April 15, 2009

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's hockey team announced its annual team awards on Wednesday, April 15 during the team's 2009 Awards Banquet on the Providence College campus.

Senior defenseman Matt Taormina (Washington Township, Mich.) received the Lou Lamoriello Most Valuable Player Award and shared the Ron Wilson Best Defensive Player Award with junior Mark Fayne (Sagamore Beach, Mass). It marks the second consecutive season that Taormina has won the MVP award as he shared it with Jon Rheault in 2008. Taormina, who earned All-Hockey East Honorable Mention, finished third on the team with 20 points on five goals and 15 assists. He scored the game-winning goal in a 5-4 win at Massachusetts on January 16. In addition, he was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on December 15. It marked the second consecutive season that Taormina earned All-Hockey East honors as he was named to the second team in 2007-08.

Freshman Matt Bergland (Faribault, Minn.) received the team's the Rev. Herman Schneider Award, which is given to the most valuable freshman. Bergland led the team in scoring with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) and became the first Friar freshman to lead the team in points since Rob Gaudreau did it during the 1988-89 season. Bergland had six multiple-point games, including a three-point performance (one goal, two assists) in a win over Bowling Green on October 18. In addition, Bergland finished 14th in the country in scoring among rookies.

Mark Fayne earned the Ron Wilson Best Defensive Player Award for the third consecutive season. He becomes the first three-time winner since Nolan Schaefer won the award from 2001-03. Fayne played in 33 games and recorded four goals and five assists for nine points.

Sophomore Matt Germain (Rockland, Mass.) earned the team Academic Award. Germain, a management major, earned a 3.61 GPA during the fall semester. On the ice, he played in 32 games and recorded 14 points on four goals and 10 assists.

Sophomore Kyle MacKinnon (Walnut, Calif.) received the team's Thomas Eccleston Jr. Unsung Hero Award. MacKinnon played in all 36 games and recorded six goals and seven assists for a career-high 13 points. He notched one goal and one assist in wins over UMass Lowell (1/10) and UMass (1/16). MacKinnon also matched a career-high with three points (two goals, one assist) in a 4-4 tie at No. 12 UNH on 2/13.

In addition, the captains' awards were presented to co-captains John Cavanagh (Warwick, R.I.) and Kyle Laughlin (Gambrills, Md.) as well assistant captains Mark Fayne and Matt Taormina. Head Coach Tim Army also announced that John Cavanagh and Mark Fayne will serve as co-captains of the 2009-10 team.

GALLERY