Cam Johnson wins ECHL title, named MVP of playoffs
Jun. 12—ESTERO, Fla. — Cam Johnson has backstopped another team to a championship in the state of Florida.
The netminder who helped UND win the 2016 NCAA national title in Tampa did it again Saturday night two hours down the road in Estero, Fla.
Johnson led the Florida Everblades to their second ECHL title, beating Toledo 4-2 in Game 5 to clinch their best-of-seven Kelly Cup Finals series.
Johnson was named the MVP of the playoffs, going 15-3 with a .931 save percentage and a 1.90 goals-against average. He also posted four shutouts in the playoffs, the second-most all-time.
After the game, Johnson was presented the June M. Kelly Playoffs MVP trophy by ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin.
Florida's other title came in 2012.
Johnson, under a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, split time between their minor league affiliates — the Cleveland Monsters in the American Hockey League and the Everblades — this season.
In Cleveland, Johnson went 6-9-4 with an .882 save percentage and a 3.27 goals-against average. In Florida, he was 10-3-2, .913 and 2.07 during the regular season.
Johnson played four seasons at UND from 2014-18.
He served as a backup to Mike Richter Award winner Zane McIntyre in 2014-15, then assumed the starting role during the 2015-16 season.
Johnson posted a shutout streak of 298 minutes, 25 seconds — the longest in school history and second-longest in NCAA men's history — as a sophomore. He was named MVP of the Cincinnati Regional, where the Fighting Hawks beat Northeastern and Michigan en route to the NCAA Frozen Four.
In Tampa, UND beat Denver 4-2 and Quinnipiac 5-1 to win the program's eighth NCAA national title. Johnson was named to the all-tournament team.
Johnson signed with the New Jersey Devils in 2018 and has served as a backup goalie in the NHL with both the Devils and Blue Jackets.
The Troy, Mich., product will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
