October monthly award winners named

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Binghamton Senators defenseman Chris Wideman, Providence Bruins right wing David Pastrnak and Utica Comets goaltender Jacob Markstrom have been selected as the CCM/AHL award winners for October. 

Wideman, the CCM/AHL Player of the Month, tallied six goals, five assists and a plus-4 rating in nine games for the Senators during October. 

After being held scoreless in Binghamton’s season opener, Wideman found the scoresheet in each of the last eight games of the month, beginning with an assist in a 3-2 win over Portland on Oct. 17. He had a goal and an assist on Oct. 21 at St. John’s, and scored a pair of game-winning overtime goals on Oct. 22 at St. John’s and Oct. 31 at Utica. 

Wideman, who extended his scoring streak to nine games with two more points to begin November, currently leads all AHL defensemen and ranks second in the entire league in both goals (7) and points (13) through 10 games played. A fourth-round pick by Ottawa in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Wideman is in his third professional season and has totaled 18 goals and 64 assists for 82 points in 143 career AHL games with Binghamton. The 24-year-old native of St. Louis, Mo., played four seasons at Miami University before turning pro in 2012. 

In recognition of his achievement, Wideman will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Senators home game. 

Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Month

David PastrnakIn his first month as a professional in North America, Pastrnak, the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for October. recorded two goals and seven assists for nine points, along with a plus-8 rating, in seven games for Providence. 

The youngest player on an AHL roster this season, Pastrnak tallied two assists in his debut on Oct. 10, helping Providence to a 2-1 overtime win over St. John’s. He scored his first AHL goal on Oct. 11 at Portland, and registered a goal and two assists in a 4-3 overtime loss at Worcester on Oct. 18. Pastrnak closed out the month with a three-assist effort in the Bruins’ 5-0 win at Manchester on Oct. 25. 

Through Sunday’s games, Pastrnak leads all AHL rookies with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and a plus-9 rating. The 18-year-old native of Havirov, Czech Republic, was a first-round pick (25th overall) by Boston in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Pastrnak played the last two years with Sodertalje in the Swedish Hockey League, and represented the Czech Republic in both the U-18 and U-20 IIHF World Junior Championships last season. 

In recognition of his achievement, Pastrnak will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bruins home game. 

Also see: Past winners, AHL Rookie of the Month

Jacob MarkstromMarkstrom, the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month, made a run at the AHL record books during October and finished the month with a 4-0-1 record, a 0.99 goals-against average, a .963 save percentage and three shutouts while stopping 131 of 136 shots in five starts. 

Markstrom made his first appearance of the season on Oct. 11 at Toronto and stopped 24 of 25 shots in Utica’s 2-1 victory. He followed that up with three consecutive shutouts, blanking his former San Antonio teammates (28 saves) on Oct. 17, Adirondack (29 saves) on Oct. 22 and Toronto (27 saves) on Oct. 25. Markstrom extended his shutout streak to 238:08 – a little more than 30 minutes shy of the all-time league record – before allowing a goal to Binghamton on Oct. 31, and finished the night with 23 stops in a 4-3 overtime loss. 

A second-round pick (31st overall) by Florida in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, Markstrom owns a record of 65-58-8 with a 2.58 GAA, a .919 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 136 career AHL appearances with Utica, San Antonio and Rochester. The 24-year-old native of Gavle, Sweden, has also played 47 games in the National Hockey League with Florida and Vancouver. Markstrom was acquired by the Canucks in the Mar. 4, 2014, trade that sent Roberto Luongo to the Panthers. 

In recognition of his achievement, Markstrom will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Comets home game. 

Also see: Past winners, AHL Goaltender of the Month