NICK JOHNSON OF SACRED HEART NATIONAL COLLEGE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Steven Legatto of the Pioneers is the Commissioners’ Choice Rookie of the Month

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Farmington Hills, Mich. -- Sacred Heart senior forward Nick Johnson is the Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Division I Player of the Month for January.

During the month of January, Johnson registered 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points and posted a +12 rating to lead the Pioneers to a 9-0-2 record. His effort lifted him to the national lead in goals (21) and goals-per game (.81) and a tie for sixth with 36 points. Johnson also tallied three power-play goals, two game-winning goals and seven multiple-point games. He set the SHU record for goals in a season, which previously stood at 19. The Pioneers held a 4-9-2 record prior to January and now sit at 13-9-4 and are in fourth place in the Atlantic Hockey Association with their current 12-game unbeaten streak, which is the longest in school history.

Johnson, a Windsor, Conn., native, who played juniors with the Springfield Jr. Falcons (EJHL), was named AHA Player of the Week on Jan. 25 after recording a five-point weekend, including the game-winning goal, in a win and tie with Canisius. Johnson’s other game-winning goal came Jan. 2 in the first of two wins over Air Force. He has recorded at least one goal in the Pioneers’ last seven games.

Steven Legatto, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound goaltender at Sacred Heart, has been named the HCA National Rookie of the Month for January.

Legatto started in net for all 11 Pioneer games in the month of January. He posted a 9-0-2 record to claim the longest unbeaten streak for a goaltender in school history and improve his overall mark to 12-6-3. Legatto ranks first in the AHA, and 11th nationally, with a .643 winning percentage. He finished with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in January.

The Kelowna, BC., native, who played juniors with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL), was named AHA Goaltender of the Week Feb. 1 and Rookie of the Week Jan. 4 and 11. He made at least 30 saves on six occasions, once to claim his first career shutout on Jan. 9 in a win over Army, 5-0. Legatto stopped 323 of 346 shots faced in January and has made 651 saves this season, which ranks fifth in the AHA.