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The American Hockey League announced today that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins center Kris Beech has been named the CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending December 19, 2004. In three games, Beech tallied two goals and five assists for seven points as the Penguins continued to climb the East Division standings.
Beech recorded two goals and two assists as the Penguins rolled to a 7-1 win over Albany on Wednesday, his second consecutive four-point performance. He then added three assists to tie a personal season high on Friday night as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earned a 5-4 win over Syracuse. Beech, who has put up seven points in each of the last two weeks, saw his scoring streak end at eight games (4g, 13a) in Sunday’s 3-1 loss to league-leading Manchester.
In recognition of his achievement, Beech will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Penguins home game.
A native of Salmon Arm, B.C., the 23-year-old Beech has totaled seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points in 29 games with the Penguins this season, tied for third in the AHL in assists and tied for eighth in points. The seventh overall pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Beech now has 46 goals and 73 assists for 119 points in 132 career AHL contests, all with Wilkes-Barre, to go along with 10 goals and 17 assists in 99 NHL games with Pittsburgh and Washington.
Other nominees for CCM Vector/AHL Player of the Week include Albany center Pascal Rheaume, Binghamton forward Chris Kelly, Bridgeport defenseman Chris Campoli, Chicago right wing J.P. Vigier, Cincinnati center Zenon Konopka, Cleveland left wing Josh Prudden, Edmonton goaltender Tyler Moss, Hartford defenseman Lawrence Nycholat, Hershey left wing David Masse, Houston goaltender Mike Smith, Lowell forward Colin Forbes, Manchester center Yanick Lehoux, Manitoba center Ryan Kesler, Norfolk left wing Quintin Laing, Philadelphia center Patrick Sharp, Portland left wing Tomas Fleischmann, Providence left wing Andy Hilbert, Rochester defenseman Nathan Paetsch, San Antonio forward Juraj Kolnik, Springfield goaltender Brian Eklund, Syracuse right wing Joe Motzko and Utah center Erik Westrum.
