SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Bridgeport Sound Tigers goaltender Kevin Poulin has been selected as the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 8, 2012.
Poulin went 4-0-0 and stopped 98 of 100 shots for a 0.48 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage, registering three consecutive shutouts and making a run at a 54-year-old AHL record.
Poulin entered the week having lost six of his previous seven decisions, but made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over Worcester on Jan. 2. He stopped 24 shots on Jan. 4 in a 4-0 victory at Manchester on Jan. 4, and posted his third consecutive whitewash with 31 saves in a 4-0 win at Portland on Jan. 7. Poulin made 22 saves in a 3-2 shootout win in Providence on Jan. 8 but finally saw his shutout streak end at 221 minutes and 54 seconds – 27:57 shy of the all-time AHL record set by Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bower with the Cleveland Barons in 1957.
On the strength of his week, Poulin lowered his goals-against average for the season by half a goal (3.27 to 2.77) and added 14 points to his save percentage (.891 to .905).
A fifth-round draft pick by the New York Islanders in 2008, the 21-year-old Poulin has a record of 11-12-0 in 23 games for Bridgeport this season, and also made one start for the Islanders. The second-year pro and Montreal native split his rookie campaign between Bridgeport and Long Island also, going 10-5-0 with a 2.19 GAA and a .932 save percentage in 15 AHL contests and posting a 4-2-1 mark (2.44, .924) in 10 games with the Islanders in 2010-11.
In recognition of his achievement, Poulin will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Sound Tigers home game.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Week
