ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rookie Tyler Pham led Atlantic Hockey in points among first year skaters and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year, while Zak Zaremba was the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award as the postseason honors were awarded on Thursday night.
Pham finished the year with a team high 29 points on nine goals and 20 assists. The forward led the team with five multi-point games with his best outing coming against Mercyhurst on Nov. 8 with a season high four points on two goals and two assists. He skated in the next game and put up a season-best three assists against Holy Cross on Nov. 14 in an overtime victory.
He started his career on a four-game point streak and had a team long five-game streak in the middle of the season, highlighted by a three-point night against AIC with all of the points coming in the first period. He was dynamite down the stretch with eight points in his last nine games and had two multi-point games. He had a two-assist night against Canisius in a 2-1 win on the road and then had a goal and an assist at home on Senior Night to help the Black Knights to a 5-1 victory.
“Tyler proved that, not only was he a top rookie in this league, but he was a top player,” head coach Brian Riley said. “Every night on the ice he was a difference maker and he is a very dynamic player that earned the respect of the coaches throughout Atlantic Hockey after his performance this past season.”
Pham was named to the All-Rookie team earlier this month and it was the third-straight year Army has put a skater on that list as C.J. Reuschlein earned a spot last season and Joe Kozlak in 2013. Pham was named AHA Rookie of the Week twice and Rookie of the Month in November. He is the first rookie for Army to win the AHA Rookie of the Year honor.
Zaremba played in all 34 games for the Black Knights this season and finished with three goals and three assists. He ended his career with 136 games played, which is the most among his classmates and he had 21 goals and 20 assists in an Army hockey uniform. He went to the box only three times all season and concluded his career with a total of nine visits to the sin bin.
“Zak is one of those players that plays the game the right way,” Riley said. “He respects the game and his opponents every time he steps foot on the ice. I think for that reason, he was recognized and he is a very deserving recipient of the honor.”
Zaremba was the second Army skater to be rewarded for his sportsmanship as he joins Chris Garceau, who earned the honor in 2005. The Black Knights have won it as a team in 2009 and 2010.
MAJOR AWARDS
Best Defensive Forward: Matt Garbowsky, RIT
Best Defenseman: Steve Weinstein Bentley
Individual Sportsmanship: Zak Zaremba, U.S. Military Academy
Rookie of the Year: Tyler Pham, U.S. Military Academy
Player of the Year: Matt Garbowsky, RIT
Coach of the Year: Derek Schooley, Robert Morris
Scoring Trophy: Matt Garbowsky, RIT (28 gp, 23-21–44)
Goaltending Trophy: Keegan Asmundson Canisius (19 gp, 1.89 GAA; .931 saves %)
Team Sportsmanship: American International College
2014-15 Regular Season Champions: Robert Morris University
FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Matt Garbowsky, RIT
Cody Wydo, F, Robert Morris
Andrew Gladiuk, F, Bentley
Steve Weinstein, F, Bentley
Chris Rumble, Canisius
Matt Ginn, Holy Cross
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Ralph Cuddemi, Canisius
Josh Mitchell, RIT
Cole Gunner, Air Force
Brady Norrish, RIT
Ryan Misiak, Mercyhurst
Keegan Asmundson, Canisius
THIRD TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Daniel Bahntge, Mercyhurst
Zac Lynch, Robert Morris
Brad McGowan, RIT
Alexander Kuqali, RIT
Chase Golightly, Robert Morris
Jayson Argue, Bentley
Dalton Izyk, Robert Morris
GLADIATOR CUSTOM MOUTHGUARDS ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Tyler Pham, U.S. Military Academy
Jack Riley, Mercyhurst
Brady Ferguson, Robert Morris
Brady Norrish, RIT
Keegan Harper, Niagara
Jayson Argue, Bentley
