by AMHERST, Mass. – UMass hockey freshman defenseman Brandon Montour (Six Nations) has been named to the 2014-15 Hockey East All-Rookie Team, the League office announced on Wednesday. Montour, who recently signed an NHL contract with the Anaheim Ducks, is the first Minuteman to earn an All-Rookie nod since Michael Pereira was honored in 2010-11.
Montour joined the Minutemen at the conclusion of the 2014 Fall semester and played in 21 games in 2014-15, amassing 20 points on three goals and 17 assists, including six multi-point efforts. He logged a career-high three assists in UMass’ five overtime victory over Notre Dame in the Hockey East Tournament. In Hockey East play he appeared in 12 games and had 12 points on two goals and 10 assists.
The Ohsweken, Ontario native’s 20 points were the most by a rookie defenseman in UMass’ Hockey East Era and his .95 points per-game average trailed only All-American Thomas Pöck’s 37 and 41-point junior and senior campaigns.
In his first full month of college hockey, Montour led UMass with 10 points in eight games in January on two goals and eight assists, including four multi-point efforts, and posted an even rating to earn Hockey East Rookie of the Month recognition. Seven of the defenseman’s 10 points came in special teams situations in January with a goal and three assists on the power play and a goal and two assists shorthanded, factoring in all of the squad’s three shorthanded tallies on the month.
