Whitley to make AHL debut

Chris Whitley’s star keeps on rising.

Whitley, who spent five seasons between the pipes with the Lakehead  Thunderwolves, has made the jump to the American Hockey League. The 27-year-old Oshawa native was called up to the Lake Erie Monsters, and is expected to start his first AHL game on Saturday at home against Grand Rapids.

In his first professional season, Whitley has spent the vast majority of the 2009-10 campaign with the Central Hockey League’s Allan Americans.

The former OUA most valuable player is seventh in the CHL with a 2.64 goals against average in 38 games, with a 27-8-3 record, a .913 save percentage and one shutout.

Teammates in Allen include former Thunderwolves star Tobias Whelan, who has 26 points in 44 games, Longlac’s Nathan O’Nabigon and Thunder Bay’s Erik Adams.

Lake Erie is the primary farm team of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.