Coyotes' Burke named player of week
January 6, 2003 Print it
NEW YORK -- Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Sean Burke, who posted three consecutive victories, was named the NHL player of the week Monday.
Burke recorded a 1.61 goals-against average and .953 save percentage last week to edge Colorado Avalanche centre Peter Forsberg, Vancouver Canucks winger Markus Naslund and New York Islanders winger Mark Parrish for the award.
Burke made 30 or more saves in each of his three appearances, beginning with 31 stops in a 4-3 overtime victory against Edmonton Dec. 30. Burke also made 31 saves in a 2-1 overtime victory at Washington Jan. 1 and turned aside 40 shots in a 4-1 victory at Detroit Jan. 3.
A finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season as the league's top goaltender, Burke has been limited to just nine appearances this season due to injury. The 35-year-old Windsor, Ont. native returned to action Dec. 28 after missing 29 games with a high ankle sprain.
But he suffered a sprained knee in the victory at Detroit and is expected to miss approximately three weeks.
Playing in his 15th NHL season, Burke has posted 281 career victories and is 19 from becoming the 20th goaltender in NHL history to reach 300.
