Weekly Honors

I know I already posted the news about Sebastien Centomo earning Goaltender of the Week honors earlier, but that news seems to be deserving of its own post.

Watching Centomo has certainly been a pleasure so far this season, and I am sure there isn't a single guy on the team who doesn't want him around. Coach Ruskowski cannot stop talking about how "awesome" Centomo, or "Sea Bass," if you will, is, and who can blame him?

As Bryan Benway points out, Centomo also earned the honors about this time last year, and he hasn't slowed down since, as he is pretty high in each of the goaltending statistical categories.

In nine starts this season, Centomo has a 6-3-0 record, having saved 281 of the 299 shots he's faced for a .940 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average. His save percentage is the best in the league, and his 281 saves tie him with Oklahoma City Blazers netminder Andy Franck for a league-high, though Franck has had three more games to get there.

Poinstreak isn't kind enough to post saves per game, but Centomo has averaged 31.2 compared to Franck's 23.4. Of goalies who have started five or more games, only the Colorado Eagles' Andrew Penner (34) and the Tulsa Oilers' Kevin St. Pierre (32.3) have higher averages.

Saturday night was Centomo's first shutout with the Bucks, but probably not the first game in which he deserved one considering some of his outstanding previous performances. He had 16 others previously in his professional career, and according to what he told me today, he had to work a lot harder for those ones.

You can read more about his opinions and the fact that his shutout is more a reflection of the team in front of him improving than of him needing to get better in my notebook that will run in tomorrow's Times. Just to warn you, the notes at the end are a bit lengthy.

Speaking of shutouts, though, apparently Centomo's was just the second of the season in the CHL. That's kind of terrifying. New Mexico Scorpions netminder Jason Wolfe, who has a 2-3-1 record, 4.1 goals-against average and .877 save percentage, has the other, which came against the Amarillo Gorillas on Oct. 18.

Just because I know you were wondering (Or maybe I was.), I looked through the CHL scoreboards from last season, and through 92 games, there had been 11 shutouts, four by the Bucks. In those four games, Bucks netminders Dustin Traylen and Kevin Beech (who each had two shutouts) had an average of 19.5 saves per shutout. What a diffference a year makes, eh?

Meanwhile, Player of the Week honoree Michel Beausoleil also did a great job this weekend. He was a huge factor in achieving this shocking result, and I have to assume he was very deserving of the award. As Adam Dunivan said following that game, "That Beausoleil guy has some skill, eh?" And a pretty cool name to boot.

NHL Player of the Week awards were also handed out today, and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed Geno didn't get a nod after this game, but oh well. Not like he's the league's scoring leader or has a 13-game point streak or anything...

Meanwhile, the honorees are No. 1 star Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals center), No. 2 star Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals left wing) and No. 3 Star Dan Ellis (Nashville Predators goalie).

I just noticed that both of the NHL games to finish so far tonight when to shootouts, yeesh. Guess the Pens aren't the only ones who like winning the hard way.

NHL Scores: Islanders 2, Canucks 1 (SO); Rangers 2, Senators 1 (SO); Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 2; Red Wings 4, Oilers 0; Sharks 4, Predators 1.