Soccer

Pat Onstad.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

HOUSTON -- Canadian Pat Onstad of the Houston Dynamo was named the inaugural winner of Major League Soccer's Degree Men Save of the Year award Wednesday.

Onstad, 41, of Vancouver was honoured for a double save on a penalty kick against the Colorado Rapids. Voting for the award was conducted by fans.

With Houston winless through its first four games and clinging to a 1-0 lead, Onstad came up huge in 84th minute. Facing Conor Casey -- later named to the MLS Best XI -- on a penalty kick, Onstad dove to his right but reached back with his left hand to stop Casey's initial shot.

The ball bounced off the crossbar and back into play. Onstad got to his feet and shifted to his left-hand post in time to stop a follow-up header from Terry Cooke and clear that rebound. The save preserved the win and keyed a club-record-tying 11-game unbeaten streak.

It was also part of a 491-minute shutout streak, the longest in MLS this season.

Onstad won four individual and one combined Save of the Week honours during the regular season.

Onstad is the all-time MLS leader in goals against average (1.05) and the league's oldest player. He has appeared in all 3,030 of the Dynamo's minutes in MLS play, including the playoffs.

He led the league with 13 wins and tied for second with 10 shutouts during the '09 season, helping the Dynamo tie for the fewest goals allowed. Onstad followed up his regular season with career bests in goals against average (0.55) and shutouts (two) and a 313-minute shutout streak, again tops in the league, during the postseason.