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Jets’ Pavelec back to Europe, this time in Finnish league

Ondrej Pavelec

Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec looks to the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

AP

After a tough stint in the Czech Extraliga and a brief return to North America, Ondrej Pavelec is crossing the Atlantic yet again.

This time, the Jets goalie will join SM-liiga club Pelicans. News of his signing appeared on the Pelicans website Monday, meaning he’ll soon be skating alongside fellow locked-out NHLer Jamie McBain, who signed with Pelicans in early November.

Pavelec is essentially a replacement for San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi, who played 10 games for Pelicans on a lockout deal earlier this season, posting a 3.11 GAA and .904 save percentage.

Prior to signing in Finland, Pavelec appeared 14 games for Liberec of the Czech league, posting a 3.50 GAA and .896 save percentage. While those numbers were hardly awe-inspiring, it should be noted he played extremely well while representing the Czech Republic in recent international play.

The 25-year-old left Liberec in mid-November, stating his desire to return to Canada because “the NHL season could be saved.” But with no new CBA agreement on the horizon, he felt it best to head back overseas and get more work before the commencement of the 2012-13 campaign.