One of the four goalies the Reign began the season with returned today, when Mike Zacharias was claimed off waivers a day after being let go by the Idaho Steelheads.
Zacharias, 25, went 10-6-3 with a 3.28 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage last season with the Reign. He returned for training camp, but was cut when Karl Taylor decided to go with an opening-day tandem of Kellen Briggs and Kings prospect Martin Jones.
Zacharias was traded to the Steelheads and went 7-7-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average (14th in the ECHL) and .907 save percentage. Those numbers suffered from an 0-4-3 streak dating back to Dec. 17, during which his goals-against average was 3.70.
He was deemed the odd man out when Dallas Stars goalie prospect Tyler Beskorowany was re-assigned to Idaho, a Stars affiliate. The Steelheads’ other goalie, Jase Weslosky, began the season as an emergency backup, but signed a standard contract in December and wound up playing all nine of the Steelheads’ games this month.
No corresponding transactions have been officially announced, but expect Alex Petizian to be the odd man out – whether that means a spot on IR or the waiver wire is unknown. Beau Erickson just recorded the first shutout by a Reign goalie this season on Wednesday, and is 3-0-1 with a 1.71 goals-against average in his last four starts.