Thunder Re-Signs Goaltending Duo
August 24, 2007 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, KS- The Wichita Thunder of the Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today that goaltenders Sebastien Laplante and Jon Horrell will return for the 2007-08 season.
A sixth-year pro out of Casselman, Ontario, Laplante (pronounced luh-PLAHNT) is entering his third season with the Thunder. Despite missing over a quarter of last season due to injury, Laplante had another stellar season, picking up 15 wins and setting a Thunder single-season record with a .928 save percentage.
Laplante was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the ninth round (277th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The following season he attended training camp with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, recording the victory in his only exhibition game appearance. He spent the majority of his first pro season with the ECHL's Roanoke Express, going 20-12-3.
Laplante spent two more seasons in the ECHL, before joining the Thunder in 2005, where he went 27-15-2 with three shutouts. A 2007 CHL All-Star, Laplante was named the Thunder Most Valuable Player in each of the last two seasons. He has a career record of 92-62-17 and needs just 20 victories this season to become the winningest goaltender in Thunder history.
Perhaps Wichita's most pleasant surprise last season, Horrell (pronounced hor-ELL) returns for what will be his first full pro season. Signed by the Thunder on March 9th after nearly a full year out of hockey, Horrell guided the Thunder to a CHL playoff berth, going 3-1-1, with an impressive 2.41 goals against average. He continued his stellar play in the postseason, picking up two more victories as the Thunder nearly upset the CHL's Regular Season Champion Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.
Born in England, Horrell joined the Thunder out of Bowling Green University, where he spent the final two seasons of his college career. Prior to attending Bowling Green, Horrell played two seasons at Findlay University, where he was a teammate of Thunder forward Kris Wiebe.
The signings of the goaltending duo, bring the current Thunder roster to 10. Other signings include defensemen Daniel Tetrault, Todd Paul and Tyler Hanchuck and forwards Kris Wiebe, Stan Yanchishyn, Bruce Richardson, Tyler Liebel and Travis Clayton.
The Thunder will host the Tulsa Oilers in an exhibition game on Tuesday, October 9th at the Wichita Ice Center, before opening their 16th CHL season at home on Saturday, October 20th. For more information, please call the Thunder office at 264-GOAL or visit our website at www.wichitathunder.com.
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