University of Minnesota Duluth goaltender Kasimer Kaskisuo has been selected the Hockey Commissioners' Association Rookie of the Month for November after going 6-1-0 with a 1.71 goals against average and a .933 saves percentage in seven appearances. Over that stretch, the Vantaa, Finland, native defeated all ranked opponents -- No. 10 Miami University (once), No. 6 St. Cloud State University (twice), No. 1 University of Minnesota (twice) and No. 13 University of Nebraska Omaha (once) before dropping a 4-1 decision (that included an empty-net goal) to the Mavericks in his final outing of the month. In addition to backstopping the Bulldogs to six straight wins to commence November, Kaskisuo posted UMD's fourth-ever shutout against Minnesota and its second in Minneapolis since Feb. 23, 1973. He also allowed just seven even strength goals in his seven starts (four of the goals that were scored on him came on the power  play and another via a penalty shot). Kaskisuo will come into this weekend's home series with Colorado College sporting both the NCHC's fifth best goals against average (2.09) and saves percentage (.924).

Kaskisuo is the second Bulldog to ever be honored by the HCA. In 2010-11, right winger J.T. Brown was bestowed with the HCA Rookie of the Month award for October.

Current UMD sophomore left wingers Kyle Osterberg (Oct.) and Alex Iafallo (Jan.) were both recipients of a NCHC Rookie of the Month award one year ago.