Goalies Gillis and Skoggard Sign IceMen Tryouts
August 31, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Evansville IceMen News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN.--- The Evansville IceMen proud ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League and the Springfield Falcons and Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League, have addressed their goaltending position with training camp a mere one month henceforth in the Tri-State region.
On this date, the IceMen General Manager/Head Coach Rich Kromm has announced that the club has signed goaltenders BRYAN GILLIS and PETER SKOGGARD to official ECHL tryout agreements with both backstops expected to attend Evansville's opening of training camp as team tryout candidates.
GILLIS, 24, will be seeking to secure an IceMen roster berth, having earlier signed a CHL contract for the 2012-13 campaign with the Arizona Sun Dogs. The Halifax, Nova Scotia second year pro is coming off a magnificent rookie season in 2011-12 with the IceMen. In 38-games, he authored the league's premiere record of 38(26-8-1) as well as the circuit's supreme road record of a sparkling 15(13-2-0). For the overall season, "The Great Gilly in Goal" ranked league-wide fourth in wins (26), fourth in SPCT (.920) and sixth in GAA (2.51).
Named the IceMen Rookie of the Year as well as victor of the Team Three Stars Award, Gillis was utterly brilliant in the month of January, fashioning a perfect personified 10(10-0-0) mark, grudgingly surrendering a scant 12-GA for a GAA of a microscopic 1.19 with a SPCT of .962 and 2-shutouts. The 6-0, 170lb human puck detour dominated the CHL awards for that month as he captured CHL Goaltender of the Month, CHL Rookie of the Month while also being acclaimed CHL Goaltender of the Week on two more occasions. Following his undefeated month in January, Gillis registered another outstanding month in February with a 7(6-1-0) record, 2.21 GAA and .929 SPCT. For the two consecutive months combined, he assembled a masterful mark of 17(16-1-0).
As for Skoggard (SKOH-guard), the 24-year-old native of Lulea, Sweden is commencing his third pro season, having been plying his craft in the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League) for the past two years with the Augusta RiverHawks. In 2011-12, in 22-games, the 6-1, 190lb netminder helped spark his club to the SPHL Regular Season Championship, compiling a record of 20(12-5-3) with a 2.65 GAA and .906 SPCT.
One year previously, the Swede import saw service with four different teams in three assorted leagues. Skoggard launched that campaign in the FHL (Federal Hockey League) with the Broome County/Cape Cod Barons before gravitating to the Danbury Whalers of the same circuit. His tour continued to the ECHL for a brief one-game stint with the Elmira Jackals, climaxing with his first appearance in Augusta. His debut with the Georgia-based aggregation was certainly auspicious as he rang-up a perfect mark of 6(6-0-0) with a 2.54 GAA and .924 SPCT. His combined mark at Augusta; 26(18-5-3).
Currently, the IceMen have officially signed 10-players for 2012-13 with Gillis and Skoggard being the initial pair to be placed on ECHL tryout agreements.
The 10 IceMen players who have agreed to terms are: defensemen MATT GENS, JAKE OBERMEYER, JESSE PERRIN, PHILIPPE PLANTE; left wings JOSH BEAULIEU, MARK CODY; centers JASON DALE, TODD ROBINSON; right wings DAN GENDUR, TYLER SHELAST.
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ECHL Stories from August 31, 2012
- Jackals Announce Single-Game Ticket On-Sale Date - Elmira Jackals
- Steelheads, Stars Renew Affiliation Agreement - Idaho Steelheads
- Goalies Gillis and Skoggard Sign IceMen Tryouts - Evansville IceMen
- Stingrays Acquire Rights to ECHL All-Star - South Carolina Stingrays
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