Feb. 5, 2013

Complete List of 2013 Semifinalists

BOSTON, Mass. -- Providence College men’s hockey freshman goalie Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2013 Walter Brown Award, given annually to the best American-born player in New England, it was announced by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

The award, established in 1953, is the nation’s oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor and this year the semifinalist list features 16 NCAA Division I players, including eight from Hockey East.

Gillies has started 22 games for the Friars, posting a 10-8-4 record to go along with a 2.18 goals against average and a .927 save percentage. He is the first goalie in Friar history to record three shutouts as a freshman. In January, Gillies was part of Team USA’s gold-medal winning team at the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, becoming the first Providence player to earn a medal at the event.

Gillies has earned multiple Hockey East honors, including being named Rookie of the Month (November), Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 15 and Nov. 26) and Rookie of the Week (Oct. 22, Oct. 29 and Jan. 14). On Jan. 17 at No. 15/18 UMass Lowell, Gillies made a career high 48 saves, which ranks as the seventh-highest single game saves total in the Friar record book.

The finalists and winner of the award will be announced in March and the formal award presentation is scheduled for the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner in April. Four Friars have won the Walter Brown Award, including Ron Wilson (1974-75), Tim Army (1984-85), Rob Gaudreau (1991-92) and Mike Omicioli (1998-99).

Gillies and the Friars are back in action this weekend with a home-and-home series versus No. 4/5 New Hampshire. Play begins on Friday, Feb. 8 at Schneider Arena and concludes at UNH’s Whittemore Center on Sunday, Feb. 10. Friday’s game will begin at 7:00 p.m. (televised live on Cox Sports on OSN), while puck drop on Sunday is slated for 4:00 p.m. (televised live on CBS Sports Network).