Krug, Tropp take home CCHA awards

The CCHA announced Tuesday that defenseman Torey Krug of Michigan State has been named the CCM CCHA Rookie of the Month for December, while junior forward Corey Tropp of Michigan State has been named the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month for December.

Krug, a member of the Spartans’ top defensive pair, helped the team compile a 5-1-0 record in December and allow one goal or less on four occasions. He tallied the first goal of his career in overtime to give MSU a victory over Bowling Green on Dec. 11, 3-2. The Livonia native also helped the Spartans capture their 12th Great Lakes Invitational title with two assists during a win over Rensselaer , 6-1, in the championship game. He posted a plus-6 combined rating in two GLI games.

Krug registered an assist on Tropp’s game-tying goal against Northern Michigan Dec. 5 to force overtime and another in a victory over Bowling Green , 4-1, on Dec. 12. The point man on MSU’s first power-play unit, Krug holds a 1-7-8 scoring line this season.

Krug played the 2008-09 season with the Indiana Ice of the USHL and help the team win the Clark Cup Championship. He was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team after registering a scoring line of 10-37-47 in 59 games to set the club record for points by a defenseman.

Tropp, a 20-year-old from Grosse Pointe Woods, led the Spartans to a 5-1-0 record in December including the program’s 12th Great Lakes Invitational title. He leads the nation with 17 goals and four game-winning goals through 22 games this season, and currently ranks third with 29 points. In the month of December, Tropp led the country with seven goals and 10 points. His efforts helped MSU climb to No. 9 in the USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll and second place in the CCHA with a 9-3-2-0 record.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Tropp was named CCHA Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after recording his second hat trick of the season, including the game-winning goal, and an assist in an 4-1 victory over Bowling Green Dec. 12. Tropp also recorded the only goal in a 1-0 win over Northern Michigan (Dec. 4) and a pair of game-tying tallies that forced overtime against NMU (Dec. 5) and BGSU (Dec. 11).

Special mention for RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month honors goes to Ferris State sophomore goaltender Taylor Nelson and Miami junior forward Tommy Wingels.