SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch center Peter Holland has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for March. Holland tallied 18 points on four goals and 14 assists and recorded a plus-12 rating in 15 games to help the Crunch climb back into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
Holland began the month with an assist each in back-to-back games on Mar. 2 and Mar. 3, and scored once in regulation and once in the shootout to help Syracuse to a 2-1 win over Albany on Mar. 9. Holland then totaled 12 points in a six-game span, including with two goals and an assist at Springfield on Mar. 10 and a season-high three assists vs. Albany on Mar. 11. Holland had a four-game scoring streak from Mar. 16-23, and registered two assists on Mar. 30 at Adirondack for his sixth multi-point effort of the month.
Syracuse, which was in 14th place in the Eastern Conference as recently as the morning of Mar. 14, now sits in seventh, three points up in the race for a playoff spot with two weeks to go in the regular season.
Holland, a 21-year-old native of Toronto, is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in scoring with 58 points (22 goals, 36 assists) in 66 games for Syracuse this season, placing second on the team in scoring. A first-round draft choice (15th overall) by Anaheim in 2009, Holland has also skated in four NHL games for the Ducks, totaling one goal. Holland played four seasons of junior hockey with Guelph (OHL) before making his professional debut with the Crunch late last season.
In recognition of his achievement, Holland will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Crunch home game.
