The Toronto Marlies announced that Garret Sparks won Player of the Week for the span of time ending Nov. 8, due to winning all three starts for the Marlies, and in the process saving 96 of 101 SOG. Sparks earned starter status after an injury to Jonathan Bernier shuffled Antoine Bibeau to back up James Reimer in net for the Maple Leafs.
Sparks won all three games, elevating the Marlies to first in the North Division and second in the Eastern Conference, just below the WBS Penguins of the Atlantic Division. The Marlies are 10-3-0 so far this season, with Sparks 5-2-0 for these games.
According to the press release:
Sparks began the week with a 30-save shutout in a Wednesday matinee at Hartford, earning first-star honors in a 5-0 Marlies victory. On Friday night, Sparks made 32 saves and denied both Utica attempts in the shootout as Toronto edged the Comets, 5-4. And on Saturday, Sparks turned aside 34 of 35 shots and was again named the game’s first star in the Marlies’ 6-1 win at Binghamton. For the week, Sparks posted a 1.62 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage to go with his 3-0-0 record.
Sparks [has] a 2.24 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and one shutout. Sparks, 22, was a seventh-round draft choice by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011, and has a record of 19-8-2 with a 2.42 GAA, a .921 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 career AHL games.