The Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, who finished the regular season with 10 consecutive wins to earn the Bud Poile Governors Cup as the Central Hockey Leagues regular season champions, have swept the Sher-Wood Player and Goaltender of the Month awards for March.
Rookie left winger Cam Abbott and first year goaltender John DeCaro, both who have already received numerous accolades this season, have been selected by the CHL as the March recipients. Abbott was earlier named to the CHLs All-Rookie team, and captured the CHL Rookie of the Year award. DeCaro appeared on both the CHL All-Rookie and All-CHL teams and was named the CHLs Most Outstanding Goaltender. Both Abbott and DeCaro will receive custom leather jackets from Sher-Wood, the official stick, glove, pant and protective equipment supplier to the CHL.
Abbott enjoyed a dominant March in leading Bossier-Shreveport to a record 11-1-0 while wrapping up his selection as the top first year pro in the CHL. He recorded points in 10 straight games while leading the CHL with both 14 goals and 23 points during the Month. He recorded hat-tricks against the Tulsa Oilers on separate occasions (March 2nd and March 19th), and found the back of the net in eight of his 11 games played. During the month the Sarnia, Ontario native scored the first goal of the game on five occasions, tallied six power play goals, added three game winning goals and recorded the CHLs top plus/minus ranking at +11.
Everett, Washingtons DeCaro was nearly perfect in winning his five March starts for the Mudbugs, posting a goals against average of just 1.00 while blanking divisional opponents on two occasions. He began the month with a 23 save shutout against Tulsa on March 2nd, and concluded his regular season with a 31 save shutout in Memphis on March 24th. DeCaro concluded the year leading all qualifying CHL goaltenders in both goals against average (2.20) and save percentage (.931) while recording a sparkling record of 23-7-4, earning runner up status to teammate Abbott in CHL Rookie of the Year balloting.