Chiller Instinct names 25-year-old goaltender Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes the Primetime Performer for the month of January 2010.

Ward stood tall for the struggling Hurricanes since our calendars first read 2010, but especially during our CI's Primetime Performance period. The Saskatchewan native was the 1st star in three games on Saturday and Sundays, and added a third star showing as well, for 17 total points. During the month, he improved his record by nine wins to 14-19-5, his goals-against up to 2.70, and now holds a respectable .914 save percentage (keep in mind that to begin the year, Ward's record of 5-14-5, 3.12 GAA, and save percentage of .898 were atrocious and Carolina was dead last in the NHL).

Incredibly, Ward has not recorded a shut-out yet this season. Now for most of the hockey world, that may not come as to big of a surprise if you were looking at the Carolina Hurricanes' position in the National Hockey League standings, but it would...if you were aware of his track record in January.

A leg injury kept him out of action for nearly a month in November and he got up-to-speed during December. It has taken some time, but 'the Warden' has battened down the hatches and is poised to give fits to the opposition down the stretch. For the month of January, the Hurricanes won nine out of 14 games and scored 45 goals while giving up only 31 (+14). Ward was an extremely large part of the turn around.

Others posting superb months were Tomas Vokoun of the stellar Panthers, Vancouver's Roberto Luongo (13 points), and King's centre Anze Kopitar (12 points).

As for the team showings, the Florida Panthers have grabbed the number one ranking, putting together 50 total points, followed by the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks at 40 total. At 39 each, the Phoenix Coyotes and L.A. Kings round out our top five teams. 

Read the entire listing here.

1 February 2010 / Robin Keith Thompson