Austin Ortega of the Utah Grizzlies is the CCM ECHL Rookie of the Month for February.

Ortega scored seven goals and added 14 assists for 21 points in 11 games during the month as the Grizzlies finished February with six straight wins over the final 13 days. His 21 points led the ECHL in scoring for February.

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The 23-year-old picked up at least one point in 10 of his 11 outings in February, including eight multi-point games. He had three points on Feb. 9 at Rapid City, Feb. 19 against Idaho and Feb. 24 against Wichita, and ended the month on an eight-game point streak.

Ortega was named ECHL Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 25 after recording eight points (two goals, six assists) in three games after three straight Utah home wins.

The Escondido native leads the ECHL in scoring since being assigned to Utah by the Anaheim organization on Jan. 6 with 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points in 24 games.

Despite being with Utah for only 24 of their 56 games, Ortega is still tied for second among ECHL rookies with seven power-play goals and ranks third among first-year players with 16 power-play points. He has added 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 17 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

Prior to turning pro, Ortega tallied 139 points (70 goals, 69 assists) in 147 career games at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC). He also had 93 points (53 goals, 40 assists) in 125 career games with Cedar Rapids, Fargo and Indiana of the United States Hockey League.

During his youth hockey career, Ortega skated for the LA Hockey Club and San Diego Jr. Gulls.

Photo/Utah Grizzlies

(March 2, 2018)