Phantoms G Heeter named AHL Player of Week

It's been a long time coming for some good things to happen with the Adirondack Phantoms, and the first in what we hope is a series of fortune during their final season in Glens Falls happened today.

The American Hockey League recognized Cal Heeter as the top player in the league for last week, the first player on the club to be so honored this season, and the first for the franchise since the long-departed Brian Stewart (1/2/2011).

In addition, Heeter became the first goaltender recognized with the AHL's weekly award since Antero Niittymaki for the week ending November 16, 2003 for the Philadelphia Phantoms.

Heeter finished the week with a 3-0-0 record along with a superlative 0.33 goals-against average, .989 save percentage and a pair of shutouts.

Included in that run was a 24-save, 2-1 victory over Worcester at the Civic Center on New Year's Eve, along with back-to-back whitewashes of Hershey (1-0 OT) and Albany (4-0) on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The 25-year-old product of Ohio State upped his season record to 13-10-0, while lowering his GAA to 2.03 and his league-leading save percentage to .932. His four shutouts are tied for tops in the entire AHL.

For Niittymaki, the award was the first step in alerting the Flyers' front office to his potential. The flexible Finn was called up to the NHL by the following February.