SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Manitoba Moose goaltender Cory Schneider has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 29, 2009. In three starts, Schneider allowed just five goals on 110 shots, good for a 1.66 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage as Manitoba closed in on a North Division championship.
Schneider began the week with a 26-save effort in Manitoba’s 2-1 loss to Syracuse on Tuesday night. He came back on Friday with 35 saves – stopping all 31 shots he faced from the second period on – to backstop the Moose to a 2-1 overtime win over Hamilton. And in Sunday’s rematch with the Bulldogs, Schneider finished with a career-high 44 saves in Manitoba’s 3-2 victory.
In recognition of his achievement, Schneider will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Moose home game.
The 26th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Schneider leads the AHL with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage while compiling a record of 28-7-1 in 37 appearances with Manitoba this season. Schneider, 23, was 21-12-2 for the Moose as a rookie last season, and made his National Hockey League debut earlier this year with Vancouver, appearing in eight games. A native of Marblehead, Mass., Schneider was named the Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for November 2008 and represented the Moose at the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications.
Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Albany defenseman Mark Flood, Bridgeport defenseman Andrew MacDonald, Chicago defenseman Brett Skinner, Grand Rapids center Cory Emmerton, Hamilton center Ben Maxwell, Hartford center Artem Anisimov, Hershey left wing Alexandre Giroux, Houston left wing Benoit Pouliot, Iowa left wing Matt Beleskey, Lake Erie defenseman Ray Macias, Lowell right wing Jon DiSalvatore, Milwaukee center Mike Santorelli, Peoria left wing Steve Regier, Philadelphia right wing Rob Sirianni, Portland left wing Colin Murphy, Providence defenseman Johnny Boychuk, Quad City goaltender Leland Irving, Rochester defenseman Matt Duffy, Rockford right wing Pete MacArthur, San Antonio center Joel Perrault, Syracuse center Nikita Filatov, Toronto right wing Jeremy Williams, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender John Curry and Worcester right wing Dan DaSilva.
