Hartford's Dan Cloutier named Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week
CANOE.COM
WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA. The American Hockey League announced today that goaltender Dan Cloutier of the Hartford Wolf Pack has been named Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, November 9, 1997. Cloutier won all three starts for the Wolf Pack allowing just six goals in the three games. In recognition of Cloutier's achievement Sher-Wood will contribute a dozen hockey sticks and a case of InGlasCo pucks to the Hartford Police Athletic League Youth Hockey Association at Cloutier's request.
A native of Mont-Laurier, Quebec, Cloutier was undefeated for the week helping Hartford run it's home winning streak to five straight. He opened the week on Wednesday with a 35 save effort in Hartford's 2-1 overtime win over Hershey. He followed with a 24 save effort in a 5-3 triumph over New Haven on Friday. He closed out his week on Saturday by shutting down Springfield with 39 saves in a 6-2 Wolf Pack win. Cloutier tied an AHL season high with 23 saves in the second period against Springfield.
Cloutier was drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round (26th overall) of the 1994 draft. The 21-year-old former OHL All-Star (2nd Team 1996) made his AHL debut last season posting 23 wins in Binghamton in 60 outings for the Rangers. In recognition of his outstanding rookie season he was voted to the 1996-97 Bauer AHL All-Rookie Team.
Other players nominated for the Sher-Wood AHL Player of the Week include Adirondack left wing Darryl Laplante, Albany right wing Bobby House, Cincinnati goaltender Tom Askey, New Haven right wing Kevin Brown, Philadelphia center Jim Montgomery, Portland center Benoit Gratton, Rochester defenseman Rumun Ndur, Saint John Flames left wing Paxton Schulte St. John's Maple Leafs center Brandon Convery and Syracuse left wing Peter Schaefer.