Men's Ice Hockey 1/3/2017 3:00:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: Dec. 16, 2016-Jan. 1, 2017

Omaha’s Ortega and Brady, WMU’s Blacker and CC’s Leclerc honored for week 11

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After leading their respective teams to either tournament titles or a weekend sweep over the holiday break, the Bauer National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the weeks of Dec. 16, 2016 through Jan. 1, 2017 are Omaha senior forward Austin Ortega for NCHC Offensive Player of the Week, Omaha senior blue liner Ian Brady for Defenseman of the Week, Western Michigan freshman goaltender Ben Blacker for Rookie of the Week and Colorado College freshman netminder Alex Leclerc for Goaltender of the Week.

Ortega is now a six-time NCHC Offensive Player of the Week, including three times this season, and has claimed seven career NCHC weekly honors. Brady earned his third career NCHC Defenseman of the Week honor but first since his sophomore season. Blacker and Leclerc are both repeat winners from the last set of weekly awards (Dec. 5-11), but switched honors this week, with Blacker earning his third NCHC weekly award this season and Leclerc his second.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Austin Ortega, Omaha
Senior Forward
Escondido, Calif.

Ortega led Omaha to a home sweep of Lake Superior State, racking up four points in the two games while tying an NCAA career record. In Friday’s 4-1 victory, he scored the Mavericks’ second goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, giving him 23 career game-winning goals, which ties the NCAA career mark. He also posted a plus-3 rating in the series opener. The following night, Ortega tallied three points, scoring a goal and adding two assists to help Omaha rally for a 5-3 comeback win, including assisting on the game-winner. He finished the weekend with two goals, two assists, a plus-4 rating and 12 shots on goal, including seven in Friday’s win. Ortega now leads all NCHC players with 27 points this season.

Defenseman of the Week

Ian Brady, Omaha
Senior Defenseman
Lombard, Ill.

Brady was productive at both ends of the ice, leading an Omaha blue line that helped the Mavericks sweep Lake Superior State, while giving up only four goals in the series. Offensively, he dished out four assists on the weekend, handing out a primary helper in Friday’s 4-1 win, while adding a career-high-tying three assists in a 5-3 comeback win on Saturday. Brady set up the game-winning goal in the series finale, while earning Second Star of the Game. Defensively, he anchored a penalty kill unit that finished 7-for-8, including 5-for-5 in Friday’s win, when he also blocked a shot. Brady completed the weekend with a plus-3 rating, including plus-2 Friday, and put three shots on goal.

Rookie of the Week

Ben Blacker, Western Michigan
Freshman Goaltender
Oakville, Ont.

Blacker backstopped Western Michigan to the 2016 Great Lakes Invitational title at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, allowing only one goal all weekend while earning GLI All-Tournament Team honors. In the semifinals on Thursday, he made 29 saves while allowing only one goal in a 4-1 victory over in-state rival Michigan State. He also helped kill 8-of-9 MSU power plays in the win. The next night, Blacker stopped all 23 shots he faced for his first collegiate shutout, allowing WMU to score in overtime to earn a 1-0 win over Michigan Tech and capture the tournament title. He helped kill all five MTU power plays in the final as WMU’s penalty kill finished 13-for-14 at the Great Lakes Invitational. Blacker compiled 52 saves, a .981 save percentage and a 0.45 goals-against average in the tournament.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Alex Leclerc, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Longueuil, Quebec

Leclerc continued his strong play of late, leading Colorado College to the 2016 Florida College Hockey Classic title, the Tigers’ first in-season tournament title since 2005. The Quebec native allowed only one goal in the tournament en route to earning tournament MVP honors at the Florida College Hockey Classic. On Wednesday, Leclerc stopped all 26 shots that came his way against Merrimack to pitch his first collegiate shutout in the semifinals as CC advanced with a 3-0 win. In the championship game, Leclerc made 23 saves against Cornell, while giving up only one goal, which came on the power play, as the Tigers won in overtime, 2-1. He also backstopped CC’s penalty kill unit to go 8-for-9 in the tournament. Leclerc finished the Florida College Hockey Classic with 49 saves, a 0.50 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Luc Gerdes, Sr., F, CC – Totaled three points at the Florida College Hockey Classic, tallying two assists against Merrimack and a short-handed goal in the championship game, while logging a plus-2 rating in the tournament.

Robby Jackson, So., F, SCSU - Tallied his first career hat trick in SCSU's win over Arizona State Saturday, scoring two goals short-handed while posting a plus-3 rating.

Austin Poganski, Jr., F, UND – Had a hand in all three UND goals in a 3-1 win at Union Saturday, scoring two goals and adding an assist on the game-winning goal while posting a plus-2 rating.

Kiefer Sherwood, So., F, Miami – Scored two goals at Ohio State on Saturday, including the game-winner, to lead the RedHawks to a 6-3 comeback win, while posting a plus-1 rating.

Defenseman of the Week
Teemu Kivihalme, Jr., D, CC – Was named to the Florida College Hockey Classic All-Tournament team, blocking three shots while leading a defense that allowed only one goal in two games.

Tucker Poolman, Jr., D, UND – Had an assist, blocked three shots and posted a plus-2 rating in a 3-1 win at Union Saturday, while helping the penalty kill unit finish 5-for-5.

Rookie of the Week
Carson Meyer, Fr., F, Miami – Tallied a goal and an assist in Saturday’s comeback win at Ohio State, tying the game in the second period.

Goaltender of the Week
Cam Johnson, Jr., G, UND – Totaled 32 saves on 33 shots in a 3-1 win at Union Saturday for a .970 save percentage, with the lone goal allowed coming with an extra attacker.

Evan Weninger, So., G, Omaha – In his only action of the weekend, made 28 saves and allowed only one goal in a 4-1 win over Lake Superior State last Friday for a .966 save percentage.

--#NCHCHockey--