The Port Hope Predators’ leading scorer, Tyler Miller, has been selected by the Ontario Junior Hockey League as the Ruddock Division Player of the Month for September.

Miller, who won the scoring title last season, currently sits fourth and led the Ruddock Division in scoring for the first month. Racking up 21 points in nine games, the five-foot-11, 194-pound forward played on the team’s top line and helped them get off to a 5-3-1 start.

Miller hails from Fort Francis, Ont., northwest of Thunder Bay. He was scouted out of high school, and was originally one of four players to join the Preds.

“When I came here three years ago, there were four of us. My best friend and me and then two others. I’m the only one left, the two other guys both moved on to school, one of them is playing D1 now, and my best friend still plays tier II but in a different league.”

Miller left Fort Frances at age 16 but said he “was glad to get out of town and get experience. I kind of came here to prove a point, like that I can come from a little town and play with these city kids.”

Miller also earned recognition as player of the month last year.

“Actually, my mom saw me on the Internet, and she told me.”

On taking the honour a second time, he said, “I don’t really pay attention. I can’t let that get to me, I just like to go out there and have fun.”

Miller was caught a little off guard Wednesday night, as he was told the news while preparing to hit the practice ice. “I honestly only found out at 9 o’clock.” And what did his teammates have to say? “I don’t think they know yet, and I’d like to keep it that way,” he said with a laugh. Are they going to tease him? “They’ll probably congratulate me, or I hope they will. But yeah, they might, a little.”

Playing on the team’s top line means Miller sees a lot of ice. He knows his job is to put the puck in the net. “It’s not too much pressure, I like to do the best that I can, and just getting the little goals to try to win games for the team.”

After winning the scoring title last season, Miller said “it would be nice to repeat again this year. If points come, they come. Some days you’re off, and some days you might get seven points. With the new rules now, that could happen. I’d like to stay in the top 10, it shows you’re a leader. But mostly I like to win, and to have fun.”

Miller said his goal this year is to “get noticed by either a Division 1 or Division 3, hopefully D1 school and take that next step. I’ll do my four years of school and hockey and see where that takes me.

“Oh, and I think I’d like to play somewhere closer to home.” Is he homesick? “No, I never get homesick. Port Hope is the same kind of town as Fort Frances, other than it’s a lot closer to the big cities, but I enjoy it here in the wintertime. In the summer I like to be home and stay by the lake.”

For now, though, Miller will have a busy three-game weekend, and along with his usual linemate captain Jeremy McCarty, veteran Mitch Moffatt will fill out the top line. The Preds played last night in Whitby, tonight in Pickering, and have a huge first-place battle back at the Jack Burger Sunday night at 7.