Via the American Hockey League:
The American Hockey League announced today that Lehigh Valley Phantoms center Nick Cousins has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for January.
Cousins led all AHL skaters in scoring during the month, tallying 17 points on seven goals and 10 assists in 13 games for Lehigh Valley.
Cousins began the month by scoring the winning goal in Lehigh Valley’s 3-2 overtime victory at Norfolk on Jan. 2. He assisted on the game-winner late in a 4-2 decision at St. John’s on Jan. 10, and added a goal and two assists in the first period of the Phantoms’ 6-2 win over the IceCaps on Jan. 11. Cousins netted his first career hat trick on Jan. 17, part of a four-point performance in a 5-1 win over Binghamton, and he closed out January by tallying a goal and two assists to help Lehigh Valley past Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 6-2, on Jan. 31.
A third-round pick by Philadelphia in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Cousins has 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in 44 games for Lehigh Valley this season, already surpassing his rookie totals from a year ago. The 21-year-old native of Belleville, Ont., has now totaled 25 goals and 39 assists for 64 points in 126 career AHL games.
In recognition of his achievement, Cousins will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Phantoms home game.
