Five Standouts Among Candidates for Walter Brown Award

BOSTON – Five League standouts -- Dartmouth goaltender James Mello (Rehoboth, MA); Quinnipiac goaltender Eric Hartzell (White Bear Lake, MN); and the Yale trio of Chris Cahill (North Andover, MA), Denny Kearney (Hanover, NH) and Broc Little (Rindge, NH) -- are among a group of 15 players selected as semifinalists for the 59th Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England, it was announced by Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Ray Gallant. 

The nation’s oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, that year; the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game.

Joining the League quintet as semifinalists are nine players from Hockey East and one from Atlantic Hockey.   The slate comprises nine forwards, four goalies, and two defensemen. Yale and Boston College lead the way with three nominees.

Little is one of four players named who were semifinalists for last year’s award. In addition to Little, repeat semifinalists are Boston College senior center Brian Gibbons (Braintree, MA); Boston U. junior defenseman David Warsofsky (Marshfield, MA); New Hampshire junior defenseman Blake Kessel (Verona, WI).

Mello and Hartzell are joined by fellow netminders senior John Muse (East Falmouth, MA) of Boston College and junior Joe Cannata  (Wakefield, MA) of Merrimack. All four goaltenders have been at or near the top of their respective leagues’ statistical categories throughout the season.

 Kearney, Cahill and Little are mainstays of the deep and talented Bulldogs forward waves.  They are joined by New Hampshire senior Paul Thompson  (Derry, NH) and Boston College junior Cam Atkinson (Greenwich, CT), along with junior forward Chris Connolly (Duluth, MN) of Boston University and Providence College senior Kyle MacKinnon (Walnut, CA). Holy Cross sophomore Rob Linsmayer (Winnetka, IL) rounds out the field as the lone semifinalist from Atlantic Hockey.

“Once again the Walter Brown Award Committee took on a formidable task in evaluating all the worthy nominees and selecting a field of semifinalists. Unfortunately, not every player who received serious consideration is on this list,” remarked Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello.

The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 59th Walter Brown Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Tournament play. The award will be presented to the winner at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner in April.