MISSOURI'S LOACH NAMED SHER-WOOD UHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH/
FLINT'S RICHARDS NAMED UHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH

Thursday, January 6, 2000

LAKE ST. LOUIS, MO . . . The United Hockey League announced today that Missouri River Otters left wing Lonnie Loach has been named Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Month and Flint Generals goaltender Mark Richards has been named UHL Goaltender of the Month for December.

Loach finished the month with 24 points (11-13) and a +6 rating in 11 games. He recorded at least one point in each of the 11 contests, including eight multi-point performances. The 31-year-old native of New Liskeard, Ontario ended the month with a four point performance, including a hat trick, against Quad City on December 30. Loach also had three games in which he registered three points (12/10 vs. Muskegon, 12/15 vs. Port Huron and 12/29 vs. Mohawk Valley). A former NHL forward, he leads the River Otters and is tied for sixth in the UHL in scoring with 49 points (19-30) in 28 games. In recognition of Loach's selection as the Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Month, Sher-Wood will make a hockey product donation to the St. Peters Spirits Youth Hockey League in his name.

Other players nominated for the Sher-Wood UHL Player of the Month include: Adirondack left wing Bobby Cunningham, Asheville center Brent Gretzky, B.C. left wing Mark Dutiaume, Flint defenseman Gary Roach, Fort Wayne center Keli Corpse, Knoxville defenseman Doug Searle, Madison center Randy Holmes, Mohawk Valley defenseman Don Martin, Muskegon center Quinn Hancock, Quad City left wing Glenn Stewart and Rockford right wing Mike Figliomeni.

Richards finished the month with a 10-1-1 record, a 2.40 GAA, and a .914 save percentage in 13 games leading the Generals to the UHL's best overall record. He held his opponents to three or fewer goals in nine of his 12 starts, including two shutouts and allowed only 29 goals on 336 shots. The 30-year-old native of Abington, PA posted his first shutout of the season on December 5, against Mohawk Valley, stopping all 23 shots he faced. On December 26, he stopped all 32 shots as Flint defeated the Ohio Gears (2-0). In a losing effort against Fort Wayne (December 4), Richards faced 40 shots in regulation but the Generals fell in a shootout (5-4). On the season, Richards has a 20-4-3 record with a 2.83 GAA and an .889 save percentage. He leads the UHL in victories, ranks fifth in GAA and is tied for second in shutouts (2).

Other goaltenders nominated for the UHL Goaltender of the Month include: Adirondack's Todd MacDonald, B.C.'s Dieter Kochan, Madison's Eoin McInerney, Missouri's Brian Regan, Mohawk Valley's Patrick Charbonneau, Muskegon's Joe Dimaline and Rockford's J.F. Rivard.