Fort Wayne's Cazzola named CCM/ECHL Rookie of the Month

Fort Wayne Komets’ forward Mike Cazzola is the CCM ECHL Rookie of the Month for December.

The 25-year-old scored nine goals and added 10 assists for 19 points in 14 games during the month.

Cazzola posted five multi-point games in Decmeber, including a five-point game (3g-2a) in a 7-1 win over Orlando on Dec. 18 and four points (1g-3a) in an 8-6 victory over Indy on Dec. 27. He was named the ECHL Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 18 after posting nine points (5g-4a) in three games.

A native of Guelph, Ontario, Cazzola is tied for first among ECHL rookies with 13 goals while ranking second among first-year players with 32 points.

Cazzola spent the previous four seasons at Acadia University where he recorded 133 points (52g-81a) in 107 career games. Prior to enrolling at Acadia, he tallied 225 points (77g-148a) in 219 career games in the Ontario Hockey League with Erie and Ottawa.

Runners Up: Quentin Shore, Manchester (10 gp, 3g, 9a, 12 pts.) and Michael Parks, Quad City (13 gp, 8g, 6a, 14 pts.).

Also Nominated: Dennis Kravchenko (Adirondack), Kyle Rankin (Elmira), Ryan Keller (Indy), Kasimir Kaskisuo (Orlando), Steven McParland (South Carolina), Tylor Spink (Toledo), Darcy Murphy (Tulsa), Ralph Cuddemi (Utah) and Kevin Schulze (Wheeling).

PREVIOUS WINNERS

October Tyson Spink, Toledo Walleye

November Steven McParland, South Carolina Stingrays