SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Syracuse Crunch left wing Yanni Gourde, Hamilton Bulldogs center Charles Hudon and Springfield Falcons goaltender Anton Forsberg have been selected as the CCM/AHL award winners for November.
Gourde, the CCM/AHL Player of the Month, tallied nine goals and nine assists for 18 points along with a plus-13 rating in 13 games for the Crunch during November.
After recording just one assist in eight games during October, Gourde led the entire AHL in scoring in November, beginning with an assist on the go-ahead goal in the Crunch’s 6-3 win at Binghamton on Nov. 1. Gourde notched his first two goals of the season in the third period of a 5-4 win over Norfolk on Nov. 8, helping the Crunch rally from a three-goal deficit, and also had two-goal games on Nov. 15 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Nov. 19 at Hartford, both sparking come-from-behind wins as well. Gourde tallied the game-winning goal in the Crunch’s 2-1 win over Utica at the Toyota Frozen Dome Classic inside the Carrier Dome on Nov. 22, and registered his first three-point night of the year with a goal and two assists against the Comets on Nov. 26.
Gourde leads Syracuse with nine goals and is tied for the team lead with 19 points while skating in all 21 games this season. The 22-year-old native of Saint-Narcisse, Que., signed as a free agent with Tampa Bay on Mar. 10, 2014, and has totaled 24 goals and 44 assists for 68 points in 122 career AHL games with Syracuse and Worcester. Gourde played junior hockey with Victoriaville in the QMJHL, where he won a scoring title and most valuable player honors in 2011-12.
In recognition of his achievement, Gourde will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Crunch home game.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Month
Hudon, the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for November, recorded five goals – including three game-winners – and nine assists for 14 points in 12 games for the Bulldogs last month.
Hudon began November with points in four straight games from Nov. 2-8, then scored both Hamilton goals in a 2-1 overtime victory at St. John’s on Nov. 14. Hudon scored the tying goal in a 2-1 Bulldogs OT win vs. Toronto on Nov. 21, and picked up the game-winning goal along with two assists as Hamilton downed the Marlies, 5-1, on Nov. 23. Hudon closed out the month with his second overtime goal, clinching a 4-3 decision vs. Lake Erie on Nov. 29.
Hudon, a 20-year-old native of Alma, Que., leads all AHL rookies in scoring this season and is first on the Bulldogs in goals (seven), assists (14), points (21) and plus/minus (+9) while skating in all 20 games so far. A fifth-round draft pick by Montreal in 2012, Hudon played four junior seasons with Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau and was the QMJHL’s offensive rookie of the year in 2010-11.
In recognition of his achievement, Hudon will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bulldogs home game.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Rookie of the Month
Forsberg, the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month, returned from a stint in the National Hockey League and won eight consecutive games for the Falcons, backing his 8-0-0 record with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.
Forsberg made two appearances with the Columbus Blue Jackets, including his NHL debut on Nov. 1, before returning to the Falcons on Nov. 15 and recording 33 saves in a 1-0 win at Worcester that night. He stopped 28 of 31 shots in a 5-3 decision at Bridgeport on Nov. 16, and helped Springfield sweep a home-and-home set from Providence with 24 saves on Nov. 22 and 19 stops in a relief appearance on Nov. 23. Forsberg made 33 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory at Worcester on Nov. 28, and finished the month with 21 stops in a 4-1 win over Manchester in a battle of division leaders on Nov. 29.
A seventh-round pick by Columbus in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Forsberg is 9-2-0 in 11 appearances for Springfield this season, currently ranking fourth in the AHL with a 1.92 goals-against average and sixth with a .932 save percentage while tying for second in wins. A 22-year-old native of Harnosand, Sweden, Forsberg made his AHL debut with Springfield last season, going 3-0-0 in four regular-season appearances after completing his Swedish Hockey League campaign with Modo.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Goaltender of the Month
