Utica, NY – The American Hockey League announced today that Utica Comets goaltender Thatcher Demko has been selected as the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October.
Demko helped the Comets through the gauntlet of a season-opening seven-game road trip and allowed eight goals on 160 shots in five appearances, going 4-1-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average, a .950 save percentage and one shutout.
Beginning his second professional season on Oct. 7, Demko stopped 24 of 26 shots in a 3-1 loss in Toronto, then came back with a 33-save shutout at Rochester on Oct. 13. He made 24 saves in a 3-2 win at Syracuse on Oct. 14, and turned aside 40 shots in the Comets’ 5-1 win in Rochester on Oct. 21. And after a two-day recall to Vancouver, Demko finished the month with a 31-save effort in a 6-3 victory at Charlotte on Oct. 29.
A second-round choice (36th overall) by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2014 NHL Draft, Demko posted a record of 22-17-4 in 45 games with Utica as a rookie in 2016-17, with a 2.68 GAA, a .907 save percentage and two shutouts. The 21-year-old native of San Diego, Calif., played three seasons at Boston College and won the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA’s top goaltender in 2015-16.
Each monthly award winner will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming home game in recognition of his achievement.
