Feb. 11, 2008

Ryan Miller
Michigan State
Buffalo Sabres
G (East Lansing, MI)

For the second consecutive week a goalie is the CCHA Alumnus of the Week. Former Spartan Ryan Miller backstopped the Buffalo Sabres to three wins in four games, making over 100 saves along the way. His week began on Tuesday in Boston, where he stopped 30 shots in a 4-2 win, earning first-star honors. The next day, he made 24 saves in regulation and overtime and added two more in a shootout en route to a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils and first-star honors. Two days later, the East Lansing native stopped 35 shots in regulation and overtime in a 3-2 shootout loss to the visiting Boston Bruins. He finished his week in Buffalo, making 22 stops in a 6-3 win, the 100th of his career, over the Florida Panthers. In three years at Michigan State, Miller led the Spartans to a pair of CCHA tournament championships and regular-season championships and picked up an NCAA-record 26 shutouts. During his freshman season, his solid play placed him on the CCHA All-Rookie team and the All-CCHA second team. He was also chosen as the CCHA tournament MVP. In each of the next two seasons he was selected as CCHA Player of the Year and was a member of the All-CCHA and All-American first teams. In 2001 he became only the second goalie to win the Hobey Baker award. The Buffalo Sabres draft pick made his professional debut in 2002 with the Rochester Americans of the AHL before joining the Sabres later in the year. He is in his third full season with the Sabres and has a career goals-against average of 2.64, a .910 save percentage and six shutouts.