SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Abbotsford Heat center Ben Street, Bridgeport Sound Tigers center Ryan Strome and Springfield Falcons goaltender Mike McKenna have been selected as the league’s award winners for November.
Street, the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for November, led all AHL skaters in goals (11) and points (19) while appearing in 15 games during a busy month for Abbotsford.
After notching just one assist over the first three games of the month, Street tallied 12 points during a five-game scoring streak from Nov. 6-15, including a four-point effort in a 7-3 win at Texas on Nov. 13 and his first career AHL hat trick in a 5-4 victory at Oklahoma City on Nov. 15. Street scored in overtime to defeat Milwaukee, 4-3, on Nov. 19, and scored both Heat goals – including his fourth game-winner of the month – in a 2-1 win at Iowa on Nov. 24. Street finished the month by registering a goal and an assist in the third period of a 4-3 overtime loss to Utica on Nov. 30, giving Abbotsford points in 13 of its 15 games during November (12-2-1-0).
Street, a fourth-year pro from Coquitlam, B.C., has totaled 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points in 18 games for Abbotsford this season, along with one assist in eight NHL games with Calgary. Street has appeared in 194 career AHL contests with Abbotsford and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, compiling 66 goals and 72 assists for 138 points. He also has two assists in 14 career NHL outings, all with Calgary. Street signed as a free agent with the Flames on July 2, 2012.
In recognition of his achievement, Street will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Heat home game.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Month
Strome, the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for November, tallied five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 12 games for Bridgeport during the month.
Strome began November with a breakout performance, tying a Sound Tigers franchise record for points in a game (5) with two goals and three assists in a 7-1 win at Worcester on Nov. 1. He scored the tying goal late in regulation on Nov. 9 at Hershey, earning Bridgeport a point in the standings, and he extended his scoring streak to five games with an assist in a 3-2 win over Adirondack on Nov. 10. Strome registered an assist in three consecutive games from Nov. 22-24, then scored twice in a 3-2 win over Hartford on Nov. 29. He finished the month with a pair of helpers at Albany on Nov. 30.
A first-round draft choice (fifth overall) by the New York Islanders in 2011, Strome currently leads all AHL rookies in assists (18) and points (25) while skating in each of Bridgeport’s 20 games thus far. The 20-year-old native of Mississauga, Ont., played four junior seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, totaling 105 goals and 190 assists for 295 points in 225 regular-season games with Barrie and Niagara. Strome made his pro debut with Bridgeport at the end of the 2012-13 season, tallying seven points in 10 contests.
In recognition of his achievement, Strome will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Sound Tigers home game.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Rookie of the Month
McKenna, the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for November, was 4-1-0 with a 1.16 goals-against average, a .950 save percentage and two shutouts last month, stopping 114 of the 120 shots he faced as well as eight of 10 shootout attempts.
McKenna made 22 saves to lead the Falcons to a 3-2 shootout victory over Hartford on Nov. 2. He bounced back from his only loss of the month with a 35-save performance at Portland on Nov. 16, earning first-star honors in a 2-1 win over the Pirates. McKenna finished November with back-to-back shutouts, blanking Hartford on Nov. 23 (15 saves) and Portland on Nov. 30 (26 saves) to run his personal shutout streak to 139 minutes, 12 seconds.
McKenna, 6-2-0 in eight appearances in 2013-14, currently leads the AHL with a 1.45 GAA and a .943 save percentage and is tied for the league lead with two shutouts. The ninth-year pro has played 252 career AHL games, posting a record of 116-105-13 with a 2.82 GAA, a .911 save percentage and 14 shutouts. The native of St. Louis, Mo., has also played 17 career NHL games with Tampa Bay and New Jersey. Originally drafted by Nashville in 2002, McKenna signed as a free agent with Columbus on July 6, 2013.
In recognition of his achievement, McKenna will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Falcons home game.
