Kalamazoo's Nie named UHL's top rookie

Kalamazoo Wings goaltender Ryan Nie has been named the UHL’s Easton Rookie of the Year.

Nie’s rookie campaign rewrote both K-Wing and UHL history. The netminder, who led the entire league with seven shutouts, shattered the K-Wings’ UHL franchise records for both goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.929). His 2.02 GAA also establishes the UHL record for lowest GAA in a career. The UHL history books were also rewritten in February, when Nie logged three straight shutouts to help the K-Wings set the UHL team record for most consecutive shutouts at 203:39 minutes.

During the regular season, Nie earned the UHL’s Southern Sports Supply Goaltender of the Week on two separate occasions (February 18 and April 1), Eastern Rookie of the Month for February and Southern Sports Goaltender of the Month of March. On April 7, Nie was honored by the team as their Centennial Wireless Rookie of the Year during the K-Wings annual player award ceremony.

The league’s top rookie was honored on Monday as a member of the UHL All-Rookie Team.

Nie joins former K-Wing Jason Deitsch as the only other member of the franchise to receive the Easton Rookie of the Year award.