It was a banner year for local hockey players in the American Hockey League.
Petrolia's Michael Leighton added his name the the AHL record books in March when he recorded his 46th career regular season shutout. He surpassed Johnny Bower, who earned 45 shutouts during 11 AHL seasons between 1945 and 1958.
It's not Leighton's first AHL record, he also owns the benchmark for saves in a single playoff game with 98, set in a five-overtime loss on Apr. 24, 2008.
Sarnia native Dustin Jeffrey finished fifth in league scoring, splitting time between Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Lambton Jr. Sting graduate also scored a goal in seven games with the Arizona Coyotes, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization at the NHL's trade deadline. Adding to his busy year, he became a father in late March with the birth of his son Nash.
Wallaceburg's Seth Griffith scored an impressive 77 points in 57 games, good for second in league scoring. It was his third full season in Providence, he also recorded an assist in four games with the Boston Bruins.
Griffith's Bruins take on Jeffrey and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round of the AHL playoffs which begin Wednesday night.
Leighton, Jeffrey and Griffith were all invited to take the AHL All Star Game in February.