads Admirals
1998-99 Maxime Gingras, Richmond Renegades
1997-98 Nick Vitucci, Toledo Storm
1996-97 Marc Delorme, Louisiana IceGators
1995-96 Alain Morissette, Louisville RiverFrogs
1994-95 Chris Gordon, Huntington Blizzard
1993-94 Cory Cadden, Knoxville Cherokees




ECHL Stories from April 10, 2008


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