SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Hershey Bears center Keith Aucoin has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Month for October. Aucoin led all AHL scorers with 14 assists and 19 points in 10 games as the Bears began their quest for a third consecutive Calder Cup championship.
Aucoin found the scoresheet in every game on the month, his fourth 10-game scoring streak since February 2009 (including playoffs). Seven of his 10 outings were multi-point performances, including five two-assist games and a pair of three-point nights. Aucoin opened the season with a goal and an assist at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Oct. 9, and he led the Bears to their first win of the season with two goals and an assist at Rochester on Oct. 10. He assisted on the game-winning goal on Oct. 24 vs. Adirondack and on the overtime winner on Oct. 29 at Syracuse, and capped the month with a goal and two assists on Oct. 31 vs. Manchester.
In recognition of his achievement, Aucoin will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bears home game.
Aucoin won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player and won his first scoring title with 106 points in 2009-10. The five-time AHL All-Star is the league’s active career scoring leader with 199 goals and 455 assists for 654 points in 587 career regular-season games. A Calder Cup champion with Hershey in 2009 and 2010, Aucoin also has eight goals and 18 assists in 74 career NHL games with Washington and Carolina.
Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Month include Abbotsford center Matt Keith, Adirondack center Jonathon Kalinski, Binghamton center Corey Locke, Bridgeport center David Ullstrom, Charlotte right wing Jerome Samson, Chicago right wing Darren Haydar, Grand Rapids right wing Jan Mursak, Hamilton center David Desharnais, Hartford center Kris Newbury, Houston left wing Robbie Earl, Lake Erie left wing Greg Mauldin, Manchester left wing David Meckler, Manitoba center Joel Perrault, Milwaukee left wing Linus Klasen, Norfolk center Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Peoria right wing Graham Mink, Portland right wing Mark Mancari, Rochester right wing Michal Repik, Rockford defenseman Brian Connelly, San Antonio right wing Mathieu Beaudoin, Springfield center Tom Sestito, Syracuse center Nick Bonino, Texas center Travis Morin, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton center Joe Vitale and Worcester right wing Benn Ferriero.
