Manitoba Moose

CHRIS CONNER NAMED AHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH

The American Hockey League announced today that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins right wing Chris Conner has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Month for February. Conner scored 10 goals and added nine assists for 19 points in 12 games on the month.   

Conner began February by scoring a goal in the Penguins’ 5-4 shootout win over Adirondack on Feb. 3. He had a goal and two assists in a 5-0 victory over league-leading Hershey on Feb. 13, then set a franchise record with six points – including his first career hat trick – to lead Wilkes-Barre to a 9-2 win over Albany on Feb. 17. Conner didn’t wait long to record his second hat trick, a three-goal, four-point performance on Feb. 27 to lead the Penguins past Providence, 5-1.   

In recognition of his achievement, Conner will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Penguins home game.   

Conner has registered 17 goals and 27 assists for 44 points in 39 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. He also has two goals and one assist in eight NHL games with Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old native of Westland, Mich., is in his fourth professional season and has totaled 153 points (67 goals, 86 assists) in 187 career AHL games. Conner has made 79 appearances in the NHL with Pittsburgh and Dallas, compiling nine goals and 15 assists. He signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh on July 5, 2009.   

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Month include Abbotsford defenseman Staffan Kronwall, Adirondack center Jared Ross, Albany right wing Jerome Samson, Binghamton center Martin St. Pierre, Bridgeport left wing Greg Mauldin, Chicago center Matt Anderson, Hamilton center David Desharnais, Hartford center Corey Locke, Lake Erie right wing Darren Haydar, Lowell center Ben Walter, Manitoba center Marco Rosa, Milwaukee goaltender Mark Dekanich, Norfolk left wing Juraj Simek, Peoria center Nicholas Drazenovic, Portland right wing Mark Mancari, Providence center Zach Hamill, Rochester defenseman Clay Wilson, Rockford center Matt Keith, San Antonio center Kyle Turris, Syracuse left wing Alexandre Picard, Texas defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, Toronto left wing Kyle Calder and Worcester defenseman Danny Groulx.

TYLER ENNIS NAMED AHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

The American Hockey League announced today that Portland Pirates center Tyler Ennis has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for February. In 14 games, Ennis registered six goals and 11 assists for 17 points as the Pirates jumped from fourth place in the Atlantic Division on Feb. 1 to first place by month’s end. 

Ennis began February with a two-goal effort in Portland’s 6-1 win over Manchester on Feb. 2, then added a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win at Providence on Feb. 5. He led the Pirates to a 5-4 victory over Adirondack on Feb. 13 with a goal and three assists – his third four-point game of the season, and recorded the game-winning goal plus two more helpers as Portland downed Hartford, 7-4, on Feb. 15. Ennis finished the month with a personal-best scoring streak of six games intact, highlighted by his overtime goal in a 2-1 triumph at Hartford on Feb. 27. 

In recognition of his achievement, Ennis will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Pirates home game. 

Ennis, 20, was a first-round draft choice (26th overall) by Buffalo in 2008 and currently leads all AHL rookies with 19 goals (tied), 40 assists and 59 points while playing in all 61 games for Portland so far this season. The Edmonton, Alta., native made his NHL debut with the Sabres on Nov. 14, 2009, and scored a goal in a 3-2 victory at Philadelphia. Ennis, who was named the MVP of the 2010 AHL All-Star Game, was a two-time WHL East First Team All-Star during his junior career with Medicine Hat. 

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month include Abbotsford center Mikael Backlund, Adirondack defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon, Albany defenseman Jamie McBain, Chicago defenseman Paul Postma, Hamilton defenseman P.K. Subban, Lowell defenseman Matt Taormina, Manchester left wing Dwight King, Manitoba right wing Dan Sexton, Norfolk center Dana Tyrell, Peoria center Brett Sonne, Rochester left wing Evgeny Dadonov, Rockford defenseman Brian Connelly, San Antonio right wing Matt Watkins, Syracuse center Tomas Kana, Texas center Travis Morin, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goaltender Brad Thiessen and Worcester goaltender Alex Stalock. 

MARK DEKANICH NAMED AHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH

The American Hockey League announced today that Mark Dekanich of the Milwaukee Admirals has been named the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for February. Dekanich allowed just six goals on 145 shots in six appearances on the month, posting a 5-1-0 record, a 1.07 goals-against average, a .959 save percentage and two shutouts. 

Dekanich made 22 saves on Feb. 13 as Milwaukee earned a 3-2 victory at Rockford. He then stopped all 25 shots he faced in a 2-0 win over Houston on Feb. 19, and allowed just one goal in 36 minutes of relief work on Feb. 27 as the Admirals rallied for a 7-6 overtime win over Chicago. Dekanich closed out the month with 34 saves – one shy of his season high – in a 4-0 decision at Peoria on Feb. 28, his third shutout in a span of seven starts. 

In recognition of his achievement, Dekanich will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Admirals home game. 

A second-year pro out of Colgate University, Dekanich has a record of 20-11-3 in 35 appearances for Milwaukee this season, and sports a 2.40 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. As a rookie in 2008-09, Dekanich ranked second in the entire AHL with a 2.09 GAA and fifth with a .923 save percentage while going 15-10-2 in 30 contests. The 23-year-old native of North Vancouver, B.C., was a fifth-round draft choice by Nashville in 2006. 

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month include Abbotsford’s David Shantz, Adirondack’s Johan Backlund, Albany’s Justin Peters, Chicago’s Drew MacIntyre, Hamilton’s Curtis Sanford, Hartford’s Matt Zaba, Lake Erie’s Tyler Weiman, Lowell’s Mike McKenna, Manchester’s Jonathan Bernier, Manitoba’s Cory Schneider, Norfolk’s Dustin Tokarski, Portland’s Jhonas Enroth, Rochester’s Alexander Salak, Rockford’s Corey Crawford, San Antonio’s Justin Pogge, Syracuse’s Kevin Lalande, Texas’s Richard Bachman, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Brad Thiessen and Worcester’s Alex Stalock.