Previous Winners
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 24-30 on Monday with Western Michigan claiming three of the four awards. The winners for week eight of the season are WMU senior forward Justin Kovacs for Offensive Player of the Week, Broncos junior defenseman Kenney Morrison for Defenseman of the Week, WMU freshman forward Frederik Tiffels for Rookie of the Week and North Dakota junior netminder Zane McIntyre for Goaltender of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Justin Kovacs, Western Michigan
Senior Forward
Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.
Kovacs led Western Michigan to the Shillelagh Tournament title, dishing out seven assists in two games to earn Most Outstanding Player of the tournament honors while also landing on the All-Tournament Team. In Friday’s 6-2 win over Ohio State, he assisted on two goals, including setting up the game- winner. On Saturday, he handed out five helpers to lead WMU to an 8-2 win over defending NCAA champion Union in the championship game. He was one assist shy of tying the WMU single-game record while he became the first Bronco to tally five points in a game since 2002. Four of his five assists Saturday came on the power play. Kovacs was +1 in each game and finished the tournament with a +2 rating while putting five shots on goal.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Kenney Morrison, Western Michigan
Junior Defenseman
Lloydminster, Alberta
Morrison anchored a WMU blue line that allowed just four goals (only one even strength) all weekend en route to the Shillelagh Tournament championship. Offensively, he tallied three points on the weekend on a goal and two assists, while posting a +3 rating in the tournament. In Friday’s 6-2 win over Ohio State, he scored the Broncos’ fourth goal to make it 4-2 in the third period, while he was +1 in the contest with two blocked shots. In Saturday’s final, he handed out assists on WMU’s first and last goals in an 8-2 beating of No. 17 Union, while he was +2 in the game. Morrison finished with three blocked shots in the tournament and was named to the All-Tournament Team, while helping WMU go 11-for-14 on the penalty kill, including 8-for-10 in the championship game.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Frederik Tiffels, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
Cologne, Germany
Tiffels had the best weekend of his young career at the Shillelagh Tournament, posting four points on three goals and an assist, while compiling a +3 rating to help WMU win the tournament title. On Friday he tallied the first hat trick of his career with a goal in the first period and two in the third period, while he had a +3 rating in the 6-2 win over Ohio State. Tiffels became the first freshman in the NCAA to tally a hat trick this season. The next night he assisted on a power play goal in the first period that made the score 4-0 as WMU cruised to an 8-2 win over defending NCAA champion Union in the tournament final. Tiffels put seven shots on goal on the weekend and was named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Zane McIntyre, North Dakota
Junior Goaltender
Thief River Falls, Minn.
McIntyre backstopped North Dakota to a four-point weekend against No. 11 Omaha, picking up a tie and a win in net. In the series, the Boston Bruins prospect compiled a .938 save percentage and a 1.92 goals-against average. On Friday he stopped 28 shots, surrendering just two goals, and helped kill all three UNO power plays in a 2-2 overtime tie. He also stopped two of three attempts in the shootout. The next night, McIntyre made a season-high 32 saves, including 14 in the third period, to help UND close out a 3-2 win. He was named the game’s first star on Saturday. McIntyre finished the series with 60 saves on 64 shots while helping kill all seven Omaha power plays.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Offensive Player of the Week
Drake Caggiula, Jr., F, UND – Handed out three assists against Omaha and had a +1 rating, setting up the game’s first goal in a 2-2 tie Friday while dishing out assists on the first two goals in a 3-2 win Saturday.
Defenseman of the Week
Gage Ausmus, So., D, UND – Scored UND’s first goal in a 2-2 overtime tie Friday while posting a +2 rating, blocking four shots and helping UND go 7-for-7 on the penalty kill in the series with Omaha.
Rookie of the Week
Nick Schmaltz, Fr., F, UND – Notched two points against Omaha in his return from injury, scoring the game-tying goal in the third period of Friday’s 2-2 overtime tie, while assisting on the first goal in Saturday’s 3-2 win on the power play.
Goaltender of the Week
Lukas Hafner, Jr., G, WMU – Named All-Tournament Team after earning both wins in net at the Shillelagh Tournament, compiling a 2.00 GAA and a .938 save percentage in wins over Ohio State and Union, including a career-high 40 saves in Saturday’s championship game, while only one goal allowed came even strength all weekend.
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