COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the opening weekend of National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) league play in the books, the NCHC’s Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 14-20 are Western Michigan senior forward Shane Berschbach for Offensive Player of the Week, Colorado College freshman defenseman Jaccob Slavin for Defenseman of the Week, Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Alex Iafallo for Rookie of the Week and WMU junior netminder Frank Slubowski for Goaltender of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shane Berschbach, Western Michigan
Senior forward
Clawson, Mich.
Berschbach was named to the Brice Alaska Goal Rush All-Tournament Team after helping the Broncos to a win and a tie over the weekend, as WMU took runner-up at the tournament. The senior totaled four points in two games on three goals and an assist. In Friday’s 6-2 win over Alaska-Anchorage, he scored the fourth and fifth goals for WMU to put the game out of reach in the third period. He also assisted on the Broncos’ first goal of the game for a three-point outing, while posting a +2 rating. In Saturday’s 3-3 tie with host Alaska, Berschbach gave WMU a 3-2 lead late in the third period with his third goal of the weekend. He finished as the top scorer among the four teams at the tournament.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Jaccob Slavin, Colorado College
Freshman defenseman
Erie, Colo.
Slavin was impressive in his first collegiate action, helping Colorado College to a weekend split in the Tigers’ season-opening series against Minnesota Duluth. He totaled two points in two games, while finishing with a +1 rating on the weekend and blocking two shots. The rookie was especially impressive on the penalty kill, going a perfect 15-for-15 on his short-handed shifts to help CC finish 12-for-13 on the penalty kill in the series. In Friday’s 3-1 win, Slavin had the primary assist on the Tigers’ third goal that sealed the win for his first career point, while helping them go 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and posting a +1 rating. Saturday, he scored his first career goal, CC’s only of the game, in the second period to pull Colorado College within one at 2-1.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Alex Iafallo, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman forward
Eden, N.Y.
Iafallo had a big impact in Minnesota Duluth’s 5-1 win over Colorado College Saturday, totaling three points on two goals and an assist. He tallied his first collegiate goal and point with 1:39 remaining in the first period to put UMD up 1-0, a lead it would not relinquish. The freshman then assisted on a goal early in the third period and scored his second of the night less than five minutes later to put the game out of reach. Iafallo finished with a +2 rating on the weekend with a +1 mark in each game. He fired a team-high nine shots on goal between the games, while also blocking a pair of shots.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Frank Slubowski, Western Michigan
Junior goaltender
Prince Rupert, B.C.
Slubowski was named to the Brice Alaska Goal Rush All-Tournament Team after backstopping the Broncos to a win and a tie up north, en route to a runner-up finish at the tournament. In Friday’s 6-2 win over Alaska-Anchorage, he stopped 24 shots while allowing just one even strength goal. The next night, the junior totaled 29 saves in 65 minutes of action in a 3-3 overtime tie with host Alaska. Slubowski finished the weekend with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage while totaling 53 saves. He also helped WMU go 9-for-11 on the penalty kill.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Offensive Player of the Week
Blake Coleman, Jr., F, Miami – Tallied his first career hat trick in Saturday’s win over North Dakota
Ryan Walters, Sr., F, UNO – Totaled three points in a split at Northern Michigan, scoring a power play goal in each game and adding a short-handed assist on Saturday
Defenseman of the Week
Jordan Oesterle, Jr., D, WMU – Tallied three assists at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush, including one on the short-handed game-winner Friday, while posting a +2 rating and blocking four shots
Taylor Richart, So., D, Miami – Totaled two assists on the weekend with one in each game against North Dakota, while blocking four shots and posting a +2 rating
Rookie of the Week
Devin Loe, Fr., F, Miami – Dished out two assists in his lone game Saturday, the first of his career, while posting a +3 rating
Goaltender of the Week
Aaron Crandall, Sr., G, UMD – Made 13 saves to earn a 5-1 win over Colorado College Saturday
Ryan McKay, So., G, Miami – Made 34 saves to earn a 6-2 win over North Dakota Saturday
Josh Thorimbert, Sr., G, CC – Posted a 3.00 GAA and .920 save percentage in a weekend split while totaling 69 saves in the series with Minnesota Duluth
--NCHCHockey--