November 9, 2009

IHL Honors Martin as Top Goalie

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Bloomington PrairieThunder goaltender Andrew Martin, a former Rensselaer standout, was named the International Hockey League’s Goaltender of the Week for his performances in two games at Port Huron and one in Muskegon over the weekend, it was announced Monday.

Martin compiled a 1-1-0-1 record with a .947 save percentage after being called into duty after the initial period in the first of two games at Port Huron on Friday when starter Paulo Colaiacovo suffered a mild groin injury. Martin had only played 34 minutes in the season opener prior to the Port Huron game.

The English-born Martin stopped all 17 shots he faced in the final 40 minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime. The PrairieThunder fell, 4-3, in a three-man shootout.

But that didn’t stop Martin from responding with a stellar effort on Saturday as he pushed aside 48 of 49 shots, including 24 in the second period, to help Bloomington to a 5-1 victory. He also was able to stop all six Port Huron power play attempts.

“Marty was placed in a tough situation and responded,” said PrairieThunder coach Jarrod Skalde, whose team is in first place with a 6-3-0-1 record (13 points) ahead of Friday’s 7:05 p.m. contest against Dayton at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

In Muskegon on Sunday, the 26-year-old Martin stopped 25 of 29 shots in a 5-1 losing effort. Bloomington allowed four goals on 18 shots in the first period. Muskegon only had 12 shots over the final two periods and scored on empty-net goal. In three games, Martin made 90 of 95 saves.

“Marty didn’t get a lot of help from our defense in the first period,” admitted Skalde. “But he hung in there and battled. We finally settled down in the last two periods and played better.”