As we’ve been documenting for some time the AHL club of Manitoba is on quite the run. They’ve won eight of their last nine games and just concluded a really significant six-game road trip where they did battle with three different divisional opponents and they ended it 5-1-0. All of which translates to a six-point cushion for the final playoff spot in the Central.
Part of the reason for this run has been the goaltending and specifically that of rookie goalie Thomas Milic. The Jets prospect has won six straight games including winning all five of his starts that he got on this recent road trip.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Kozub/Manitoba Moose
The AHL announced today that Milic had been named AHL Player of the Week.
When we spoke to him after practice today at Canada Life Centre he was appreciative but also humbly credited his teammates for their roles in his winning this award.
“It’s pretty special. Nice feather to have in the cap. It really speaks to how well our team is playing right now. Obviously it’s not a one man effort to achieve something like that.”
While it may not be a one man effort as he suggests his effort as one man were significant. He went 3-0-0 with a 1.30 GAA, a .953 save% allowing just four goals on 85 shots. He also got his first AHL shutout.
Teammate Tyrel Bauer, who spent a few years with Milic in Seattle with the Thunderbirds of the WHL, spoke about his teammate winning AHL Player of the Week:
“I’ve played with Tommy for a long time. I’ve never had a doubt in Tommy, I’ve believed in him the whole way. I’ve stood by that for years. To see it kinda all shape up for him is incredible. He deserves it. And he’s gonna keep it rolling. We’ll keep playing hard, blocking shots in front of him. and nobody gets to touch Mili or Deals (Colin Delia) for that matter. He’s gonna keep that rolling too, help us win games.”
Moose head coach Mark Morrison on the timely saves Milic made for his club:
“He made some timely saves for us. There were times in some of those games where you’re not going to dominate for 60 minutes and those periods of time where we we’re stuck in our own end or long shifts in our end, he made some timely saves which changes games. He’s played really well for us and we continue to expect that performance from him.”
And while some folks questioned his time in the ECHL, Milic saw the benefit in it helped him with his transition from junior to his first season as a pro.
“I think it just made the transition a little easier. Had some time there to really figure out the pro game. I think it made the transition to the AHL a little easier.”
First of many awards for the Jets goalie prospect.
