Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) announced Tuesday morning that
Robert Morris University sophomore goalie
Dalton Izyk has been named the season's first
Travel Team USA Goaltender of the Week.
Izyk, who stopped 28 shots in RMU's 3-0 victory over Lake Superior State on Saturday at 84 Lumber Arena, has earned this honor the past three times it's been awarded. The 5-foot-11 netminder from Oswego, N.Y., also claimed the prize on March 18 and 25 while helping the Colonials surge to their first AHA postseason championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament.
After watching junior goalie
Terry Shafer look strong in Friday's season-opening win against the visiting Lakers, Izyk stepped into the crease Saturday for his first career start at the RMU Island Sports Center. The shutout was Izyk's second in 11 starts with the Colonials and boosted his collegiate save percentage to .923.
"It was good to get out there and face some shots," Izyk said of his performance. "Everyone held together...helping me out and giving (LSSU) nothing. It's nice to get some momentum and carry that on."
Following two seasons with the Indiana Ice of the top-tier United States Hockey League, Izyk played in five regular-season games as an RMU freshman, but he was suddenly thrust into the crease when Shafer suffered a hip injury during the Colonials' first-round AHA playoff series in early March. The 20-year-old Izyk went on to post a .941 save percentage as Robert Morris won five consecutive games to grab the conference title.
Izyk, who is majoring in finance and accounting, was named to the AHA all-tournament team for his springtime efforts. He also earned the
Pop Tops Sportswear AHA Goaltender of the Month prize for March and was dubbed the conference's final Rookie of the Week for 2013-14.
RMU (2-0-0) begins AHA play against Niagara on Friday at home. The Colonials, who topped the Purple Eagles in last spring's AHA semifinal on their way to the conference championship, will travel to western New York on Saturday to complete the home-and-home series.
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