Bruins’ Whitfield earns weekly honor

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Providence Bruins center Trent Whitfield has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 6, 2011. Whitfield had a hand in seven of Providence’s 10 goals on the week, scoring four and assisting on three others as the Bruins collected a pair of home-ice victories.

Whitfield entered the weekend having recorded just two points in his previous 11 contests, but he erased that drought with a two-goal, one-assist performance in Friday’s 4-2 win over Charlotte, which came into the tilt on a six-game points streak. He followed that up by recording a season-high four points (2-2-4) on Sunday in a 6-0 win over Bridgeport, including a shorthanded goal and assists on a pair of power-play markers. Whitfield finished with seven points in a two-game span after recording seven points in his last 18 outings combined.

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

Whitfield, who missed the first three months of the season while recovering from an injury suffered over the summer, has registered 18 points (9-9-18) in 29 contests since returning to the Bruins’ lineup. Originally drafted by Boston, the 33-year-old Whitfield is a four-time 20-goal scorer at the AHL level and has totaled 549 points (222-327-549) in 698 career AHL games for Portland, Peoria, and Providence. A native of Alameda, Sask., Whitfield also shows 18 points (9-9-18) in 193 NHL contests with Washington, the N.Y. Rangers, St. Louis, and Boston.

Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Abbotsford right wing Ales Kotalik, Adirondack center Ben Holmstrom, Albany center Matt Anderson, Binghamton defenseman Andre Benoit, Charlotte center Zach Boychuk, Chicago forward Tim Miller, Connecticut left wing Brodie Dupont, Grand Rapids right wing Francis Pare, Hamilton left wing Nigel Dawes, Hershey right wing Brian Willsie, Houston right wing Jon DiSalvatore, Lake Erie right wing Matthew Ford, Manchester right wing Brandon Kozun, Milwaukee right wing Andreas Thuresson, Norfolk goaltender Dustin Tokarski, Peoria right wing Dave Spina, Portland right wing Mark Parrish, Rochester left wing Patrick Rissmiller, Rockford goaltender Hannu Toivonen, San Antonio right wing Matt Watkins, Syracuse left wing Josh Green, Texas center Aaron Gagnon, Toronto goaltender Ben Scrivens, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton right wing Geoff Walker and Worcester center Andrew Desjardins.

Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Week