MONTREAL – McGill goaltender Mathieu Poitras of Gatineau, Que., has been invited for a try-out with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.

It will mark the third NHL look for the 6-foot, 180-pound senior who previously had tryouts with Anaheim (2004) and Washington (2005).

The 25-year-old mechanical engineering major posted a 26-9-0 record overall this season with two shutouts, a 1.86 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.

Poitras, an Academic All-Canadian who received permission to have his April exams deferred, will graduate this spring as the all-time winningest goalie in McGill history with an 81-35-6 record. He has registered 16 shutouts in 130 career contests with a 2.24 GAA and .921 save percentage.

Anaheim has indicated to Poitras that they plan to use him as their third-string goalie until their farm team is done with playoffs. The Ducks dispatched reserve netminder Jean-Sebastien Aubin to the Portland Pirates, their American Hockey League affiliate in Maine, on March 30.

Montrealer Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the Ducks starter, while Swiss native Jonas Hiller serves as back-up.

Should Poitras get into a game, he would become the 155th player – and the 11th from McGill -- to make the jump from Canadian Interuniversity Sport to the NHL. The last McGill player to make the show was Tampa Bay forward Mathieu Darche, who is scheduled to suit up for his 100th career NHL game on Thursday, when the Lightning play in Washington.

Mike Mole, a CIS goaltender from St. FX, recently signed with the New York Islanders and is also vying to crack an NHL lineup.

McGILL PLAYERS IN THE NHL

1917-19 Bert Lindsay (goaltender; Montreal Wanderers and Toronto Arenas)

1924-28 Sam Rothschild (goaltender; Montreal Maroons, Pittsburgh Pirates and N.Y. Americans)

1926-28 Lester Patrick (defenceman; New York; also coached from 1926-39)

1933-39 Russ Blinco (forward; Montreal Maroons and Chicago Blackhawks)

1934-35 Nels Crutchfield (defenceman; Montreal Canadiens)

1934-37 Jack McGill (left wing; Montreal Canadiens)

1946-58 Johnny Peirson (forward; Boston)

1948-54 Jack Gelineau (goaltender; Boston & Chicago)

1950-53 Reggie Sinclair (right wing; New York & Detroit)

2000-08 Mathieu Darche (left wing; Columbus, Nashville, San Jose, Tampa Bay)

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SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer & Webmaster
Dept. of Athletics (office 225-B)
McGill University
475 Pine Ave. W.,
Montreal, Que. H2W 1S4

(514) 398-7012 (phone)
(514) 398-1956 (fax)
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
www.athletics.mcgill.ca