Pair of NAHL alums nab CCHA monthly honors

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced today that Miami (Ohio) senior Cody Reichard has been named the Gongshow Goaltender of the Month for November and forward Austin Czarnik of Miami (Ohio) has been named the Gongshow Rookie of the Month for November.  Both are graduates of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

Reichard, who played for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the NAHL during the 2007-08 season, started seven games for the RedHawks during the month of November and posted a 5-0-2 mark, a 1.68 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

The senior from Celina, Ohio allowed just one goal in each of his first three games of November, including a 2-1 win Nov. 11 over No. 4/5 Michigan. After a 3-3 tie with Michigan Nov. 12, he stopped all four Wolverines shooters in the shootout to help Miami earn the extra point. In his next game, Nov. 18, he picked up his first shutout of the season, and 11th of his career, in a 4-0 blanking of Bowling Green. On Nov. 26 in the Denver Cup Classic title game, he held No. 9/10 Denver to two goals, well below their 3.91 average entering the weekend. He made a season-best 32 saves in the game while also stopping a penalty shot in the third period to help the RedHawks beat the Pioneers, 4-2. He was named to the Denver Cup Classic All-Tournament team for his efforts.

The 5-foot-11, 162-pound goaltender currently ranks sixth in the CCHA in GAA (2.23) and is tied for eighth in the league in save percentage (.909).

Czarnik, who played for the US National Development Program in the NAHL during the 2008-09 season, helped Miami to a 6-0-2 record for the month of November and racked up three goals, seven assists and finished with a +5 rating in seven games. The 5-foot-8, 152-pound forward is tied for the team lead in scoring (5-9-14) and his +6 rating is tied for the team lead among forwards. His 5-9-14 scoring line places him on top of CCHA freshmen assist and point scoring (tied). His nine assists ties him for fourth place nationally and his 14 points place him in a tie for second among all college rookies. 

The Washington, Mich., native recorded a point in five of his seven November games, including four multi-point games. He finished the month with three straight two-point games, with the three-game point streak a career long. He tallied a career-high three points on a goal and two assists Nov. 12 in a 3-3 tie with No. 4/5 Michigan and also handed out two assists Nov. 25 in a win over Providence for his second multi-assist contest of the month and of his career. In the Denver Cup Classic title game Nov. 26 against No. 9/10 Denver, he scored the go-ahead goal unassisted in the first period and also assisted on the game-tying goal earlier in the game to help the RedHawks win the tournament title. He was named to the Denver Cup Classic All-Tournament team for his efforts.