NEWS AND MEDIA

Steelheads Rookie Zaba Named Rbk Hockey Goalie Of The Week

28 Feb 2008

PRINCETON, N.J. - Idaho rookie Matt Zaba is the Rbk Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for Jan. 28-Feb. 3.

The 24 year old was 2-0-0 with a shutout, a 0.50 goals-against average and a .981 save percentage to help the Steelheads go 3-1-0 and move within two points of first-place Victoria in the West Division.

The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound Zaba stopped 22-of-23 shots in a 4-1 win against Stockton on Jan. 29 before recording his first professional shutout by stopping all 29 shots in a 3-0 win at Phoenix on Feb. 2.

Since being assigned to Idaho by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League on Jan. 11, the Yorkton, Saskatchewan native is 5-0-0 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 1.57 and a save percentage of .943 in five starts. He began the season with Charlotte and was 3-4-1 with a goals-against average of 3.63 and a save percentage of .891 in nine games.

Drafted in the eighth round (231st overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft and under contract to the New York Rangers, Zaba played four seasons at Colorado College where he was 55-42-10 with 10 shutouts, a 2.42 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 110 games from 2003-07.

Runners up: Dov Grumet-Morris, Cincinnati (2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .967 save pct.) and Anton Khudobin, Texas (2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .959 save pct.).

Also Nominated: Mike Brown (Alaska), Bobby Goepfert (Augusta), Michel Robinson (Bakersfield), Justin Peters (Florida), Jake Moreland (Fresno), Craig Kowalski (Gwinnett), Kevin Lalande (Las Vegas), Mike Brodeur (Pensacola), Davis Parley (South Carolina), Dave Caruso (Trenton), Michael Mole (Utah).