Jason Saal can thank the Columbia Inferno for his rise up the ECHL record book.
The Augusta Lynx goaltender made 27 saves Friday night to shut out the Inferno for the second time in a row, moving him into sole possession of second place in the league with 19 career shutouts.
"That tells me I've been around for a while," said Saal, who is 29 and in his 10th professional season.
The second-year Lynx didn't even realize he'd climbed the record book until his teammates reminded him after the game. He only needs two more to tie Marc Magliarditi, who plays for Las Vegas, for the all-time record.
Converted defensemen Todd Bennett and Louis Goulet and forwards Jamie Johnson and Matt Dzieduszycki each scored for the Lynx, who won 4-0 to snap a two-game losing streak.
Saal's second shutout of the season came on an unlikely night. The Lynx dressed just 16 players and had only three regular defensemen. But Goulet and Bennett combined with regulars Phil Cole, Sean Connolly and Treavor Peterson to keep Saal free of second-chance shots for most of the night.
"Today we took away lanes, we were more patient in the neutral zone," Lynx coach Stan Drulia said. "We still had our turnovers in our own end, but they were fewer.
"I think having Louis Goulet and Todd Bennett back there playing D, both of them can move the puck, I think that helped us transition a lot better."
Goulet will stay on defense for the time being, but Bennett will return to the wing tonight after Drulia traded with the Reading Royals for a defenseman. Augusta sent forward Mike Sandbeck to Reading, which only had six forwards, while the Lynx will get Joe Markusen to help their thin back line.
"We're both giving up very good kids," Drulia said. "Sandy was great in our locker room, but ultimately we needed a defenseman and that's what it boiled down to."
The Lynx (13-18-4, 30 points) have now beaten the Inferno (17-11-3) twice in three meetings. Augusta has outscored Columbia 7-0 in the wins.
The Lynx scored three times in the final period, with the final goal coming with less than a minute to go.
With the win, the Lynx became just the third team to beat all-star Mike Minard (13-3-2), who threw his stick up in apparent disgust after Dzieduzycki's last-minute goal. And he wasn't the only one disgusted. The two teams combined for nine penalties in the final two minutes of the game.
Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com
STAR OF THE GAME: Lynx goaltender Jason Saal stopped 27 shots for his second shutout of the season. The 29-year-old veteran moved into sole possession of second place all-time in the ECHL with his 19th career shutout.
TURNING POINT: Louis Goulet's power-play goal in the third period gave the Lynx a 2-0 lead and an extra cushion for Saal.
PLUS: The Lynx shut out the Inferno for the second time in a row and won despite dressing just 16 players.
TONIGHT: 7:35, South Carolina at Lynx.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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