Reading's Ustimenko named Warrior Hockey/ECHL Goaltender of the Month

Kirill Ustimenko of the Reading Royals has been selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for January.

Ustimenko went 6-1-1 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in eight appearances during the month.

The 21-year-old allowed two goals or less in six of his eight appearances while making at least 24 saves five times. After suffering a loss in his first appearance of the month on Jan. 4 against Worcester, Ustimenko went 6-0-1 over his final seven starts.

Selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (80th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Ustimenko leads ECHL rookies, and is third overall in the league, with 18 wins while ranking sixth with a 2.48 goals-against average and tied for eighth with a .916 save percentage.

Ustimenko spent the previous three seasons in the Junior Hockey League (MHL) in Russia, and earned a bronze medal with Russia at the 2017 U18 IIHF World Championship. Last season, he led all MHL goaltenders, and set an all-time MHL record, with 12 shutouts, bettering his previous best of 11 from 2017-18.

Runners Up: Parker Gagagen, Newfoundland (4-1-0, 1.20 GAA, .964 save pct.) and Billy Christopolous, Toledo (6-1-0, 2.07 GAA, .931 save pct.).          

Also Nominated: Cole Kehler (Fort Wayne), Tomas Sholl (Idaho), Zach Fucale (Orlando), Gordon Defiel (Rapid City), Logan Thompson (South Carolina) and Alex D’Orio (Wheeling).