COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the first month of the 2016-17 college hockey season in the books, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has announced its first monthly award winners of the season. Collecting NCHC Player of the Month for October is North Dakota sophomore forward Brock Boeser, while Denver freshman forward Henrik Borgström was named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for October. Boeser was the NCHC March/April Player of the Month last season as well, and was a two-time NCHC Rookie of the Month.

NCHC PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Brock Boeser
North Dakota
Sophomore Forward
Burnsville, Minn.

Boeser started his sophomore campaign with a bang, tallying points in each of his first five games this season, including four multi-point games to lead North Dakota to a 5-2-0 start. He totaled 12 points in seven games in October, which led the NCHC and tied for third nationally in scoring, while his 1.71 points per game also led the NCHC. Boeser tied for the NCHC lead with his six goals and six assists with the six goals tying for fifth in the NCAA. He was twice named NCHC Offensive Player of the Week during the month and was named the game’s First Star four times.

Boeser opened his season with a four-point outing in a shutout of Canisius Oct. 7, scoring a goal and dishing out three assists, including on the game-winner. The next night he handed out two more helpers, again on the game-winning goal to complete a sweep, as he garnered his first NCHC weekly honor. The Vancouver Canucks first round draft pick was the game’s First Star both nights as well, finishing the series with a plus-5 rating. The following Saturday, Boeser tallied another assist in a 5-2 win over Rensselaer.

Boeser had a monster weekend Oct. 21-22 against Bemidji State, scoring five of UND’s eight goals in the series. In Friday’s opener, he recorded a natural hat trick, his second career hat trick and UND’s first natural hat trick since Ryan Duncan in the 2008 NCAA regionals, as he led the Fighting Hawks to a 3-2 comeback win. He also became the first player in 48 years to score every UND goal in a game in which UND scored at least three goals. Boeser capped his series with the Beavers by scoring two more goals in Saturday’s victory while posting a plus-3 rating. UND’s assistant captain was named First Star of the Game both nights, while he picked up his second NCHC weekly honor and was also named NCAA Third Star of the Week for his efforts.

Boeser finished October with a plus-5 rating, which tied for fifth in the NCHC, while he fired 30 shots on goal, which was third in the conference. Of his six goals, five came even strength and one on the power play, while he tallied one game-winning goal. A natural winger, he also took 41 faceoffs in seven games and won 56.1 percent of them.

Boeser is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player of the Month for October, which will be announced on Wednesday. Other nominees for NCHC Player of the Month included Denver junior goaltender Tanner Jaillet and Omaha junior forward Tyler Vesel.

NCHC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Henrik Borgström
Denver
Freshman Forward
Helsinki, Finland

After a slow start, Borgström caught fire in October, tallying points in four of his final five games during the month, including three multi-point games, to lead Denver to a 6-2-0 record. In eight games, he tallied nine points on four goals and five assists with his nine points leading all NCHC rookies and tying for fifth nationally among freshmen. His four goals tied for the NCHC rookie lead and tied for third among NCAA freshmen. He was named First Star of the Game three times throughout October.

Borgström was held pointless in his first three collegiate games, but exploded in his fourth for three points, scoring his first two career goals, including the game-winning goal, while also notching his first assist in a 3-1 win over then No. 2 Boston University Oct. 15. The Florida Panthers first round draft pick was named the game’s First Star after having a hand in all three goals.

The following weekend, Borgström added another three points in a sweep at Michigan State. He again had a hand in both goals in a 2-1 win Oct. 21, scoring the first goal and setting up the game-winner, while he dished out an assist in the series finale Saturday, as well – a 3-1 victory. He was tabbed First Star of the Game in Friday’s victory while logging a plus-2 rating each night against the Spartans. Borgström wrapped up his month by tying his career high with three points in a 4-2 win over Western Michigan Oct. 29. The 6-foot-3 center scored the game’s first goal on the power play, while tallying a career-high two helpers, including on the game-winning goal, and was again named the game’s First Star.

Borgström led all NCAA rookies with 29 shots on goal in October, while two of his goals came on the power play and one was a game-winner. He also finished the month with a plus-5 rating and had an even or positive plus/minus rating in seven of his eight games.

Borgström is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month for October, which will be announced on Wednesday. Other nominees for NCHC Rookie of the Month included North Dakota freshman forward Tyson Jost and Miami freshman goaltender Ryan Larkin.

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