BRIDGEPORT, CT - The American Hockey League announced today that Bridgeport Sound Tigers goaltender Kevin Poulin has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for January. Poulin made seven appearances during the month and allowed 11 goals on 216 shots, going 6-0-1 with a 1.52 goals-against average, a .949 save percentage and three shutouts.
Poulin began January by recording three consecutive shutouts, keeping the opposition off the scoreboard for 221 minutes and 54 seconds. He made 21 saves in a 4-0 win over Worcester on Jan. 2, made 24 stops on Jan. 4 in a 4-0 victory at Manchester, and turned aside all 31 shots in a 4-0 win at Portland on Jan. 7. Poulin, who set an AHL season high with 51 saves in Bridgeport’s 6-2 win at Adirondack on Jan. 27, also earned two NHL recalls in January, going 1-1-0 in two starts for the parent New York Islanders.
A fifth-round draft pick by the Islanders in 2008, the 21-year-old Poulin now has a record of 13-12-1 in 26 games for Bridgeport this season, with a 2.78 GAA and a .907 save percentage. As a rookie in 2010-11, the Montreal native went 10-5-0 (2.19, .932) in 15 AHL contests with the Sound Tigers and 4-2-1 (2.44, .924) in 10 games with the Islanders.
In recognition of his achievement, Poulin will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Sound Tigers home game.
The Sound Tigers travel to Portland on Friday to face the Pirates before returning home on Saturday to open a stretch of eight February home games at 7 PM against the Manchester Monarchs. Any fans who bring three or more canned, non-perishable goods to Saturday's game against Manchester will receive one free ticket to the Sound Tigers Feb. 20 game against the Albany Devils.
