PRINCETON, N.J. - Mississippi goaltender Greg Gardner is the ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week for March 15-21. Gardner was named ITECH HOCKEY ECHL Saver of the Week for December 15-21.
Gardner was 3-0-0 with a goals against average of 1.95 and a save percentage of .942 against Central Division foes as Mississippi went 4-0-0 to improve to 40-19-7 and second place in the Central Division, seven points behind leader Louisiana and six points ahead of third place Pensacola.
In a 4-3 shootout win against Pensacola on March 16, the 6-0 and 190-pound Gardner made 19 saves in regulation and five saves in overtime before stopping three of five shooters in the shootout. Gardner had 36 saves in a 3-1 win at Louisiana on March 19 and stopped 37 of 39 shots in a 3-2 win at Texas on March 21.
The win on March 21 improved Gardner to 59-30-7 in two seasons with the Sea Wolves, and established a new team record for career wins. In 2003-04, Gardner is 27-13-3 with three shutouts, a goals against average of 2.53 and a save percentage of .920 in 43 games for Mississippi. He ranks fifth in the league in wins and is 17th in goals against average. Under contract to Rochester of the American Hockey League, Gardner won 32 games for Mississippi in 2002-03 and with three more wins he can become only the second goaltender in ECHL history to win 30 games in back-to-back seasons and only the fourth goaltender in league history to reach the 30-win plateau twice.
In 2002-03 with Mississippi, Gardner ranked second in the ECHL with 32 wins while ranking third with 3,140 minutes, 1,651 saves and a .919 save percentage. He was 8-4 with a 2.03 goals against average and helped the Sea Wolves advance to the Southern Conference Finals of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Runners Up: Andrew Penner, Dayton (3-0-0, 2.27 GAA, .937 save pct.) and Peter Hamerlik, Trenton (2-0-0, 0.50 GAA, .979 save pct.).
Also Nominated: Lance Mayes (Alaska), Scott Stirling (Atlantic City), Jason Saal (Augusta), David St. Germain (Charlotte), Tyler Masters (Cincinnati), Jason Tapp (Columbus), Jeff Maund (Florida), Mike Brusseau (Fresno), Jamie Hodson (Greensboro), Trevor Prior (Gwinnett), Dany Sabourin (Las Vegas), Brian Eklund (Pensacola), Levente Szuper (Peoria), Cody Rudkowsky (Reading), Trevor Koenig (San Diego), David Brumby (South Carolina), Cory Campbell (Toledo), and Tyler MacKay (Wheeling).
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