GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Following Jimmy Howard’s recall to the Detroit Red Wings yesterday, the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday signed goaltender Mitch O’Keefe to an amateur tryout.

O’Keefe, who turns 24 this Saturday, recently completed his junior season at Ferris State University, where he ranked among the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s leaders with a 10-8-5 record (0.543%, 6th), a 2.28 goals against average (5th) and a 0.920 save percentage (5th) in 24 games.

The Almont, Ontario, native is a two-time winner of the CCHA’s Goaltender of the Week award. His most recent honor came on Oct. 30, 2007, after he posted 37 saves in a 3-0 win over 12th-ranked Notre Dame on Oct. 27, the first of his three shutouts this season. No stranger to accolades, O’Keefe won his first weekly award as a sophomore on Nov. 27, 2006, and he was chosen as FSU’s Rookie of the Year for 2005-06.

O’Keefe is slated to back up Adam Berkhoel on Wednesday when the Griffins host the Lake Erie Monsters at 7 p.m.