Aces' Minard Named CCM TACKS ECHL Player Of The Month

January 7, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL) News Release

PRINCETON, N.J. - Alaska Aces right wing Chris Minard is the CCM TACKS ECHL Player of the Month for December.

The 24-year-old led the ECHL and the Aces with 16 goals, including six power-play goals, and 24 points to help Alaska finish 10-1-1 in 12 games in December. Minard also led the league in plus-minus rating (+16) and tied for the league lead in scoring.

The 6-foot-2 and 215-pound Minard had eight multiple-point games and six multiple-goal games, including four straight two-goal games from Dec. 19-31. The Aces entered the month with a five-game winning streak and extended it to 11 games before losing 5-4 in overtime at Victoria on Dec. 16. During the month-opening six-game winning streak, Minard had nine points (6g-3a) including four points (3g-1a) in a 5-1 win at Pacific Division leader Fresno on Dec. 4.

Minard, who is under contract to Albany of the American Hockey League which called him up on Dec. 5, scored two goals in five of the last six games in December, including the last four games, and ended the month on an 11-game scoring streak (16g-8a).

He leads the Aces and is tied for the league lead with 25 goals and five game-winning goals while his 38 points in 29 games ties him for fourth in the league.

In 2004-05, Minard led the league with 49 goals and was fourth in scoring with 78 points in 69 games and finished second in voting behind teammate Scott Gomez for Most Valuable Player. He spent his rookie season in 2002-03 with Pensacola and scored 32 points (15g-17a) in 72 games and in 2003-04 played in the Central Hockey League with Tulsa.

Runners Up: Alex Kim, San Diego (11gp, 9g, 10a, 19 pts) and Ryan Kinasewich, Utah (13gp, 10g, 14a, 24 pts).

Also Nominated: Nicolas Corbeil (Augusta), Mike Bayrack (Charlotte), Travis Lisabeth (Columbia), Brian Gornick (Dayton), Kevin Bergin (Florida), Cory Murphy (Fresno), Troy Milam (Gwinnett), Garett Bembridge (Idaho), Matt Dzieduszycki (Las Vegas), Adam Courchaine (Pensacola), Jason Deskins (Phoenix), Mike Kompon (Reading), Matt W. Reid (South Carolina), Adam Keefe (Toledo) and Scott Bertoli (Trenton).

• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...

ECHL Stories from January 7, 2006

• Aces win in Bako, 7-4 - Alaska Aces
• Ice Dogs Drop Another, Lose To Steelheads 4-1 - Long Beach Ice Dogs
• Wranglers silence Thunder 2-1 - Las Vegas Wranglers
• Checkers lose two leads and game to Greenville 4-3 - Charlotte Checkers
• Gulls Rip Grizzlies, 6-2 - San Diego Gulls
• Falcons Cruise to Victory - Fresno Falcons
• Steelheads Keep Ice Dogs In Check, Win 4-1 - Idaho Steelheads
• Ice Pilots Lose 6-3 At Florida - Pensacola Ice Pilots
• Falcons clip Salmon fins - Victoria Salmon Kings
• Pittman's hat trick leads Titans to 5-2 win over Royals - Trenton Devils
• Gladiators win 7th Straight in 6-3 win against Columbia - Atlanta Gladiators
• Royals Win Streak Snapped In Trenton, 5-2 - Reading Royals
• Rays sting Lynx 6-3 - Augusta Lynx
• ECHL Transactions - ECHL
• Wranglers' McKenna named Rookie of the Month - Las Vegas Wranglers
• Minard, Underhill take home ECHL Monthly awards - Alaska Aces
• Mike Kompon Loaned To Manchester - Reading Royals
• Schell called up to AHL Chicago - Atlanta Gladiators
• San Diego Looks For Fourth Win In The Last Five Games - San Diego Gulls
• Lynx announce time changes for remaining home games - Augusta Lynx
• Greenville Wins In Shootout 3-2 - South Carolina Stingrays
• Aces' Underhill Named RBC Financial Group ECHL Saver Of The Month - ECHL
• Wranglers' McKenna Named CCM Vector ECHL Rookie Of The Month - ECHL
• Aces' Minard Named CCM TACKS ECHL Player Of The Month - ECHL
• ECHL Today - ECHL
• Munce Upon A Time: 63 Saves in Road Shootout Win - Bakersfield Condors
• Royals Pull Out Sixth Win In A Row By Beating Johnstown, 4-3 - Reading Royals
• Thunder and Utah battle in physical affair in 5-1 Stockton setback - Stockton Thunder
• Ice Dogs Fire 64 Shots, Fall To Condors 2-1 In Shootout - Long Beach Ice Dogs
• Grizzlies Silence Thunder 5-1 - Utah Grizzlies
• Falcons splash Salmon Kings - Victoria Salmon Kings
• Gulls Steal Win From Idaho, 2-1 - San Diego Gulls
• Checkers can't hold back Lynx, lose at Aiugusta 7-3 - Charlotte Checkers
• Wranglers top Roadrunners, 3-1 - Las Vegas Wranglers
• Gulls Score Late to Shock Steelheads, 2-1 - Idaho Steelheads
• Falcons Return to Winning Ways - Fresno Falcons

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.