Rapid City's Saulnier named Howies Hockey Tape/ECHL Rookie of the Month

Action photo of Rapid City's Brennan Saulnier

Rapid City Rush forward Brennan Saulnier is the Howies Hockey Tape ECHL Rookie of the Month for January.

Saulnier scored 10 goals and added 10 assists for 20 points in 14 games during the month.

The 26-year-old tallied at least one point in nine of his 14 outings in January, including seven multi-point games. Saulnier had a goal and three assists in a 5-2 win against Cincinnati on Jan. 10 and had a hat trick while adding an assist in a 7-4 loss to Wichita on Jan. 25. He ended the month with eight points (5g-3a) over his final three games.

A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saulnier is third among ECHL rookies with 19 goals and is tied for second among first-year players with 37 points in 41 games with the Rush this season.

Prior to turning pro, Saulnier recorded 56 points (21g-35a) in 119 career games at the University of Alabama-Huntsville.

Runners Up: Parker Gagagen, Newfoundland (4-1-0, 1.20 GAA, .964 save pct.) and Kirill Ustimenko, Reading (6-1-1, 1.87 GAA, .935 save pct.).

Also Nominated: Tommy Marchin (Atlanta), Alan Lyszczarczyk (Fort Wayne), Brett Supinski (Idaho), Tristin Langan (Orlando), Logan Thompson (South Carolina), Troy Loggins (Toledo), Brandon Hawkins (Wheeling) and Beau Starrett (Wichita).