Wilde named AHA Forward of the Year finalist

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - RIT sophomore Matthew Wilde was named a finalist for 2024-25 Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) Forward of the Year, announced Thursday. 

Named a first-team All-AHA earlier this week, Wilde joins Bentley graduate student Ethan Leyh and Holy Cross senior Liam McLinsky as the three players in the running for the award, to be announced on Tuesday (Mar. 18). 

• Wilde finished the regular season first in the AHA with 0.69 goals per game and second with 1.23 points per game. He was also tied for 12th nationally and second in the AHA with 18 goals - only trailing McLinskey (20), who played eight more games.
• After missing the Tigers' first eight games with a preseason injury, Wilde scored at least one point in 19 of 26 games the rest of the regular season to finish second on the squad with 32 points while tying for first with nine multi-point games.
• He tied a career-high with four points on two goals (including the GWG) and two assists in the 6-3 victory over Mercyhurst (Feb. 22) after logging a goal and an assist the night before in the 3-2 win en route to AHA Forward of the Week recognition. 
• Wilde also scored a career-high four points on two goals and two assists in the 6-2 win at Bentley (Nov. 9) and was credited with four points during RIT's two-game set at Sacred Heart, starting with two assists in the opener (Nov. 22) before logging a goal and an assist the following night (Nov. 23).

RIT finished the season with a 10-23-2 record, including a 9-15-2 AHA record to earn the ninth seed for the conference tournament. The Tigers lost to eighth-seeded AIC, 2-1, in overtime in a first-round matchup to close the season.