(Niagara Falls, ON) The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018-19 PHPA – Meridian Game Saving Goalie Award as voted by ECHL players. 

The PHPA – Meridian Game Saving Goalie Award is presented to one goaltender from the ECHL Eastern and Western Conferences, who is known to consistently make the big save at the biggest moment of the game.  He can steal a win for his team, frustrate opponents, and is regarded as the hardest goaltender to play against.

ECHL Eastern Conference: Sean Bonar, Atlanta Gladiators

In his first full season with the Gladiators, the 28-year-old from Delta, British Columbia played in 48 games, recording 23 wins with an impressive 2.41 goals against average and 0.919 save percentage. The former Princeton University Tiger, was third in the ECHL in total minutes played with 2742 and fifth in shots against facing 1358.  Bonar also made his AHL debut this year, playing one game with the Providence Bruins.

“It’s pretty awesome,” said Bonar on receiving the award. “It’s pretty big for me to be playing in this league and playing against such strong competition. To be recognized by a lot of those guys that I respect and really like playing against is awesome. Lots of credit has to go to our team and our team defense for helping me achieve this award.”  

ECHL Western Conference: Michael Houser, Cincinnati Cyclones

The 25-year-old from Youngstown, Ohio had a dominant year with the Cincinnati Cyclones, backstopping 41 games for the club where he posted 29 wins and a remarkable 2.13 goals against average and 0.922 save percentage. A stat line that earned him a trip to the ECHL All-Star game, a spot on the 2018-19 All-ECHL First team, and ECHL Goaltender of the Year honours. No stranger to success, Houser was the CHL Goaltender of the year and the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2012 with the London Knights and has never had a save percentage under .900% in his professional career.

“It’s pretty cool, and it’s a really big honour,” said Houser on winning the Award for the second year in a row. “This year we had a really good team, and I had 6-7 really good defenseman in front of me that made it easy for me to go about my business.  One thing this year we were really good at as a team was hanging onto and protecting one-goal leads late in games.”