COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With all eight National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams in league play last weekend, there were plenty of strong performances logged, but the Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the Week of Dec. 2-8 are Miami junior forward Austin Czarnik for Offensive Player of the Week, St. Cloud State senior defenseman Kevin Gravel for Defenseman of the Week, North Dakota freshman forward Luke Johnson is the Rookie of the Week and St. Cloud State junior netminder Ryan Faragher is the Goaltender of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Austin Czarnik, Miami
Junior Forward
Washington, Mich.
Czarnik, who also earned the honor last week, totaled four points in a series split with Denver, scoring two goals while adding two assists. In Friday’s loss, he assisted on Miami’s only goal of the game in the third period to get the RedHawks within one. On Saturday, Miami’s captain tallied three points on two goals and an assist to lead the RedHawks to the win. He scored the first goal of the game to put Miami ahead, then assisted on the game-winner, which came on the power play in the third period, and added an empty-net goal off a faceoff to seal the win. Czarnik was also +3 in Saturday’s contest and finished the weekend with a +2 mark. He has now claimed NCHC Offensive Player of the Week three times this year.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Kevin Gravel, St. Cloud State
Senior Defenseman
Kingsford, Mich.
Gravel anchored an SCSU defense that gave up just three goals all weekend in a sweep at rival and No. 20 Minnesota Duluth. On Friday, he dished out a pair of assists with one on the Huskies first goal (power play) that tied the game and one on an empty-netter that sealed the win. The Los Angeles Kings prospect also blocked a shot Friday and had a +1 rating while helping kill five of six UMD power plays. The next night, Gravel was even better in SCSU’s 5-1 win as he handed out the primary assist on the game-winner, while posting an impressive +4 rating, blocking another shot and helping kill both Bulldog power plays. The Huskies limited UMD to just 20 shots on goal Saturday as well. For the weekend, Gravel totaled three assists, recorded a +5 rating and blocked two shots. He has now earned NCHC Defenseman of the Week twice this season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Luke Johnson, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Grand Forks, N.D.
Johnson enjoyed the best weekend of his young career as he led North Dakota to a sweep at Western Michigan. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect totaled four points with two in each game after entering with just five points all season. In Friday’s 3-2 win, he scored two power play goals for his first collegiate multi-goal and multi-point effort, as the goals put UND ahead for good. The following night Johnson recorded another multi-point effort with two assists, including one on the game-winner, while logging a +1 rating. Three of his four points came on the power play as North Dakota was 3-for-10 with the man advantage against the Broncos.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Faragher, St. Cloud State
Junior Goaltender
Fort Frances, Ont.
Faragher backstopped St. Cloud State to a sweep at No. 20 Minnesota Duluth, earning both wins in net while compiling a 1.50 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage on the weekend. He was in net all 120 minutes of the series, making 36 saves on 38 shots in a 4-2 win Friday, despite the Huskies being doubled up (38-19) on shots, while stopping 19 of 20 shots in Saturday’s 5-1 victory. Faragher totaled 55 saves on the weekend, allowing just three goals, including only two even strength, while helping kill seven of UMD’s eight power plays in the series. He was also named the game’s first star on Friday. Faragher has now won NCHC Goaltender of the Week twice this season.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Offensive Player of the Week
Luke Johnson, Fr., F, UND – Totaled four points in a sweep of Western Michigan with two goals Friday and two assists Saturday for his first career multi-point games, while posting a +1 rating
Defenseman of the Week
Jordan Schmaltz, So., D, UND – Dished out three assists in a sweep at Western Michigan, all on the power play, while blocking three shots and helping UND go 11-for-13 on the penalty kill
Jaccob Slavin, Fr., D, CC – Handed out three assists, including two on Saturday and one Friday that helped CC snap a 12-game winless streak, while he had a +2 rating in the series and blocked five shots, with four blocks coming in Saturday’s tie
Rookie of the Week
Trevor Moore, Fr., F, DU – Had a goal and an assist in Denver’s win at Miami Friday, scoring the game-winner late in the first period, while posting a +2 rating in the contest and on the weekend
Alex Roos, Fr., F, CC – Totaled three points against Nebraska Omaha, dishing out two assists Friday, including one on the game-winner, to help the Tigers snap a 12-game winless streak, while scoring the go-ahead goal in the third period Saturday in an eventual tie with UNO
Goaltender of the Week
Sam Brittain, Sr., G, DU – Posted a 2.03 GAA and .938 save percentage in a split at Miami, earning a win Friday with 33 saves and allowing just one goal, while totaling 61 saves on the weekend and giving up four goals
Zane Gothberg, So., G, UND – Recorded a 2.00 GAA and a .937 save percentage in a sweep at Western Michigan, giving up two goals each night, stopping 36 shots Friday while helping kill all seven WMU power plays, and adding 23 more saves to earn his second win of the weekend Saturday
Josh Thorimbert, Sr., G, CC – Compiled a 2.40 GAA and a .928 save percentage against UNO, earning a win Friday by making 23 saves in a 4-2 victory, while stopping 41 shots in a 3-3 tie Saturday, as he totaled 64 saves and gave up just three even strength goals and two power play markers in the series
--NCHCHockey--
