Sports stats



AHL Providence Bruins

P-Bruins Boychuk Named CCM AHL Co-Player of the Month

April 1, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Providence Bruins News Release


Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 17th season in the American Hockey League, announced that defenseman Johnny Boychuk has been named a co-winner of the league's CCM/AHL Player of the Month for March, sharing the honor with Justin Fletcher of the Peoria Rivermen. The fifth-year Boychuk finished the month with 13 points, including five goals and eight assists, along with a plus-12 rating as Providence compiled a 6-5-0-3 record. Fletcher totaled 15 points, including 12 assists, and a plus-eight rating in 14 games.

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

Boychuk, 25, began the month with a power play goal and matched a season-high with nine shots in a 6-4 road loss to the Hershey Bears. Providence fell by the same score the next game at the Toronto Marlies but Boychuk was a bright spot in tying a season-best with three assists. The 2009 Canadian All-Star starter wrapped up the month in fine fashion with points in four straight games, including three goals and four assists, two game-winning-goals, two top star honors and a plus-eight rating. Boychuk also concluded March with 78 shots, nearly double his total in any other month this year, to climb to second in the AHL with 273 shots, 33 behind Hershey forward Alexandre Giroux for the league lead.

Boychuk paces all AHL defensemen in several offensive categories, including points (63), goals (20), assists (43), power play goals (10), shots (273) and game-winning-goals (5). His 63 points in 73 games also rank first on the P-Bruins and his plus-21 rating is second behind defensive partner Jeff Penner's plus-25 mark. In addition, Boychuk has 14 multiple-point games and 34 power play points (10g, 24a). This season, the defenseman was named the P-Bruins' Player of the Month in October after totaling 12 points, including 10 assists, in eight games and he was awarded the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week honor on October 20, 2008 following a seven-point (g, 6a) three-game stretch.

Boychuk is in his first season with the Boston Bruins organization. He made his National Hockey League season debut on December 4, 2008 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, going scoreless in a 3-1 Boston win. He enjoyed previous NHL experience last season during a scoreless four-game stint with the Colorado Avalanche after spending most of the year with the Lake Erie Monsters. Boston acquired Boychuk on June 24, 2008 from Colorado in a trade for center Matt Hendricks. He was originally drafted by the Avalanche 61st overall in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Since, the Edmonton, Alberta native has played for Boston, Colorado, Providence, Lake Erie, the Albany River Rats, Lowell Lock Monsters and Hershey.

Providence Bruins single game tickets are on sale for the 2008-09 season. To purchase tickets or to learn more information, call the P-Bruins ticket office at (401) 273-5000 or log on to the team website at providencebruins.com.

Check out the Providence Bruins Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from April 1, 2009


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.

OurSports Central