Sound Tigers News: Captains Named, Book Thrown at Suspended Brandon DeFazio

Some Bridgeport Sound Tigers news to relay: After an in-season evaluation period under new head coach Scott Pellerin -- as well as consultation through a player vote -- the team has selected new captains.

Colin McDonald, an offseason signing from the Penguins organization, is named captain to fill the void left by previous captain Jeremy Colliton, whose concussion issues have threatened his career and left him unsigned. As the team press release notes, McDonald was a captain in college and for his junior team.

Wearing a full-time "A" for assistant/alternate captain will be Casey Cizikas, a second-year pro who was likely to claim an Islanders roster spot had the NHL saw fit to hold a 2012-13 season.

Jon Landry and Matt Watkins also will wear "A"s, with Landry handling the home games and Watkins getting the road games.

DeFazio Suspended 6 Games for Leaving Bench to Cause a Ruckus

Separately, Brandon DeFazio was suspended by the AHL for six games for leaving the bench to fight in the Sound Tigers' 4-2 loss to the Connecticut Whale. DeFazio fought Brandon Segal after Segal took out Matt Donovan on a heavy hit.

According to the league, DeFazio will miss Saturday (Dec. 8) at Albany; Sunday (Dec. 9) vs. Syracuse; Tuesday (Dec. 11) at Portland; Dec. 14 at Dec. 15 at Norfolk; and Dec. 19 vs. Albany.

On that note, lines at practice today (via team's Twitter account) were oriented with an anticipated DeFazio absence:

Niederreiter-Nelson-McDonald
Persson-Sundstrom-MacKay
Watkins-Cizikas-Riley
Gallant-Backman-Halmo (DeFazio)