Albrecht, Kapelmaster Earn Monthly Awards
December 2, 2015 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Wichita Falls Wildcats News Release
Wildcats left-winger Austin Albrecht and goaltender Justin Kapelmaster have been named the Easton Hockey NAHL Forward of the Month and the Vaughn NAHL Goaltender of the Month, the NAHL announced Wednesday.
Albrecht has been the most consistent skater on the Wildcats this season. He has points in all but three games played and has demonstrated a unique blend of skill and grit. He has blazing speed, a deceptively heavy and accurate shot, a knack for battling for pucks in the dirty areas, and a willingness to drop the gloves if necessary.
Albrecht had the best month of his career this November. He led the NAHL with 16 points on the month. His production was not limited to one department; he had eight goals, eight assists, was a +7, and he fought former Wildcat Hogan Davidson. He has already passed his point total from last season and has been largely responsible for the Wildcats' success this year.
"We're very excited to see Austin receive the Player of the Month award. We're extremely happy to see his hard work paying off," Wildcats Head Coach John LaFontaine said. "He is working relentlessly in all three zones, and as a result he's created more opportunities offensively for himself and for his teammates. It's exciting to see his progress."
Kapelmaster has been a steady anchor in goal for the Wildcats since the start of the season. His size, reflexes, positioning, and confidence have all been contributing factors to the remarkable campaign he has had. After being the runner-up for the Vaughn NAHL Goaltender of the Month in October, he managed to win the honor for November.
The month started a tad shaky for Kapelmaster, who gave up three goals on 32 shots against the Bulls in the Wildcats' first game of November. However, he bounced back extremely well and won his next five starts. He had a shutout against one of the best teams in the league in the Brahmas, and gave up just 14 goals in seven games played. He had a 2.12 goals against average and a .926 save percentage on the month.
"Kapelmaster is certainly deserving of the Goalie of the Month Award," LaFontaine said. "He has worked on different parts of his game. He's the ultimate competitor; he loves to be in the pressure situations. He continues to bail us out when we need him."
The Wildcats are the first team this season in which two of its players were honored in the same month. The last time a team saw two of its players simultaneously win monthly awards was the Amarillo Bulls in January of 2014.
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North American Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2015
- Brahmas November Alumni Update - Lone Star Brahmas
- Clarke Honored as Defenseman of the Month - Lone Star Brahmas
- NAHL Announces Monthly Player Awards for November - NAHL
- Albrecht, Kapelmaster Earn Monthly Awards - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Bulls Visit Topeka Tonight and Tomorrow - Amarillo Bulls
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