BENSON NAMED AHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

The American Hockey League announced today that Cleveland Monsters forward Zac Dalpe, Bakersfield Condors forward Tyler Benson and Charlotte Checkers goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic have been selected as the league’s award winners for March.

Benson, the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month, registered five goals and 13 assists for 18 points in 11 games in March for Western Conference-leading Bakersfield.

After being held off the scoresheet on Mar. 1 vs. Iowa, Benson went on to record points in his next 10 games, tied with teammate Cooper Marody and three others for the longest active scoring streak in the AHL. Benson tallied two assists in a 5-2 win over San Jose on Mar. 2, and followed that with a goal in an 8-4 road victory over the Barracuda on Mar. 6. He set a personal best with four points (on one goal and three assists) to help the Condors to a 7-0 win over Ontario on Mar. 16, and he notched two helpers each in back-to-back wins against Ontario on Mar. 27 and San Diego on Mar. 29.

A 21-year-old native of Edmonton, Alta., Benson leads all AHL rookies in scoring and ranks seventh overall with 62 points (14 goals, 48 assists) in 62 games for the Condors; his 48 assists are the most by an AHL rookie in the last decade. Selected in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Benson played junior hockey for Vancouver in the WHL and made his professional debut with the Condors late last season, recording three assists in five games.