With Carolina goaltender Brian Boucher suffering an injury during Monday’s practice in Calgary, the Hurricanes summoned reinforcements in the form of the Checkers’ Mike Murphy on Tuesday morning.
This marks the first NHL recall for Murphy, a 2008 sixth-round pick of the Hurricanes now in his third professional season. Murphy has recorded nine of the Checkers’ 15 wins this season, posting an overall record of 9-5-0. At the time of his recall, he ranked tied for 12th in the AHL with a .922 save percentage and tied for 15th with a goals-against average of 2.44.
Together with teammate Justin Peters, Murphy, who has won each of his last three starts, has helped the Checkers post the league’s fifth-best team goals-against average (2.56) despite ranking in the league’s bottom third in terms of average shots allowed per game (32.1). He most recently appeared in the Checkers’ 4-3 win against Lake Erie on Sunday, making 24 saves.
The recall of Murphy, who is expected to join the Hurricanes for Tuesday’s game in Calgary, leaves the Checkers with just one healthy goaltender on its roster. Though the team is off until Friday’s contest in Texas, rookie John Muse of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades would be next in line for a recall. Through 10 games this season, Muse ranks tied for fourth in the league with a .928 save percentage and sixth with a 2.28 goals-against average.
Muse, an offseason free-agent signing of the Checkers who won two NCAA national championships with Boston College, dressed as a backup for five AHL games from Oct. 22-30 as Peters was sidelined by injury, but did not see game action.
