ALBANY, N.Y. - ECAC Hockey men’s monthly awards were announced Tuesday, March 3 as Eric Neiley, Dartmouth was voted Player of the Month; Rensselaer’s Drew Melanson was tabbed as Rookie of the Month; while Tim Ernst was named Goaltender of the Month.

Player of the Month

Eric Neiley, Dartmouth College

(Senior, Forward - Warminster, Pennsylvania)



Neiley was third in the league in points in the month. He scored four goals in eight games during February, of which three were game-winners, the most by any player in ECAC Hockey during the month. His play in the last four weeks was the catalyst for Dartmouth's late-season run that has them just outside the top-4 in league play.



Other nominees: Cole Bardreau, Cornell, Daniel Ciampini, Union, Mike Doherty, Yale, Matt Lorito, Brown, Tyson Spink, Colgate & Jimmy Vesey, Harvard

Rookie of the Month

Drew Melanson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

(Freshman, Forward - Paramus, New Jersey)



Melanson led the Engineers in assists (4) and points (7) in eight February contests. He had at least one point in six games with one multiple-goal game. He is currently on a five-game scoring streak with three goals and three assists. He had at least one shot in seven contests and was a minus in only two of the games despite Rensselaer posting a 1-5-2 record. Melanson currently leads the Engineers in scoring with 20 points on nine goals and 11 assists in 32 overall games.



Other nominees: John Baiocco, Yale, Ryan Scarfo, Union & Landon Smith, Quinnipiac

Goaltender of the Month

Tim Ernst, Brown University

(Sophomore, Goaltender - Pickering, Ontario)



Ernst was the backbone behind Brown’s resurgence at the end of the season when he took over as the team’s starting goaltender. He went 4-1-2 during the month of February with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. He also added one shutout, his second of the season, when he blanked Union on the road, 1-0, with 36 saves including 16 stops in the third period. He made at least 30 saves in four out of the seven games, fueling Brown’s six-game unbeaten streak during the month.



Other nominees: Charlie Finn, Colgate, Michael Garteig, Quinnipiac, James Kruger, Dartmouth, Alex Lyon, Yale, Steve Michalek, Harvard & Colin Stevens, Union

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