Men's Ice Hockey 12/13/2016 2:30:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: Dec. 5-11, 2016

WMU’s Allison and Blacker, UMD’s Pionk and CC’s Leclerc honored for week 10

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With several National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) series ending in splits last weekend, it was freshmen that rose to the occasion as three of the four Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Dec. 5-11 are rookies and all four winners are underclassmen. Earning NCHC Offensive Player of the Week for week 10 is Western Michigan freshman forward Wade Allison, while Minnesota Duluth sophomore blue liner Neal Pionk claimed NCHC Defenseman of the Week, Colorado College freshman goaltender Alex Leclerc captured NCHC Rookie of the Week and WMU rookie netminder Ben Blacker garnered NCHC Goaltender of the Week.

This is Allison’s second NCHC weekly honor this season, but first Offensive Player of the Week nod, while Pionk captured his award for the second time this season and third time in his career. Leclerc was recognized for the first time by the NCHC, while Blacker picked up his second NCHC weekly honor of his rookie campaign but first Goaltender of the Week accolade.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Wade Allison, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
Myrtle, Manitoba

Allison tallied four points in a split at No. 8 North Dakota last weekend, scoring two goals and adding two assists. In Friday’s loss, he had the primary assist on the Broncos’ lone goal and posted a plus-1 rating. The next night in a 3-1 victory, he had a hand in all three WMU goals for a career-high three points, scoring the first two goals, including the game-winner to break a 1-1 tie midway through the third period. He also logged the primary helper on the empty-net goal that sealed the win, while again posting a plus-1 rating and earning First Star of the Game honors. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick finished the series with six shots on goal, including five Saturday, and a plus-2 rating.

Defenseman of the Week

Neal Pionk, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Hermantown, Minn.

Pionk was solid at both ends of the ice in Minnesota Duluth’s split at No. 2 Denver, handing out three assists in the series while anchoring a penalty kill unit that was 7-for-7 on the weekend. In Friday’s loss, he dished out the primary assist on UMD’s second goal that closed the deficit to 3-2 in the second period, while blocking two shots. The following night, Pionk helped limit DU to one goal in a 3-1 victory, while assisting on goals that book-ended UMD’s scoring. He had the primary assist on the game’s first goal to put the Bulldogs in front, while he sealed the game with a helper on an empty-net goal and posted a plus-3 rating in the win with four blocked shots. Pionk finished the series with a plus-2 rating, six blocked shots and three shots on goal.

Rookie of the Week

Alex Leclerc, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Longueuil, Quebec

Leclerc continued his strong play of late, helping snap Colorado College’s seven-game losing streak at Miami, while allowing only three goals in regulation and four goals on the weekend. On Friday, the freshman surrendered only a goal in a 1-1 overtime tie with the RedHawks, while making a career-high 35 saves, including a single-period career-high 16 saves in the second stanza. He was named Second Star of the Game Friday, while helping kill all three Miami power plays well. The next night, Leclerc compiled 30 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss, including 17 saves in the third period and overtime. He also made six saves to kill all five RedHawk power plays. Leclerc finished the weekend with a .942 save percentage, totaling 65 saves on 69 shots, and a 1.90 goals-against average, while helping kill all eight Miami man advantages.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Ben Blacker, Western Michigan
Freshman Goaltender
Oakville, Ont.

Blacker allowed only two goals in over 86 minutes of action, entering in relief on Friday at No. 8 North Dakota, before backstopping WMU to only its second win ever over UND on Saturday. On Friday, he totaled 11 saves in the final 26:23 of the game, allowing only a power play goal. The next night, he made a career-high 32 saves in a 3-1 victory, including making 13 saves while helping kill all six Fighting Hawks power plays, which included a pair of five-minute power plays. Of his 32 saves Saturday, 21 came in the third period to keep UND at bay until the Broncos scored the game-winner. Blacker was named Third Star of the Game for his efforts as he picked up the win in his first start since Oct. 14 after missing time due to illness. The rookie finished the weekend with a 1-0-0 record, a .956 save percentage and a 1.39 goals-against average with 43 total saves on 45 shots.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Fredrik Olofsson, So., F, Omaha – Scored a goal in both games of Omaha’s split at SCSU, while posting a plus-1 rating in the series.

Austin Poganski, Jr., F, UND – Tied a career high with three points in Friday’s win over WMU, scoring two goals and adding an assist, while logging a plus-3 rating in the series.

Kiefer Sherwood, So., F, Miami – Tallied three points against CC with an assist in Friday’s 1-1 tie, while scoring the game-tying goal and adding another helper in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win.

Troy Terry, So., F, Denver – Compiled three points in Friday’s 4-3 win over UMD, assisting on the game-winner while scoring two other goals and logging a plus-3 rating.

Defenseman of the Week
Christian Wolanin, So., D, UND – Dished out two assists in Friday’s win over WMU, while logging a plus-4 rating in the victory and blocking a shot.

Rookie of the Week
Carson Meyer, Fr., F, Miami – Handed out an assist in each game against CC, including on the game-winning goal Saturday in overtime, while posting a plus-1 rating.

Hunter Miska, Fr., G, UMD – Went 1-1 against Denver, posting a .929 save percentage and a 2.54 goals-against average, compiling 65 saves, including a career-high 38 in Saturday’s win.

Colton Poolman, Fr., D, UND – Scored his first collegiate goal in Friday’s win over WMU, which turned out to be the game-winner, while he finished the series with a plus-1 rating.

Teemu Pulkkinen, Fr., F, Omaha – Tallied a goal and an assist in Friday’s win at SCSU, with his goal the game-winner, while he posted a plus-1 rating on the weekend.

Goaltender of the Week
Cam Johnson, Jr., G, UND – Went 1-1 against WMU, totaling 43 saves in the series with a .935 save percentage and a 1.53 GAA.

Hunter Miska, Fr., G, UMD – Went 1-1 against Denver, posting a .929 save percentage and a 2.54 goals-against average, compiling 65 saves, including a career-high 38 in Saturday’s win.

Evan Weninger, So., G, Omaha – Went 1-1 in net in a spilt at SCSU, compiling 72 saves in the series for a .935 save percentage, while logging a 2.51 GAA in the two games with five goals allowed.

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