February 8, 2010
Former Lincoln Stars forward Brock Trotter made his NHL debut on Saturday with the Montreal Canadiens. (Getty Images photo)
Former Lincoln Stars forward Brock Trotter made his NHL debut on Saturday with the Montreal Canadiens as they defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3.
Trotter was leading Montreal's AHL affiliate, Hamilton Bulldogs, in scoring at the time of his call-up with 53 points (25g, 28a) in 49 games. On Saturday, the 23-year-old played on a line with Matt White and David Desharnais who were also called up from Hamilton. The trio played a huge role defensively in the victory as they created a lot of energy, shut down Pittsburgh's top lines, and drew four penalties while on the ice. Trotter finished the contest playing 11:07 minutes and fired a game high five shots on goal.
"Playing for the Canadiens is a dream come true. I knew the team would call me up when they felt it was the right time," Trotter told Canadiens.com after Saturday's game. "We know why we're here: to create momentum. Once we got used to the speed of the game, we settled in and it was a good first NHL experience."
"It was pretty nerve-racking, in front of this many fans," Trotter said of his first game in front of the Montreal faithful. "I've never played in front of this many people."
Trotter spent the 2004-05 season in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars and ranked third on the team in scoring with 58 points (20g, 38a) while playing in all 60 regular season games. He added five points (2g, 3a) in four playoff contests. He went on to play three seasons at the University of Denver before signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens in July 2008.
Click here for Brock Trotter's USHL profile.
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