SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Hershey Bears goaltender Vitek Vanecek has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending October 21, 2018.
Vanecek went 2-0-1 in three road starts last week, stopping 94 of 99 shots for a 1.62 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage.
With the Bears in the midst of a seven-game road stretch and still looking for their first win of the season, Vanecek drew the assignment in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday night and turned aside a career-high 40 shots in Hershey’s 3-2 victory over the Penguins. On Friday, Vanecek made 29 saves to help the Bears salvage a point in a 4-3 shootout loss at Charlotte despite being outshot 33-13. And on Saturday, Vanecek finished with 25 saves and his first shutout of the season as Hershey blanked the Checkers, 2-0.
A second-round selection by Washington in the 2014 NHL Draft, Vanecek now has a record of 2-2-1 in five appearances this season, showing a 2.37 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The fourth-year pro, a 22-year-old native of Havlickuv Brod, Czech Republic, has played 77 career AHL games with Hershey and is 33-25-10 with a 2.71 GAA, a.902 save percentage and eight shutouts.
In recognition of being named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week, Vanecek will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bears home game.
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