(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, announced today that the team has acquired veteran goaltender Shane Owen from the Wichita Thunder for future considerations. Owen will make his Rush debut tonight in the series finale with the Utah Grizzlies tonight, and will wear #31.
Owen comes to the Rush after skating this season with BIK Karlskoga in the Allsvenskan and the Wichita Thunder in the ECHL. In the Allsvenskan, the 6’1”, 185-pound net-minder posted a 3-10-0 record in 13 games with a 2.88 GAA and .909 SV%. He added an additional 2 games in Wichita, going 0-2-0 with a 4.16 GAA and .887 SV%.
A native of Shanty Bay, Ontario, Owen is no stranger to the ECHL, or “AA” hockey, having skated in 197 games between the former CHL and ECHL. In his ECHL career, Owen has 145 games to his credit, and an all-time record of 58-63-4-9, with a 2.92 GAA, .907 SV%, and 5 shutouts to his name with the South Carolina Stingrays, Florida Everblades, Alaska Aces, Utah Grizzlies, Indy Fuel, Stockton Thunder, Elmira Jackals, and Thunder. His breakout season as a professional came in the last season of the Central Hockey League, where in 52 games with the Missouri Mavericks he posted a 35-15-1 record with 1 shutout, a 2.58 GAA, and .917 SV%. Not only were his 35 wins the best in the CHL that season, and his GAA and SV% third-best in the league, Owen finished as a finalist for CHL Goaltender of the Year, and was named to the All-CHL team for his outstanding campaign. Prior to playing professionally, Owen played in the OHL with the Erie Otters and in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats, the latter of which he won a QMJHL championship with in 2010.
The Rush and Grizzlies will conclude their pair of matchups tonight at the Maverik Center, with puck drop slated for 7:05 p.m. MST.
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