Flames’ Keetley named Player of the Week

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Quad City Flames goaltender Matt Keetley has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending October 26, 2008. Keetley posted a pair of impressive road victories last week, leading the Flames to wins in Toronto and Hamilton.

Keetley made 27 saves as Quad City posted a 3-1 win over the Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum on Saturday night, then came back Sunday afternoon and recorded a 32-save shutout as the Flames bounced the Bulldogs, 2-0, at Copps Coliseum.

In recognition of his achievement, Keetley will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Flames home game.

A 2005 draft choice by Calgary, Keetley is now 3-3-0 in six appearances for Quad City this year. He ranks fifth in the AHL with a 1.65 goals-against average and fourth with a .944 save percentage, stopping 170 of 180 shots on the season. The 22-year-old native of Medicine Hat, Alta., was 10-8-3 (2.33, .912) in 26 games as a rookie with Quad City in 2007-08, and also made his NHL debut with the parent Flames on Nov. 5, 2007. Keetley was a junior standout at Medicine Hat (WHL), showing a record of 105-30-10 with 18 shutouts in three seasons from 2004-07.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Albany right wing Jakub Petruzalek, Bridgeport right wing Tim Jackman, Chicago right wing Joe Motzko, Grand Rapids center Justin Abdelkader, Hamilton right wing Matt D’Agostini, Hartford right wing P.A. Parenteau, Hershey left wing Oskar Osala, Houston center Marco Rosa, Iowa left wing T.J. Trevelyan, Lake Erie center T.J. Hensick, Lowell center Pascal Rheaume, Manitoba right wing Mike Keane, Milwaukee center Nick Spaling, Norfolk left wing Radek Smolenak, Peoria left wing Steve Regier, Philadelphia goaltender Scott Munroe, Portland center Nathan Gerbe, Rochester left wing Jacob Micflikier, Rockford goaltender Antti Niemi, San Antonio left wing Jeff Hoggan, Syracuse defenseman Clay Wilson, Toronto center Andre Deveaux and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton center Jeff Taffe.

Also see: Previous winners, Reebok/AHL Player of the Week