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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Return Brittain, Recall Gill

March 12, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has returned forward Josh Brittain to the ECHL's Reading Royals, and have recalled goaltender Riley Gill from Reading. The announcement was made by Bears President/GM Doug Yingst.

Brittain, 24, has appeared in 20 games with the Bears this season, recording four points (three goals, one assist), 26 penalty minutes and a plus-three rating. He returns to the Royals where he has tallied at a point-per-game average of 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 21 games. Brittain recorded three consecutive game-winning goals prior to his Saturday recall to Hershey, and leads Reading with six winners on the season.

The 6-5, 230-pound native of Milton, Ontario split the 2012-13 campaign between the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets and the AHL's Norfolk Admirals. In just 31 games with Fort Wayne, Brittain recorded 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) and ranked sixth on the team in goal scoring. His plus-10 efficiency rating also stood up as the squad's best at the end of the season. In 43 games with the Admirals, Brittain netted 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) while tying for second on the team in game-winning goals (three).

Brittain has played in a total of 114 American Hockey League games with Syracuse, Norfolk and Hershey, totaling 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists).

Prior to turning pro, Brittain played four years of junior hockey with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, Barrie Colts and Plymouth Whalers, amassing 152 points (80 goals, 72 assists) in 258 games. He also won the gold medal with Team Canada at the 2008 Under-18 World Championship. Brittain was originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the third round (71st overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

With the Bears, the 28-year-old Gill recorded his first AHL complete game on January 4 at Adirondack, and picked up his first AHL victory on January 12 against the Albany Devils at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, finishing with 29 saves and garnering first-star accolades. In three appearances with the Bears this season, Gill holds a record of 2-1-0, a goals-against average of 1.66 and save percentage of .948.

In 29 games with Reading this season, Gill has a 16-11-1 mark, a 2.49 goals-against average and save percentage of .918.

The 6-1, 215-pound native of Northfield, Minnesota spent most of the 2012-13 season with the SPHL's Louisiana IceGators. Despite joining the Royals in February, Gill finished the season as the SPHL leader in shutouts (five) and tied for the league lead in victories (25).

Gill went on to finish with a record of 10-3-1 and three shutouts in 14 appearances in Reading, and became the first Royals goaltender to earn Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks. He was also selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month of March.

The Royals later captured the franchise's first Kelly Cup championship behind Gill, who went on to earn the ECHL Playoff MVP honor after posting a 13-3-1 playoff mark and four shutouts.

Prior to turning pro, Gill played four years of collegiate hockey at Western Michigan University (CCHA).

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