Michigan native Ryan Miller stopped 22 of 25 shots to lead the PlanetUSA AHL All-Stars to an 18-9 victory over the Canadian AHL All-Stars in the 2004 AHL All-Star Skills Competition, in front of 9,019 fans tonight at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
Miller, a former Hobey Baker Award winner at Michigan State University and a native of East Lansing, won the Pepsi Top Goaltender Award for posting a save percentage of .880 in the event.
Norfolk Admirals rookie Anton Babchuk, the youngest player in the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic at 19 years of age, won the Sher-Wood Hardest Shot competition with a drive of 96.6 miles per hour. Manchester Monarchs rookie Noah Clarke captured the CCM Fastest Skater event with a lap of 14.042 seconds.
Benoit Gratton of the Hamilton Bulldogs took the Pepsi Accuracy Shooting contest by hitting four targets in six attempts.
Miller, a second-year pro with the Rochester Americans, held off Springfield’s David LeNeveu (.789) and Portland’s Rastislav Stana (.750) to win the goaltenders’ portion of the event, stopping all 10 attempts in The Hockey News Rapid Fire and 11 of 12 shots in the Kodak Breakaway Relay.
The PlanetUSA AHL All-Stars looks to end a four-year losing streak and earn the sweep when the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic continues on Monday night with the annual AHL All-Star Game. Coverage from Grand Rapids begins at 7:00 p.m. ET.
