ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears are proud to announce goaltender Alexei Melnichuk has been selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for March 21-27. It is the first time in his career that Melnichuk has earned the weekly honor, and the first time the Solar Bears have had two separate netminders selected as Goaltender of the Week during the same season (Brad Barone, Nov. 22-28). Melnichuk is also the first European goaltender in team history to achieve the feat.
Melnichuk, 23, went 2-0-0 with a 1.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .930 in three appearances last week. The netminder made 23 saves in his ECHL debut in a 4-3 overtime win vs. Florida on Thursday and made 30 saves in a 4-1 victory over Greenville on Friday. Melnichuk also started, seeing 39 seconds of game time, in Orlando’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Swamp Rabbits on Sunday.
Under contract to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Melnichuk was acquired by the Bolts in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 31. Melnichuk has also seen action in 31 American Hockey League games with the San Jose Barracuda this season, going 10-14-2 with a 3.92 GAA and a save percentage of .867.
Last season, he appeared in 17 AHL games with San Jose while also seeing action in three NHL contests with the Sharks.
Prior to coming to North America, the native of St. Petersburg, Russia played in 32 combined games for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he went 15-11-3 with a 2.19 GAA, a .920 save percentage and four shutouts.
Orlando Solar Bears ECHL Goaltender of the Week History:
John Curry – Jan. 14-20, 2013John Curry – Nov. 4-10, 2013Garret Sparks – Feb. 2-8, 2015Cal Heeter – Nov. 20-26, 2017Martin Ouellette – Feb. 4-10, 2019Clint Windsor – Nov. 4-10, 2019Clint Windsor – Feb. 22-28, 2021Clint Windsor – March 1-7, 2021Clint Windsor – April 5-11, 2021Clint Windsor – May 17-23, 2021Brad Barone – Nov. 22-28, 2021Alexei Melnichuk – March 21-27, 2022
NEXT GAMES: The Solar Bears head out on the road to begin a home-and-home series with the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday, April 1 at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum. Orlando returns home to host the Stingrays on Saturday, April at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center for First Responders Appreciation Night, presented by VyStar Credit Union. Earlier in the day, the Solar Bears will host the Guns ‘N Hoses Police vs. Fire charity game at 2 p.m.
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