Jackets Assign Pascal Leclaire And Jaroslav Balastik To Syracuse
Goaltender Martin Prusek Returns To Club Following Conditioning Assignment
PrintPrusek, 29, posted a 2-1-0 record with a 3.67 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in three games with the Crunch after joining Syracuse on a conditioning assignment on Oct. 4. Signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on Aug. 4, he has a record of 28-9-4 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 48 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators from 2001-04. In 2003-04, he posted a 16-6-3 mark with a 2.12 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in a career-high 29 games with the Senators.
Leclaire, Columbus' first pick, eighth overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft, appeared in two games with Columbus this season and was 0-2-0 with a 3.56 goals-against average and .873 save percentage. He missed nearly all of the 2004-05 season due to an abdominal injury. He was 5-6-3 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and two shutouts with the Crunch prior to suffering the injury.
Balastik, Columbus' ninth pick, 184th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft, made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets this season. He tallied 0-1-1, two penalty minutes and a +1 plus/minus rating in five games. He joined the Blue Jackets after leading the Czech Elite League in goal scoring the past two seasons. In 331 career games in the Czech Elite League, he registered 117-98-215 and 242 penalty minutes, including 30-16-46 and 74 penalty minutes in 52 games with Zlin in 2004-05.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Friday at Nationwide Arena, hosting the San Jose Sharks at 7 p.m. Television coverage of Friday's game on FSN Ohio begins with the IceBreaker pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. The game also will be broadcast live on the Blue Jackets Radio Network and flagship stations WBNS-AM Sports Radio 1460 the Fan and WWCD-FM, CD101.
