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Michael Leighton records 45th career shutout, ties Johnny Bower for AHL record
Michael Leighton has joined Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bower atop the American Hockey League record books.
Leighton made 20 saves on Friday as the Rockford IceHogs blanked the Chicago Wolves 6-0. The shutout was Leighton’s 45th of his AHL career, tying him with Bower for the league record.
The 34-year-old Leighton, who was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks 165th overall in 1999, hit the mark in his 428th AHL game while it took Bower 592 to set the bar.
Leighton, from Petrolia, Ont., made his AHL debut in 2001 with Norfolk and has suited up for Rochester, Portland, Philadelphia, Albany, Adirondack and Rockford. Bower, meanwhile, spent eight seasons with Cleveland before the New York Rangers gave him an NHL shot in 1953.
The 90-year-old from Prince Albert, Sask., would see more time with Cleveland and had a stop in Providence before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1958 at the age of 33.
This season Leighton is 23-4-4 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .932 save percentage with the IceHogs.
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