PRINCETON, N.J. – Idaho Steelheads rookie Matt Climie is the RBC Financial Group ECHL Saver of the Month for March.
The 26 year old was 8-2-0 with three shutouts, two shootout wins, a goals-against average of 1.60 and a save percentage of .937 to help the Steelheads go 10-5-1 and qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
Climie won his first three starts of the month, including 2-1 in a shootout at Utah on Mar. 11, and was 2-1-0 in a three-game series at Victoria, including 4-3 in a shootout on Mar. 18. Climie posted back-to-back shutouts against Ontario on Mar. 25 and 28 and had a scoreless streak of 127:38. He was 4-0-0 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.00 and a save percentage of .955 in his last four starts in March.
He was called up to the National Hockey League by Dallas on Apr. 3 and he started three games for the Stars going 2-1-0 with a goals-against average of 2.92 and a save percentage of .894.
The Leduc, Alberta native was 27-12-1 with four shutouts, a goals-against average of 2.30 and a save percentage of .915.in 42 games for the Steelheads. He tied for third in the league in wins and shutouts while ranking fourth in goals-against average.
Climie played four seasons at Bemidji State University where he was 45-30-11 with 12 shutouts, a goals-against average of 2.40 and a save percentage of .910 in 95 games from 2004-08. He holds the BSU career record with 12 shutouts while his goals-against average and save percentage rank second.
Runners-Up: Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, Alaska (7-3-0, 2.19 GAA, .923 save pct.), Yutaka Fukufuji, Bakersfield (7-2-0, 2.79 GAA, .900 save pct.) and Michael Teslak, Elmira (7-3-2, 2.58 GAA, .917 save pct.).
Also Nominated: Jeff Jakaitis (Charlotte), David Leggio (Florida), Joe Fallon (Gwinnett), Glenn Fisher (Las Vegas), Jeff Zatkoff (Ontario), Kyle Jones (Phoenix), Michael Ouzas (Reading), Gerald Coleman (Trenton), Robert Gherson (Utah) and Curtis Darling (Wheeling). Jean-Philippe Lamoureux (Alaska), Dan Turple (Gwinnett), Glenn Fisher (Las Vegas), Jeff Zatkoff (Ontario), Kyle Jones (Phoenix) and Michael Mole (Utah).
The Steelheads are en route today for Victoria, BC to play Games 3 (Wed.), 4 (Fri.) and 5 (Sat.), if necessary, of the ECHL Kelly Cup first round playoffs against the Salmon Kings. Victoria is 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, after Idaho lost Games 1 and 2 on home ice.
