SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Springfield Falcons goaltender Devan Dubnyk has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 16, 2008. In three starts, Dubnyk was 2-1-0 with a 1.30 goals-against average, a .968 save percentage and his first career AHL shutout.
Dubnyk was peppered with 124 shots over the three games and allowed only four goals. He began the week with a 46-save shutout – the first whitewash by a Falcons goaltender in nearly two years – in Springfield’s 2-0 win at Worcester on Tuesday afternoon. He followed that up by stopping 42 of 43 shots along with four of five shootout attempts en route to a 2-1 victory over Syracuse on Friday. And Sunday, Dubnyk made 32 saves while his team was being outshot by a 35-11 margin in a 3-0 loss to Worcester.
In recognition of his achievement, Dubnyk will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Falcons home game.
A first-round draft choice (14th overall) by the Edmonton Oilers in 2004, Dubnyk is now 7-6-1 in 14 appearances this season, with a 2.44 GAA and a .924 save percentage. He has started every Falcons game this season and leads the AHL in minutes played (813), shots faced (433) and saves (400). The 22-year-old Calgary native spent all of last season with Springfield after making his AHL debut with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2006-07.
Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Albany center Stefan Chaput, Chicago right wing Joe Motzko, Grand Rapids goaltender Daniel Larsson, Hamilton center Yanick Lehoux, Hershey center Keith Aucoin, Houston left wing Krys Kolanos, Iowa right wing Bobby Ryan, Lake Erie defenseman Kyle Cumiskey, Lowell right wing Jon DiSalvatore, Manchester right wing Teddy Purcell, Manitoba left wing Jason Jaffray, Milwaukee defenseman Cody Franson, Norfolk center Paul Szczechura, Peoria right wing Chris Conner, Philadelphia center Jonathan Matsumoto, Portland left wing Mathieu Darche, Providence center Vladimir Sobotka, Quad City defenseman Ryan Wilson, Rochester center Janis Sprukts, Rockford defenseman Tim Hambly, San Antonio right wing Enver Lisin, Syracuse center Derek MacKenzie, Toronto right wing Kyle Rogers, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton left wing Janne Pesonen and Worcester defenseman Mike Moore.
