Previous Winners
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced its Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 20-26 on Monday. The winners for week three of the season are Minnesota Duluth junior forward Austin Farley for Offensive Player of the Week, North Dakota sophomore defenseman Troy Stecher for Defenseman of the Week, UMD freshman goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo for Rookie of the Week and Western Michigan junior netminder Lukas Hafner for Goaltender of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Austin Farley, Minnesota Duluth
Junior Forward
Niles, Ill.
Farley led UMD to a split in its NCHC-opening series with No. 11 Denver, tallying three points on the weekend with a goal in each game, while firing 19 shots on goal in the two contests. On Friday, he scored the Bulldogs’ only goal, which came on the power play and tied the game 1-1 in an eventual 3-1 loss, while putting nine shots on goal. Saturday, he guided UMD to a 6-1 win, putting 10 more shots on goal while recording two points with another power play goal and an assist, both of which came in the third period. Farley finished the weekend with a +1 rating, which he posted in Saturday’s game.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Troy Stecher, North Dakota
Sophomore Defenseman
Richmond, B.C.
Stecher helped UND to a win and a tie against No. 5 Providence, dishing out four assists in the series with two each night, while posting a +3 rating from the blue line. In Friday’s 6-1 victory, he set up a pair of even strength goals, including an assist on the game-winning goal, with a +2 rating and a blocked shot. The next night, he chipped in two more assists in a 2-2 tie as he had a hand in both goals. Stecher was +1 Saturday and blocked three shots as he totaled four blocks on the weekend. He was also strong on the penalty kill, helping UND go 14-for-15 on the weekend, including killing all eight Providence power plays in Friday’s win.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kasimir Kaskisuo, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Vantaa, Finland
Kaskisuo had a strong weekend in goal for the Bulldogs, backstopping them to a NCHC-opening split with No. 11 Denver. He compiled a .923 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average in the series with the Pioneers while going 1-1. On Friday, he suffered a 3-1 loss, despite making 19 saves and helping kill 3-of-4 DU power plays. On Saturday, he stopped 29 shots in a 6-1 victory, allowing only a power play goal while killing 4-of-5 Denver power plays. Kaskisuo conceded just two even strength goals in the series while helping UMD go 7-for-9 on the penalty kill and totaling 48 saves.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Lukas Hafner, Western Michigan
Junior Goaltender
Toledo, Ohio
Hafner backstopped Western Michigan to a split with No. 16 Alaska, playing both games in net while compiling a 1.52 goals-against average and a .953 save percentage. He made at least 30 saves both nights, combining for 61 total, while allowing just three goals all weekend, including only one even strength, against a team that came in averaging 3.50 goals per game. On Friday, he made a season-high 31 saves, including six on UAF’s power plays, in a tough, 1-0 loss, as Alaska scored the game’s only goal on the power play. The next night, he stopped 30 more shots and gave up just two goals in a 4-2 victory to hand the Nanooks their first loss of the season, while one of the goals allowed came on a penalty shot. Hafner helped WMU go 8-for-9 on the penalty kill on the weekend, including 6-for-7 Friday.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Offensive Player of the Week
Cody Bradley, Jr., F, CC – Totaled three points on the weekend with a goal against Boston College and had a hand in both goals against New Hampshire, scoring the first and adding an assist on the second.
Drake Caggiula, Jr., F, UND – Notched a career-high four points in Friday’s 6-1 win over No. 5 Providence, handing out a career-best three assists, including one on the game-winner, while scoring his first career short-handed goal and posting a +2 rating.
Nolan LaPorte, Jr., F, WMU – Recorded three points and a +1 rating in Saturday’s win over No. 16 Alaska with a pair of power play goals, including the first goal of the game and the game-winner, while assisting on WMU’s second goal in the 4-2 victory.
Rookie of the Week
Teemu Kivihalme, Fr., D, CC – Was +1 at Boston College and scored a goal in Saturday’s loss at New Hampshire, while helping the Tigers go 5-for-6 on the penalty kill on the weekend.
Austin Poganski, Fr., F, UND – Scored his first collegiate goal in Saturday’s 2-2 tie with No. 5 Providence, which put UND ahead 2-1, while he posted a +2 rating in his only game of the series.
Goaltender of the Week
Zane McIntyre, Jr., G, UND – Earned a win and a tie against No. 5 Providence, posting a 1.44 GAA and a .946 save percentage in the series with 53 saves, while allowing just three goals total and only one even strength as he led UND’s penalty kill to a 14-of-15 showing against the Friars.
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