RIVERKINGS NET ROOKIE GOALTENDER HILTON
Canadian college goalie comes to defend Mississippi crease

SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings of the Central Hockey League (CHL) today (August 30th, 2010) announced the signing of rookie goaltender Brant Hilton to the 2010-2011 roster.  The addition of Hilton brings to 16 the number of player signing announcements made by the RiverKings in the off-season.  Hilton is the third announced goaltender added to the roster for the upcoming year. 

Mississippi RiverKings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Kevin “Killer” Kaminski looks forward to bringing Hilton into training camp.  “Brant comes highly recommended by a lot of contacts in that area and he has the numbers to prove it,” Kaminski said.  “He brings a great work ethic and is a very solid technical goaltender, plus he brings character and enthusiasm and a desire to win.”

The 6-foot, 200 pound native of Winnipeg, Manitoba comes to Mississippi from the University of Regina (Saskatchewan), where he played the past three seasons for the Cougars, starting in 50 of the 51 contests he competed in. 

Hilton’s career statistics with the University of Regina include five shutouts, a goals-against-average of 2.70, while stopping just over 90 percent of opposition shots taken (.903). 

Arguably, his best season at the U of R was his first year, when Hilton was named to the 2007-08 CIS All-Rookie Team, the Canada West All-Rookie Team and was the University of Regina’s Male Rookie Athlete of the Year.  Brant broke the school record for lowest goals-against-average (2.26) for the Cougars that season, while stopping pucks at a rate of 90.6%. 

One year later, Hilton posted the school’s second-best all-time goals-against-average (2.36), which was just above his first year total.  Brant’s .914 save percentage tied for the second-best in school history and he fashioned a pair of shutouts in a 5-8-0 conference season. 

Last year, Hilton played in 16 conference games for the Cougars, starting 15 of those contests for a 5-11-0 record, a 3.69 GAA, and a save percentage of .888.  Brant recorded his fifth career shutout last season on February 5th against the University of Manitoba and earned a season high 37 saves in a 2-1 win over the University of Saskatchewan last October 17th.  At the end of last season, Hilton’s 2.70 goals-against-average was the lowest in Regina school history. 

Hilton is looking forward to the opportunity to play for the RiverKings.  “I've heard nothing but good things about the franchise and the people within it,” Brant said.  “The RiverKings came to me with sincere interest and it seemed like a good fit. I've also heard that coach Kaminski is a very fair coach that demands hard work on and off the ice. His coaching style seems similar to that of coaches I've had in the past.”

Hilton came to Regina from a junior hockey career split between the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.  In the MJHL, Brant played for the Winnipeg South Blues, posting a 31-15-2 record in 2006-07, a .925 save percentage and a goals-against-average of 2.60.  Hilton won the league’s Garry Memorial Park Trophy as its Most Valuable Player that season. 

His WHL background includes two seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders and four games at Swift Current with the Broncos in the 2005-06 campaign.