Men's Ice Hockey 11/8/2016 1:30:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2016

WMU’s Iacopelli and Gorsuch, UMD’s Soucy and Anderson honored for week five

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With two National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams earning sweeps in conference play last weekend, all four Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2016 hail from either Minnesota Duluth or Western Michigan. Claiming Bauer NCHC Player of the Week honors for week five are WMU sophomore forward Matheson Iacopelli for Offensive Player of the Week, UMD senior blue liner Carson Soucy for Defenseman of the Week, Bulldogs freshman forward Joey Anderson for Rookie of the Week and Broncos sophomore netminder Trevor Gorsuch for Goaltender of the Week. This is the first career NCHC weekly honor for all four student-athletes.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Matheson Iacopelli, Western Michigan
Sophomore Forward
Brownstown, Mich.

Iacopelli had the best weekend of his Bronco career last weekend, totaling five points to power Western Michigan to a NCHC home-opening sweep of Miami. After tallying only one goal and seven points his freshman season, he exploded for four goals against the RedHawks and already has nine goals this season. In Friday’s 6-3 victory, the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick tied a career high with three points, collecting the primary assist on the game-tying goal in the second stanza while adding WMU’s final two goals in the third period, including one on the power play, to seal the comeback win. The next night, Iacopelli was just as dominant, burying two more goals in a three-minute span in the second period to break a 2-2 tie as his first goal was the game-winner in the 5-2 sweep-clincher. He was named the game’s First Star both nights and posted a plus-2 rating on Saturday, which is how he finished the weekend. Iacopelli fired 11 shots on goal in the series as well, including six on Saturday.

Defenseman of the Week

Carson Soucy, Minnesota Duluth
Senior Defenseman
Irma, Alberta

Soucy anchored Minnesota Duluth’s blue line, leading the Bulldogs’ to their second straight NCHC sweep of a top-10 opponent with a three-point weekend. Along with his offense, he powered UMD’s penalty kill to go 8-for-9 against St. Cloud State in the series. On Friday, he had the primary assist on the game-tying goal midway through the third period as the Bulldogs rallied for a 5-3 win, going 5-for-5 on the penalty kill. The next night, the Minnesota Wild prospect notched a pair of goals in the third period to again complete a 5-3 comeback win, with his first tally tying the game unassisted. He was also plus-2 in the game and earned Second Star of the Night. Soucy finished the weekend with two goals, an assist, five blocked shots, a plus-1 rating and four shots on goal, including three Saturday.

Rookie of the Week

Joey Anderson, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Roseville, Minn.

Anderson had a breakout weekend in UMD’s sweep at No. 8 St. Cloud State, totaling five points, including the first three goals of his collegiate career. In Friday’s 5-3 comeback win, the New Jersey Devils draft pick tied a career high with three points, while scoring his first two career goals in the third period, the first of which was the game-winner to break a 3-3 tie while he sealed the win with an empty-net goal. Anderson also added the primary assist on the Bulldogs’ first goal Friday as he finished the game with a plus-3 rating en route to First Star of the Night honors. The following night, he scored UMD’s first goal unassisted to tie the game in the first period and added a helper to seal another 5-3 comeback victory for a two-point night. Anderson finished the series with his three goals, two assists, a plus-4 rating and eight shots on goal, with four each night.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Trevor Gorsuch, Western Michigan
Sophomore Goaltender
St. Charles, Mo.

Gorsuch backstopped Western Michigan to a sweep of rival Miami over the weekend, picking up both wins in net for his first career back-to-back wins on a weekend while allowing five goals in the series. On Friday, he stopped 17 shots in a 6-3 victory. The next night he totaled 29 saves while giving up only two goals in a 5-2 win. Gorsuch also kept Miami’s strong power play in check, helping kill off all 11 RedHawk man advantages in the game as he was named Third Star of the Game. He finished the weekend with a .902 save percentage, a 2.50 goals-against average and 46 saves on 51 shots faced.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Mason Bergh, So., F, CC – Tallied four points in a split at Omaha with a goal in Friday’s win and a career-high two goals and an assist in Saturday’s loss.

Austin Ortega, Sr., F, Omaha – Compiled four points in a split with CC, notching UNO’s lone goal in Friday’s loss, while scoring two goals, including the game-winner, and adding an assist in Saturday’s 6-4 victory when he was plus-3.

Dominic Toninato, Sr., F, UMD – Totaled four points and a plus-5 rating in a sweep of SCSU with a goal and two assists in Friday’s win and added another goal in Saturday’s victory.

Defenseman of the Week
Teemu Kivihlame, Jr., D, CC – Handed out an assist in each game of a split at Omaha while blocking five shots in the series.

Scott Moldenhauer, Jr., D, WMU – Compiled a trio of assists in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Miami, including on the game-winner, while logging a plus-1 rating.

Luc Snuggerud, Jr., D, Omaha – Assisted on UNO’s lone goal in Friday’s loss to CC while tallying a goal in Saturday’s victory as he finished with a plus-2 rating and two blocked shots.

Rookie of the Week
Lawton Courtnall, Fr., F, WMU – Handed out an assist in Friday’s 6-3 win over Miami while scoring a goal in Saturday’s sweep-clinching victory.

Tyson Jost, Fr., F, UND - Tallied a career-high three points in Friday’s 5-5 overtime tie at Minnesota, scoring a goal and dishing out two assists while logging a plus-3 rating.

Goaltender of the Week
None

--#NCHCHockey--