Wayne, NJ - The Hockey Commissioners Association National Rookie of the Month for December is Jack Riley from Mercyhurst. Riley, a 5-11, 185-pound forward, scored at least one point in three of Mercyhurst’s four games, helping the Lakers to a 3-1-0 record in December. Riley finished the month leading the team in scoring, netting three goals and adding three assists for six points in those four contests.
The West Point, New York native posted career-highs in goals (2) and points (4), while tying a career-high in assists (2), in the Lak-ers’ 6-3 win at Army Dec. 6. He had three points in the third period, including the pri-mary assist on the game-winning goal, to help snap a 3-3 tie early in the final stanza. It was an emotional return to West Point for Riley, who was playing against Army, where his father Brian is the head coach, for the first time since becoming a Laker.
Riley also had a goal and an assist in a two-game series against Robert Morris Dec. 13-14. For the month, Riley, who was named the league’s Rookie of the Week Dec. 9 and the Co-Rookie of the Week Dec. 16, had three goals and three assists in four games while also posting a plus-three rating. He scored his first collegiate power-play goal against Robert Morris Dec. 13 and finished with eight shots on goal and seven blocked shots in December. Overall, Riley has scored five goals and added seven assists for 12 points in 16 games this season for the Lakers. He has scored at least one point in his last five outings.
Riley was a two year veteran and captain for the Jersey Hitmen. In season one (2011-2012), Riley finished 3rd on the team in scoring with a 23-35-58 scoring line. In his second season, Riley lead the Hitmen to their 3rd Dineen Cup championship captaining the team to an EJHL regular season title.