NortheasternUniversity goaltender Brad Thiessen (Aldergrove, B.C./MerrittCentennials and Prince George Spruce Kings) has been named an NCAADivision I first-team All-American.
Thiessen, a Hobey Hat Trickfinalist as one of the top three players in the nation, is the Huskies'first All-American since forward Jason Guerriero in 2005. BostonUniversity defenseman Matt Gilroy won the Hobey Baker Award.
Thiessen,a junior, signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins lastweek after leading Northeastern to one of the best seasons in programhistory. Thiessen became one of Northeastern's most decorated hockeyplayers this season. In addition to All-American and the Hobey HatTrick, he was named NU's first-ever Hockey East Player of the Year andNew England's Most Valuable Player.
He was the only unanimousHockey East All-Star, was named All-New England, Hockey East ITECHGoaltending Champion and won the Three Stars Award. He was named HockeyEast Player of the Month in October and Hockey East Goalie of the Monthin November, January and March. Thiessen led the Huskies to one of thebest seasons in program history, posting a 25-12-4 record, 2.12 goalsagainst average and .931 save percentage in 41 games.
Northeasterntied the program record with 25 wins, finished second in the HockeyEast regular season for just the second time ever and made its firstNCAA Tournament appearance since 1994. Northeastern has reached theNCAA Tournament just four times, including the Frozen Four in 1982 whenthe Huskies went 25-9-2.
Thiessen played every minute in net in2008-09. Going into the NCAA Tournament, he led the nation in minutesand saves. He finished the season with totals of 2495:44 minutes and1195 saves. No other goaltender had more than 1100 saves. His 2.12goals against average ranked 12th in the nation. He averaged 29.1 savesper game. In 2008-09, Thiessen had three shutouts, 16 games allowingone goal or less, and 24 games allowing two goals or less. Northeasternwas 19-1-4 in those games.
Thiessen set Northeastern's seasonrecords in every major category: wins (25), goals against average(2.12), save percentage (.931), saves (1195), games (41) and minutes(2495:44). Thiessen is Northeastern's career leader in goals againstaverage (2.40), save percentage (.922) and shutouts (nine). He rankssecond all-time in saves (3166) only to two-time All-American BruceRacine (1984-88) and third in games (111) and minutes (6661:23) behindonly Racine and Keni Gibson (2001-05).
Northeastern has onlyhad three Hobey Baker Award top-10 finalists in Thiessen, Sandy Beadle(1981) and Jim Fahey (2002). Fahey, a defenseman, was also a Hobey HatTrick finalist in 2002 when he had 14 goals and 32 assists for 46points in 39 games.
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