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Willows Tabbed CCM ECHL Player of the Month

Feb 05, 2018 • by The Reading Royals
Matt Willows

PRINCETON, N.J. – Reading Royals’ forward Matt Willows has been named the CCM ECHL Player of the Month for January. Earlier Friday, John Muse received Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Month honors.

It is the first time the Royals have had a pair of players sweep Player and Goaltender of the Month honors in the same month. Reading has taken two league-wide awards in the same month on four different occasions, most recently in Dec. 2009 when Ben Gordon took home Player of the Month and ECHL Plus Performer of the Month. 

Willows scored three goals and assisted on 13 others for 16 points in 14 games during the month.

The 26-year-old picked up at least one point in 11 of his 14 games, and ended the month on a seven-game point streak, over which he tallied 10 points (1g-9a). Willows posted multi-point games five times in January.

A native of Congers, N.Y., Willows leads the Royals – and is tied for ninth overall in the league – with 43 points and is tied for the team lead with 14 goals in 46 games this season.

Willows has tallied 170 points (59g-111a) in 180 career ECHL games with Reading, Allen and Florida. He was named ECHL Rookie of the Year with Florida in 2015-16 after posting 66 points (23g-43a) in 71 games. Willows has also seen action in 12 career American Hockey League games with Worcester and San Jose, adding five points (3g-2a).

Prior to turning pro, Willows recorded 90 points (45g-45a) in 130 career games at the University of New Hampshire.

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