Men's Ice Hockey 3/1/2016 2:00:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: Feb. 22-28

UMD’s Kuhlman, Miami’s Richart and Williams, and DU’s Gambrell honored for week 19

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After all four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) series ended in sweeps last weekend, three of the teams that swept produced a Bauer NCHC Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 22-28. Capturing Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for week 19 are Minnesota Duluth sophomore forward Karson Kuhlman for Offensive Player of the Week, Miami senior blue liner Taylor Richart for Defenseman of the Week, Denver freshman forward Dylan Gambrell for Rookie of the Week and Miami senior netminder Jay Williams for Goaltender of the Week.

Gambrell garnered NCHC Rookie of the Week for the third straight week and fifth time this season while Williams claimed his first NCHC Goalie of the Week nod this season but the fifth of his career. Kuhlman and Richart each picked up their first career NCHC honor of any kind.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Karson Kuhlman, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Esko, Minn.

Kuhlman had his best weekend of the season to lead UMD to a sweep at then No. 3 St. Cloud State, totaling four points in the series. In Friday’s 4-1 victory, he had a hand in three of the goals with a career-high three points while earning First Star of the Game honors. Kuhlman scored the Bulldogs’ final two goals to seal the win with his first unassisted on the power play, while he also set up the game-winning goal in the first period. The following night he tallied his first game-winning goal of the season late in the second period to make it a 2-0 game in an eventual 2-1 win. Kuhlman was named the No. 2 Star of the Game while logging a plus-1 rating for the second straight night. He finished the weekend with three goals, one assist, a plus-2 rating and five shots on goal.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Taylor Richart, Miami
Senior Defenseman
Blaine, Minn.

Richart had a senior weekend to remember, netting a goal in both contests against Colorado College to help Miami sweep the Tigers. He had scored just one goal in his previous 127 career games prior to the weekend. Defensively he was stout as well, leading the RedHawks to pitch back-to-back shutouts. In Friday’s 3-0 victory, Richart scored Miami’s second goal of the game in the second period, which came short-handed, marking his first career short-handed goal and Miami’s first short-handed goal this season, while it was Richart’s first goal of any kind this season. He also blocked a shot and posted a plus-2 rating in the win to earn Second Star of the Game, while anchoring a penalty kill unit that went 7-for-7, including a pair of five-minute major penalties. The next night, Richart struck again for his third career goal, which broke a scoreless deadlock in the second period and proved to be the game-winner. He again posted a plus-2 rating and blocked four shots as he was named the game’s First Star in the 4-0 win. Richart totaled two goals, a plus-4 rating and five blocked shots in the series, while helping Miami’s penalty kill go a perfect 10-for-10 on the weekend.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dylan Gambrell, Denver
Freshman Forward
Bonney Lake, Wash.

Capturing his third consecutive NCHC Rookie of the Week honor, Gambrell totaled four points in a sweep at Western Michigan while extending his point streak to 11 games (7g, 13a during streak). In Friday’s 5-1 victory, Gambrell scored the game-winning goal midway through the first period, while he put four shots on goal and posted a plus-1 rating. A night later, Gambrell tied a career high with three points with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win. He had a hand in each of DU’s first three goals, handing out the primary helper on the first goal, which came on the power play, while he assisted on the game-winner in the second period and then scored short-handed to make it 3-0 late in the middle stanza. He put three more shots on goal and had a plus-2 rating, while being named the game’s Second Star. Gambrell ended the series with two goals and two assists, having a hand in both game-winners while tallying points on both special teams. He also logged a plus-3 rating and fired seven shots on goal on the weekend.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Jay Williams, Miami
Senior Goaltender
McLean, Va.

Williams was perfect on the weekend, backstopping the RedHawks to a sweep of Colorado College on his Senior Night while not allowing a goal all series. Williams denied all 55 shots that came his way for a pristine 1.000 save percentage and a 0.00 goals-against average. On Friday, he stopped all 31 shots that came his way in a 3-0 win, including 18 saves in the third period as he was named First Star of the Game. He also made 13 saves on CC’s seven power plays, helping Miami kill all seven man advantages, including two five-minute power plays. The next night, Williams was just as sharp, making 24 more saves in a 4-0 victory while recording two saves on Tiger power plays as he garnered the game’s Second Star. The shutouts were his first two whitewashes of the season while he now has nine career shutouts. Williams anchored Miami’s penalty kill unit as well that finished 10-for-10 on the weekend with him compiling 15 saves on CC power plays.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Drake Caggiula, Sr., F, UND – Totaled three points in a sweep at Omaha, scoring the game-winning goal both nights, while also assisting on a goal in Saturday’s win and logging a plus-2 rating in the series.

Danton Heinen, So., F, DU – Tallied four points in a sweep at WMU with a goal and an assist in Friday’s 5-1 win and handing out a pair of helpers in a 4-1 win the next night, while logging a plus-6 rating in the series.

Defenseman of the Week
Tucker Poolman, So., D, UND – Tallied a career-high three points in Friday’s 4-2 win at Omaha, scoring a goal and adding two assists, while blocking four shots in the series and helping UND go 6-for-6 on the PK.

Rookie of the Week
Brock Boeser, Fr., F, UND – Scored a third-period goal both nights in a sweep at Omaha while logging a plus-1 rating in the series and putting six shots on goal.

Josh Melnick, Fr., F, MU – Totaled four points in a sweep of CC with a goal and an assist in Friday’s shutout and a pair of helpers in Saturday’s whitewash, while logging a plus-3 rating in the series.

Goaltender of the Week
Tanner Jaillet, So., G, DU – Earned a pair of wins in net, allowing one goal each night in a sweep at WMU, while totaling 52 saves in the series for a .963 save percentage and a 1.00 GAA.

Cam Johnson, So., G, UND – Earned a pair of wins in goal at Omaha while posting a 1.50 GAA and a .939 save percentage, compiling 46 saves and surrendering three goals in the series.

Kasimir Kaskisuo, So., G, UMD – Backstopped UMD to a road sweep of SCSU, allowing only one goal each game while posting a .974 save percentage and a 1.00 GAA with 74 combined saves, including a career-high 49 Friday.

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