COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Although only four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams were in action over the weekend, there were still plenty of strong individual performances logged by NCHC players with Minnesota Duluth claiming three of the four weekly honors. The Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2 are St. Cloud State sophomore forward Kalle Kossila for Offensive Player of the Week, Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman Willie Corrin for Defenseman of the Week, UMD freshman forward Kyle Osterberg for Rookie of the Week and Bulldog senior netminder Aaron Crandall for Goaltender of the Week.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kalle Kossila, St. Cloud State
Sophomore Forward
Kaunianen, Finland

Kossila had a monster weekend in a split at Nebraska Omaha, totaling five points on four goals and an assist while posting a +1 rating. In Friday’s 5-3 win, he scored the first goal of the game and added a primary assist on a goal in the second period that put SCSU up, 3-2. He totaled two points in the contest and logged a +1 rating as he was named the game’s second star. The next night, Kossila recorded another multi-point game as he tallied his first career hat trick, the Huskies’ first of the season, with a three-goal outburst. His first two goals came in the first period as he helped erase an early 2-0 deficit to put SCSU in front 3-2 with his first goal coming on the power play. The Finn then capped his hat trick with an unassisted tally early in the third period that tied the game in an eventual 8-6 loss. Kossila put 10 shots on goal in the series, including six on Saturday.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Willie Corrin, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Defenseman
International Falls, Minn.

Corrin had arguably the best weekend of his career, helping the Bulldogs to a sweep at No. 20 Western Michigan. The sophomore dished out three assists in the series while posting a +3 rating and blocking two shots. In Friday’s 5-2 victory, he handed out a pair of helpers for his first career multi-point game with both coming in the third period, the first of which set up the game-winning goal. The next night, he had an assist on UMD’s final goal to help seal the 3-1 win, while logging a +2 rating. Corrin helped limit the Broncos to three goals all weekend while playing on a penalty kill that was 12-for-13 in the series, including 6-for-6 on Saturday. He blocked a shot in each game as well.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Kyle Osterberg, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Lakeville, Minn.

Osterberg led UMD to a sweep at No. 20 Western Michigan behind a four-point weekend. All four of his points came in a 5-2 win Friday, marking a career high for points, as he had a hand in four of the Bulldogs’ five goals. Osterberg scored two goals for his first career multi-goal game, while adding a pair of assists. He scored his first goal on the power play to open the scoring and added his second in the third period to add to UMD’s lead. Both of his assists were primary helpers in the second and third periods, while he posted a +3 rating for the contest and was named the first star of the game. Saturday, he put two shots on goal in a 3-1 victory to complete the sweep. Osterberg totaled seven shots on goal and finished with a +3 rating in the series. He has now earned NCHC Rookie of the Week twice this season.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Aaron Crandall, Minnesota Duluth
Senior Goaltender
Lakeville, Minn.

Crandall continued his strong play of late, backstopping the Bulldogs to a sweep at No. 20 Western Michigan. In the series he recorded a 1.50 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage, allowing just three goals all weekend while totaling 49 saves to pick up both wins in net. In the series opener, Crandall made 17 saves while giving up two goals (only one even strength) in a 5-2 victory that snapped WMU’s six-game unbeaten streak. On Saturday, the senior collected his 10th win of the year by allowing just one goal while making 32 saves to earn first star of the game honors. In that contest, he stopped 13 shots in each of the first two periods and helped kill all six WMU power plays. Crandall anchored a UMD penalty kill that finished 12-for-13 on the weekend as he has now started a career-best nine straight games in goal. He has now earned NCHC Goaltender of the Week twice this year.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Justin Crandall, Jr., F, UMD – Compiled a career-high-tying four points in UMD’s 5-2 win at WMU Friday on two goals and two assists, including scoring the game-winner, while posting a +4 rating in the contest

Dominic Zombo, Jr., F, UNO – Tallied four goals in a series split with St. Cloud State, notching one goal in Friday’s loss, while recording his first career hat trick on Saturday, including scoring the game-winner, to lead UNO to the win

Defenseman of the Week
No other nominees

Rookie of the Week
Jake Guentzel, Fr., F, UNO – Dished out four assists in a series split with St. Cloud State, handing out a helper on the first goal of the game Friday, while adding a trio of assists in Saturday’s win, a career high for assist and points, including the primary assist on the game-winner

Goaltender of the Week
No other nominees

--NCHCHockey--