The weekly awards keep rolling in for the Jacksonville Icemen. Monday, captain Christopher Brown picked up the league’s Player of the Week honors for the week of Dec. 11-17. The captain banked seven points in just three games on the road last week. Brown is the third Icemen player to pick up a weekly league award in the last month, joining goaltenders Matt Vernon and Michael Houser, who both previously earned Goaltender of the Week nods (Vernon Nov. 20-26, Houser Dec.4-10).
Brown’s POTW honors come on the heels of a two-week stint on the road for the Icemen. The road trip wrapped up last week with a marathon of hockey, the team playing three games in three nights in three different cities. The scenery didn’t matter much to forward Christopher Brown, as the Icemen captain had multi-point nights in each of the three outings.
In Thursday’s 5-4 over the Savannah Ghost Pirates, Brown posted two goals and one assist for three points. In both Friday’s win in Atlanta and Saturday’s home loss to South Carolina, he tacked on a goal and an assist each for two points. Altogether, it was four goals and three assists in 72 hours, earning Brown the title of ECHL Player of the Week.
Scoring at a 1.26 points per game pace, the Icemen captain has been hot since the first puck drop of the season. Posting 24 points (10g, 14a) in just 19 games, Brown is second in Icemen team scoring, trailing only Brendan Harris. Where he’s seen the majority of his success this season is on special teams.
The Icemen captain is fourth in the league for powerplay, scoring with 13 points. Scoring two of his four goals on the powerplay last week, Brown is currently leading the team with six PPGs on the year. His seven PP assists are second only to Brendan Harris’ eight.
Christopher Brown is currently signed to a one-year contract with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and has already received a call-up to the “A” this season. Under early-season roster duress due to injuries throughout the Buffalo Sabres line-up, Rochester gave Brown the nod to come and contribute. Brown scored one goal in his three-game run with the Americans, staying true to the theme that scenery just isn’t a factor for the Icemen forward.
The Icemen captain will be back in action Wednesday night when the team takes on the Florida Everblades at home. The Icemen have won all three of their previous meetings with the Everblades this season. Five of Brown’s 24 points have come against Florida. In the season opener on Oct. 21, he registered one goal and two assists. He posted a goal in each of the other match-ups.
Wednesday night’s game gives Brown the chance to extend his multi-point game streak, now sitting at three after his performance last week. It also gives the Icemen a chance to get back into the win column. After going 4-1 on the road trip, the team ran out of time trying to surmount a comeback win against the South Carolina Stingrays Saturday night.
