Iowa's Smith named Howies Hockey Tape/ECHL Rookie of the Month

Iowa Heartlanders’ forward Jake Smith has been named the Howies Hockey Tape ECHL Rookie of the Month for January. Smith scored 10 goals and added 10 assists for 20 points in 13 games during the month. The 24-year-old had at least one point in 11 of his 13 games in January, with five multi-point games, including a five-point night (3g-2a) on Jan. 9 at Rapid City and three points (2g-1a) on Jan. 14 against Kansas City. He was named ECHL Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 16 after recording six points (4g-2a) in three games. A native of Pickering, Ontario, Smith has tallied 22 points (10g-12a) in 21 games with the Heartlanders after beginning the season by skating in five games with Kansas City. Smith has totaled 55 points (27g-28a) in 60 career games in the Southern Professional Hockey League with Evansville and Birmingham. Prior to turning pro, Smith totaled 113 points (52g-61a) in 176 career games with Acadie-Bathurst, Chicoutimi and Val d’Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League. Runners-Up: Brett Kemp, Greenville (7 gp, 5g, 9a, 14 pts.) and Daniel Mannella, Tulsa (5-2-0, 1.99 GAA, .934 save pct.). Also Nominated: Luc Brown (Idaho), Logan Lambdin (Kalamazoo), Bailey Conger (Kansas City), Odeen Tufto (Orlando), Brett Gravelle (Rapid City), Brandon Schultz (Toledo), Chris Ortiz (Wheeling) and Michal Stinil (Wichita).