March 25, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE â" March 25, 2009
Capitals Recall Simeon Varlamov from Hershey, Assign Daren Machesney, Chris Bourque, Steve Pinizzotto
ARLINGTON, Va. â" The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Simeon Varlamov from the American Hockey Leagueâ™s (AHL)
Hershey Bears and assigned goaltender Daren Machesney and forwards Chris Bourque and Steve Pinizzotto to Hershey, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.
Varlamov, 20, is a first-year pro who stands 6â™1â, 201 pounds. He has compiled an 18-6-1 record in Hershey this season and has two shutouts, a .910 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA). Varlamov is 3-0-0 with the Capitals this year, posting a .939 save percentage and 1.74 goals-against average. He made his NHL debut in Montreal on Dec. 13 and beat the Canadiens, 2-1, to become the youngest Russian-born goaltender to make an NHL start and the first NHL goalie in more than 30 years to win his debut at Montreal (since Hardy Astrom, New York Rangers, on Feb. 25, 1978). Varlamov is the first Capitals goalie to win his first three NHL starts since Jim Carey won his first four in 1994-95.
The Samara, Russia, native was the Capitalsâ™ first-round choice, 23rd overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He played in 44 games for Yaroslavl in the Russian Super League last year, posting three shutouts and a 2.45 GAA. Varlamov was selected to Russiaâ™s 2008 World Championship team but missed the competition because of an injury.
Machesney, 22, has dressed as a backup for the Capitals six times in his career, but has not seen any NHL action. Machesney, who stands 6â™1â, 285 pounds, is 19-9-1 with a 3.19 GAA and a .876 save percentage for Hershey this season.
Bourque, 22, has played in eight NHL games this season and recorded his first NHL goal in a 4-2 victory at Buffalo on Dec. 30. The 5â™10â, 177-pound Boston, Mass., native, has played in 12 career NHL games for the Capitals. Bourque is third in scoring for Hershey this season with 61 points, recording 18 goals and 43 assists in 60 games.
Pinizzotto, 24, stands 6â™1â, 200 pounds and returns to Hershey after being recalled Mar. 24. Pinizzotto has four goals and seven assists in 38 AHL games this season. He also spent time with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, recording four goals and six assists in 11 games.
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