Isaiah Saville

Since entering the play-for-pay hockey world last spring following three seasons at NCAA Division I Omaha, goaltender Isaiah Saville of Anchorage has put up numbers that mark the Vegas Golden Knights fifth-round draft pick as an NHL prospect.

Saville, 22, on Friday stopped 37 of 38 shots in regulation and overtime, and two of three shootout bids, to spearhead the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates to 2-1 shootout win over the Orlando Solar Bears.

That tidy work improved Saville to 2-0-2, with a 2.10 goals-against average that ranks fifth in the 28-team league and a .946 save percentage that ranks third on the circuit. All that looks a lot like what he did in the American Hockey League last spring after signing with Vegas. Saville for AHL Henderson went 6-1-0, 2.05, .929.

And here’s his combined pro numbers: 8-1-2, 1.81, .936.

Henderson (5-11-0), meanwhile, sits last in the 32-team AHL with a .313 winning percentage. The Silver Knights’ goalies have combined for a team save percentage of just .886, which won’t cut it at any high level of hockey.

Also in the ECHL on Friday, rookie Nolan Walker of Anchorage delivered his first multiple-point game as a pro with two assists for the Newfoundland Growlers in a 5-4 overtime win against the Maine Mariners. Walker owns 2-2—4 totals and an even plus-minus rating in 14 games.

Moving on to men’s NCAA Division I play Saturday, Providence defenseman Cam McDonald of Eagle River blocked a team-high three shots for the No. 9-ranked Friars in a 4-3 overtime defeat of Vermont. McDonald’s 21 blocked shots in 13 games tie for second among Friars.

Nicole Ness

In women’s Division I, Nicole Ness of Anchorage chipped in her first goal of the season and four shots on goal for RIT in a 2-1 overtime loss to visiting Lindenwood.

Also, Mikayla Lantto of Wasilla furnished Long Island University with a goal in a 3-2 win over Stonehill. Lantto owns 4-7—11 totals in 15 games to tie for first on the team in assists, tie for second in goals and rank second in points. She leads LIU with 40 shots on goal and her plus-7 rating is second on the club.

In women’s Division III play, congrats to rookie forward Sydney Leonard of Anchorage, whose first career goal for UMass-Boston was one to remember. Leonard, playing in her fourth college game, scored on an overtime breakaway in a 2-1 win over William Smith.

Amber Steinhilpert

Also in DIII, Anchorage’s Amber Steinhilpert scored Alvernia’s goal in a 2-1 loss to Neumann. With 6-2—8 totals in eight games, she leads Alvernia in goals and is tied for first in points.

Wasilla’s Darci Matson scored a power-play goal and fired 10 shots on goal for Aurora in a 2-2 tie at Lake Forest because, well, that’s what Darci Matson does. She has at least one point in all eight games this season, has at least five shots in every game, and checks in with 12-9—21 totals. She was a Second-Team All-American last season as a rookie.

Speaking of rookies, and Wasilla, St. Norbert winger Bailey Brunnhoelzl of Wasilla scored a goal in Saturday’s 8-0 win over visiting Finlandia to push her season scoring line to 5-3—8 in nine games. She’s tied for second on her team in goals and her two power-play strikes ties for the team lead.

On the men’s DIII side, props to rookie goaltender Austin Ryman of Fairbanks, who turned back 19 shots to bag his first college shutout in Bethel’s 4-0 win over Gustavus. He’s 2-1-0, 1.68, .932.

Kevin Lake

On the flip side, Hamline goaltender Kevin Lake of Anchorage played well all weekend but had nothing to show for it. Saturday, he stopped 32 of 34 shots in a 3-1 loss to visiting St. Olaf. That came one night after making 33 saves on 36 shots in a 3-1 loss at St. Olaf. So, 65 saves on 70 shots (.929) but zero wins. Still, Lake is 3-4-0, 2.74, .919.

Elsewhere, Ryan Bailey of Anchorage scored one of Fredonia’s goals and assisted on the other in a 3-2 loss to Potsdam. He fired four shots and went plus-2. Bailey’s 4-3—7 totals in seven games gives him the team lead in goals and points.

Lastly, Anchorage’s Maksis Brimanis is off to a solid start to his career at Wisconsin-Stout. He scored a goal Saturday in a 4-1 win at Wisconsin-Superior to give him 2-3—5 totals in eight games.

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