Walleye's Richards earns honor

Walleye goalie Alec Richards makes a stop against the Cincinnati Cyclones earlier this week. THE BLADE Enlarge | Photo Reprints

PRINCETON, N.J. – Alec Richards of the Toledo Walleye is the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for Feb. 6-12.

The 24-year-old was 4-0-0 with a goals-against average of 1.93 and a save percentage of .941 last week as the Walleye moved to within four points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a season-high four-game winning streak.

Richards, who was reassigned to the Walleye from Rockford of the American Hockey League last Monday, made 40 saves in his first start with the Walleye this season on Wednesday in a 2-1 win at Cincinnati.

He followed that up with 42 saves, and a four-for-four showing in the shootout, in a 3-2 win at Wheeling on Friday. Richards then turned aside 22 shots in a 4-3 win against Cincinnati on Saturday before ending the week with 24 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Cyclones on Sunday.

A native of Robbinsdale, Minn., Richards has appeared in 38 career games with Toledo going 21-12-5 with one shutout, a 3.19 goals-against average and a save percentage of .902. He has appeared in 22 games this season with Rockford, where he is 7-11-12.