Storm to lose goalie MacIntyre
4/20/2006The Toledo Storm will be without the services of its exceptional goalie, Drew MacIntyre, for the next round of the playoffs.
MacIntyre will be called back up to Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League for the Griffins' first-round playoff series. MacIntyre will be returned to Grand Rapids today.
MacIntyre will switch spots with Logan Koopmans and will back up Grand Rapids starter Jimmy Howard. Koopmans returns as the Storm's No. 1 goalie and will start in Toledo's next playoff game.
MacIntyre served as the Griffins' backup for nine games in March before returning to the Storm on April 4.
MacIntyre had won seven straight games since returning to Toledo.
Koopmans, who was projected to be Toledo's No. 1 goalie at the start of the year, missed most of the season with a shoulder injury.
Koopmans returned March 24 and posted a 3-2-0 record before swapping places with MacIntyre in Grand Rapids. Overall, Koopmans was 7-2-1 with a 2.93 goals-against average and .912 save percentage with the Storm this season.
MacIntyre and Koopmans have both been called upon to be the No. 2 netminder in Grand Rapids since Joey MacDonald suffered a back injury in March.
MacDonald's return is doubtful for the Griffins first-round series against Toronto, which begins tomorrow.
MacIntyre finished the regular season with the best GAA (2.06) in the entire ECHL, which also set a franchise record.
Koopmans played just two periods for Grand Rapids, giving up five goals with a .722 save percentage.
MAGOWAN SITS ONE OUT: Storm left winger Ken Magowan was a healthy scratch for last night's contest. He had injured his elbow, but is expected to return for Toledo's next playoff game.
Magowan had not collected any points in the first two playoff games, but had a plus-minus rating of plus-1.
ATTENDANCE WOES: Johns-
town, which had the worst attendance in the league with 2,421 per contest this year, has drawn the smallest crowd thus far in the postseason. Only 1,069 fans attended the Chiefs win over Trenton on April 10.
For last night's do-or-die playoff tilt, 1,277 fans saw Johnstown play its final game of the season. The Chiefs' home rink, Cambria Country War Memorial Arena, was built in 1950 and seats 4,001.