COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Bauer National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 18-24 are Western Michigan senior forward Shane Berschbach for Offensive Player of the Week, St. Cloud State junior defenseman Andrew Prochno for Defenseman of the Week, Denver freshman forward Trevor Moore is the Rookie of the Week and Nebraska Omaha junior netminder Ryan Massa is the Goaltender of the Week. Bauer is the new official sponsor of the NCHC Player of the Week awards.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shane Berschbach, Western Michigan
Senior Forward
Clawson, Mich.
Berschbach led the Broncos to a sweep of in-state rival Michigan State with a four-point weekend. In Friday’s 2-0 win at MSU, the senior assisted on WMU’s second goal to secure the victory, while posting a +1 rating. On Saturday, Berschbach had a hand in three of the Broncos’ four goals in a 4-1 win, scoring WMU’s final goal while assisting on the game-winning goal in the first period and handing out another helper on the Broncos’ third goal, which came on the power play. Berschbach finished with a goal and three assists on the weekend while posting a +3 rating, including +2 on Saturday. He has now claimed NCHC Offensive Player of the Week twice this year.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Andrew Prochno, St. Cloud State
Junior Defenseman
Minnetonka, Minn.
Prochno played a big role on both ends of the ice to help St. Cloud State earn four points in its weekend series with Colorado College. He totaled three points in the two games while logging a +4 rating and blocking five shots on the weekend. In Friday’s overtime tie, the junior assisted on the Huskies first goal of the night, which came on the power play, while blocking two shots. On Saturday, he chipped in two points in a 6-2 victory, scoring the game’s first goal while assisting on SCSU’s final tally, also on the power play. Prochno posted +4 rating Saturday and blocked three more shots. He helped limit the Tigers to two goals each night and led the Huskies penalty kill to a 6-for-8 weekend, going 3-for-4 each night.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Trevor Moore, Denver
Freshman Forward
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Moore had arguably the best weekend of his young career, scoring three goals to help Denver tie and beat Air Force. In Friday’s 3-3 tie on the road, the rookie scored an unassisted goal to tie the game at 2-2 in the second period. On Saturday, Moore scored the Pioneers final two goals in a 3-1 victory to earn first star of the game honors. He scored the game-winning goal on the power play early in the second period to break a 1-1 tie and added an insurance goal later in the period for his second two-goal game in his last four outings. Moore finished with a +2 rating on the weekend, going +1 in each game, while blocking two shots Saturday.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Massa, Nebraska Omaha
Junior Goaltender
Littleton, Colo.
Massa was huge in backstopping Nebraska Omaha to a sweep of No. 8 Miami, collecting both wins while compiling a 2.00 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. On Friday, he made 29 saves, including stopping a penalty shot, while allowing three goals, but just one came even strength in the 6-3 victory. The next night in a 3-1 win, Massa totaled 25 saves while conceding just one goal, which came on the power play, to collect his fifth straight win in net. The junior finished with 54 saves on the weekend, allowing just one even strength goal, while helping kill nine of Miami’s 12 power plays in the series.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Offensive Player of the Week
Jonny Brodzinski, So., F, SCSU – Tallied three points on two goals and an assist in two games against Colorado College, including two points in Friday’s 2-2 tie, while posting a +3 rating on the weekend
Justin Crandall, Jr., F, UMD – Totaled a career-high four points in Saturday’s 6-2 win over No. 1 Minnesota with two goals and two assists, including scoring the game-winning goal
Defenseman of the Week
Michael Young, Sr., D, UNO – Chipped in three assists to help UNO sweep Miami with two coming on the power play and two of the three coming on Friday, while also blocking three shots with a +3 rating in the series
Rookie of the Week
Chris Dienes, Fr., D, WMU – Helped WMU shut out Michigan State Friday while scoring his first career goal Saturday and finished the weekend with three blocked shots and a +1 rating while helping kill all eight MSU power plays in the sweep
Gustav Olofsson, Fr., D, CC – Had a point in all three games for the Tigers, scoring his first career goal Tuesday while adding an assist Friday and blocking three shots, and scoring a power play tally Saturday
Austin Ortega, Fr., F, UNO – Compiled a career-high three points in Friday’s win over Miami, scoring two goals in the second period while assisting on the game-winner and posting a +2 rating in the contest
Goaltender of the Week
Sam Brittain, Sr., G, Denver – Earned a tie and a win against Air Force, totaling 66 saves in the two games for a .943 save percentage and a 1.92 GAA, including 35 saves in a 3-1 win Saturday
Lukas Hafner, So., G, WMU – Made 22 saves Friday in his only action to blank Michigan State and record his first career shutout while helping kill all three MSU power plays
Matt McNeely, So., G, UMD – Earned the win Sunday at No. 1 Minnesota, making 36 saves while giving up just two power play goals, and finished the weekend with a .933 save percentage and a 2.06 GAA after entering in relief of Friday’s loss and allowing just one power play goal in nearly 30 minutes
--NCHCHockey--