Semifinalists for the 59th Walter Brown Award

Boston, MA- The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Monday the 15 Division I players who are semifinalists for the 59th Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. Among the recognized players are former New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs teammates Paul Thompson (University of New Hampshire), Denny Kearney (Yale University), and James Mello (Dartmouth College). All three played for the Monarchs during their 2007 EJHL Championship season. Thompson won the EJHL Most Valuable Player award for the 2006-07 season which saw him score 83 points, a record that has only been equaled by one other player. Kearney finished second in scoring that year with 75 points. Mello was in net for the Monarchs’ two shutout wins in the Dineen Cup Championship Series and proceeded to win Goaltender of the Year after the 2007-08 season. The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the award next month, following league playoffs and before the start of the NCAA Tournament. The award will be presented to the winner at the New England College Hockey Writers Dinner in April. Alumni from the Eastern Junior Hockey League have won the Walter Brown Award in each of the previous two seasons. Bobby Butler (UNH/ Junior Bruins) won the award last season and Matt Gilroy (Boston University/ South Shore Kings) won the award in 2009. -Mike Klein, 19 February 2011