ECHL South Carolina Stingrays

Zapolski Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week

February 26, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
South Carolina Stingrays News Release


North Charleston, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays, celebrating 20 seasons of hockey in the Lowcountry and proud ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL), announced today that goaltender Ryan Zapolski has been named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for February 18-24.

Zapolski, 26, recorded two shutouts in both appearances last week giving him three consecutive shutouts, tying an ECHL record, and four shutouts in his last six appearances. The Erie, Pennsylvania, native stopped all 32 Greenville Road Warriors shots on Friday in a 2-0 victory at the North Charleston Coliseum and turned in a 27-save performance Saturday evening in the Stingrays' 3-0 win over Greenville in front of 7,007 on the Seventh Annual Pink in the Rink presented by East Cooper Medical Center. The weekly award is Zapolski's third this season and fourth in his ECHL career. He also claimed the ECHL Goaltender of the Month award for December.

Zapolski is the fifth goaltender in ECHL history to post shutouts in three consecutive games. Stingrays goaltender Jeff Jakaitis reached that accomplishment last season, all against the Stingrays, as a member of the Gwinnett Gladiators and former Stingrays goaltender Shane Connelly achieved that mark during the 2009-10 season. With seven shutouts this season, which is first in the ECHL, Zapolski is one away from tying the ECHL all-time single-season record.

This season, the ECHL All-Star Game M.V.P. leads the league with a 1.69 goals-against average and .939 save percentage in 29 appearances. In 44 career ECHL games with South Carolina, Gwinnett, Toledo and Kalamazoo, Zapolski posted an overall record of 28-13-9 with nine shutouts, a 1.93 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. Prior to turning pro, Zapolski skated for four seasons at Mercyhurst College appearing in 109 games going 48-43-11 with eight shutouts, a 2.77 goals-against average and a save percentage of .920.

The Stingrays return to action on Tuesday, February 26 at the North Charleston Coliseum to battle the Gwinnett Gladiators at 7:05 p.m. Grab two tickets for the price on one at the Coliseum Box Office! Arrive early for Hockey Happy Hour with $2 beer from 6-7 p.m. College tickets are $5 with valid ID.

Check out the South Carolina Stingrays Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 26, 2013


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