Komet veteran Szydlowski named ECHL Player of the Month

Fort Wayne, IN-- The ECHL announced Wednesday that Fort Wayne forward Shawn Szydlowski has been named CCM/ECHL Player of the Month for December.  It's his second career monthly honor.  Szydlowski also was named Player of the Month last season for the month of March.

Szydlowski scored 11 goals, added 17 assists for 28 points and posted a +7, leading the Komets in all categories for the month.  The right winger had nine multi-point games, reached at least three points a game on five occasions and logged at least one point in 10 of 14 games played.  Szydlowski scored two goals, including a penalty shot marker, and added a pair of assists for a four-point game in a 4-2 home win over Utah Dec. 4.

The St. Clair Shores, Michigan native also recorded his third Fort Wayne career hat trick scoring four goals and adding a helper for five points in an 8-6 home win against intrastate rival Indy Dec. 27.  During the month, the Komets were 6-0-1 in games Szydlowski scored.  

Szydlowski leads the Komets and is tied for second in the league with 26 assists and 45 points.  The sixth-year pro is skating his fourth season with Fort Wayne and has been the Komets' scoring leader the past two consecutive seasons.  

Szydlowski was also named to the 2017 ECHL All-Star Team and will represent the Komets as a starter in the All-Star Classic to be held on Jan. 18 in Glens Falls, N.Y.

Komet forward Cazzola named ECHL Rookie of the Month

Fort Wayne, IN-- The ECHL announced Wednesday that Fort Wayne forward Mike Cazzola has been named the CCM/ECHL Rookie of the Month for December, 2016.

Cazzola appeared in all 14 games in December and led all ECHL rookies with nine goals and 19 points.  The center scored his first pro hat trick in a 7-1 home win over Orlando on Dec. 18 and added two assists for a five-point game.  Cazzola also recorded his fifth multi-point game of the month with a goal and three assists Dec. 27 vs Indy in an 8-6 Fort Wayne victory.

The Komets were 6-1-0 in games when Cazzola scored a goal during the month.  Cazzola recorded points in eight of 14 games (7-1-0).  Cazzola currently ranks second among league rookies with 32 points (13g, 19a).  The  Guelph, Ontarionative was also named the ECHL Player of the week for the period of Dec. 12-18 after scoring five goals and nine points in three games.

Last year the skater completed a four-year collegiate career with Acadia (CIS) leading the Axemen with 16 goals and 30 points to earn a spot on the CIS Second All-Star Team for his second straight season.