HAVERHILL, Mass. – Junior
Ryan Zapolski of the Mercyhurst College men’s hockey team has been named Atlantic Hockey Association Goaltender of the Month for the month of December, league officials announced on Tuesday afternoon. For Zapolski, this is his second career AHA Goaltender of the Month honor after winning it last season.
Zapolski, an Erie, Pa. native, led the Lakers to a 3-0-1 record with a .967 save percentage and a 1.23 goals against average in the final month of 2009. In a two-game sweep of Connecticut he combined to stop 50 shots and allowed one power play goal as the Lakers prevailed 5-0 and 3-1. The 5-0 win marked his sixth career shutout and gave him the distinction of being the first Laker netminder to record consecutive shutouts.
The next weekend, Zapolski put on his best performance in a Laker uniform as he recorded a career-high 49 saves in a 3-3 tie against three-time defending league champion Air Force in Colorado Spring, Co. He then closed out the month with 36 saves in a 3-1 victory over the Falcons, giving Mercyhurst a share of first place in the league standings.
Mercyhurst (9-11-2, 9-5-2 AHA) opens up the 2010 home portion of its schedule this weekend with a two-game series against American International, beginning on Friday, Jan. 8 at 7:05 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.