CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced today that forward Anthony Luciani has been named the Reebok Hockey ECHL Rookie of the Month for December.
Luciani, a 21-year-old, scored seven goals, added four assists and earned a +5 plus/minus rating in 10 games during the month, helping the Cyclones to an 8-2-0 record in December – the team’s second-best December record ever.
Luciani had multiple-point games on four occasions during the month and now has a total of seven this season. He opened December with two goals and an assist in a 6-5 win against Greenville on December 3. Luciani then began a three-game stretch with multiple points on December 21, notching two assists in a 5-1 victory over Kalamazoo. He followed that performance up with two more points (1 goal, 1 assist) in a 4-3 win over Chicago on December 22 and ended the stretch with his first professional hat trick in an 8-5 triumph over Kalamazoo on December 27.
A Maple, Ontario native, Luciani is second on the Cyclones with 11 goals and is tied for second with 23 points, which is good enough for sixth among ECHL rookies. He is tied for the rookie lead with five power-play goals and he is tied for fourth among first-year players with 11 goals.
Under contract to the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, Luciani has also appeared in one game this season with the American Hockey League’s San Antonio Rampage after making his pro debut last season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans where he scored three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in three games. Prior to turning pro, he played three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, scoring 160 points (73g-87a) in 181 games.
Luciani and the rest of the Cyclones will embark on a three-game road trip this weekend beginning tomorrow night in Wheeling followed by a pair of road battles against the Elmira Jackals. Friday’s game against the Nailers can be heard on the Cyclones Radio Network (1050-AM, America One) beginning at 7:20pm.
The Cyclones will return to U.S. Bank Arena next Friday, January 13 when they welcome in the Kalamazoo Wings at 7:30pm. The first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive a limited edition Cyclones Winter Hat! Secure your seats now by calling 513.421.PUCK or log on to CyclonesHockey.com. Fans can also get the latest team updates throughout the season on Facebook and Twitter (@CincyCyclones).
Click here to view Luciani's career statistics.
Anthony Luciani Named Reebok Hockey ECHL Rookie of the Month
