Men's Ice Hockey 1/24/2017 4:00:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: January 16-22, 2017

UMD’s Tufte, Raskob and Miska, as well as WMU’s Blacker honored for week 14

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Freshmen made their mark in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) over the weekend as three of the four Bauer NCHC Player of the Week awards for the week of Jan. 16-22, 2017 were earned by newcomers. The Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for week 14 are Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Riley Tufte for Offensive Player of the Week, UMD senior blue liner Willie Raskob for Defenseman of the Week, Bulldogs freshman goaltender Hunter Miska for Rookie of the Week and Western Michigan freshman netminder Ben Blacker for Goaltender of the Week.

The honor is Tufte’s first of his collegiate career, while Raskob garnered his second career NCHC Defenseman of the Week award and first since his sophomore campaign. Miska earned his second NCHC weekly honor but first Rookie of the Week award, while this is Blacker’s fourth NCHC weekly honor this season and second Goaltender of the Week nod.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Riley Tufte, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Blaine, Minn.

Tufte powered Minnesota Duluth to its first sweep at North Dakota in over 20 years, totaling four points and notching the first two multi-point games of his career. Entering the weekend with two points all season, Tufte doubled that total in Friday’s 5-3 win, scoring two goals with his first marker tying the game in the first period, while adding a third-period power play goal for insurance. It was also his first collegiate multi-goal game, while the Dallas Stars’ first round draft pick put five shots on goal, posted a plus-3 rating and was tabbed First Star of the Game. The next night, Tufte added two more points, tallying the primary assist on a first-period power play goal and scoring unassisted to cap the 4-0 shutout. He finished the weekend with three goals, an assist, a plus-4 rating and seven shots on goal. Tufte now has four goals and two assists for six points this season.

Defenseman of the Week

Willie Raskob, Minnesota Duluth
Senior Defenseman
Hastings, Minn.

Raskob, playing on the top defensive pair both nights, anchored UMD’s blue line that allowed only three goals in a road sweep at North Dakota, which gave the Bulldogs their first ever four-game regular-season series sweep of UND. In Friday’s 5-3 victory, Raskob dished out an assist on a power play goal to help seal the win, while posting a plus-2 rating. The next night, he scored UMD’s second goal on the power play, while blocking two shots and leading a penalty kill that went 5-for-5 in a 4-0 shutout. It was the first time UND was shut out at home since 2011. Raskob finished the weekend with two points, a plus-3 rating, four shots on goal and two blocked shots, while the Bulldogs’ penalty kill finished the series 6-for-8. Only one of UND’s three goals on the weekend came even strength. This season, Raskob has three goals, three assists, a plus-6 rating and 37 blocked shots.

Rookie of the Week

Hunter Miska, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Stacy, Minn.

Miska backstopped the Bulldogs to a sweep at North Dakota last weekend, allowing only one even-strength goal while giving UMD its first sweep in Grand Forks since January of 1995. On Friday, he stopped 21 shots in a 5-3 victory, with two of the goals allowed coming on the power play. The next night, Miska totaled 29 saves to pitch his NCHC-leading fourth shutout of the season as he was named First Star of the Game in the 4-0 victory. He helped UMD’s penalty kill go 5-for-5 in the win while becoming the first UMD netminder to shut out North Dakota twice in the same season (Oct. 28 in Duluth). Miska finished the series with a .943 save percentage, totaling 50 saves on 53 shots, and a 1.50 goals-against average in the two wins. On the season, he carries a 14-4-2 record with a .920 save percentage and a 2.13 GAA.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Ben Blacker, Western Michigan
Freshman Goaltender
Oakville, Ont.

Blacker backstopped Western Michigan to a home sweep of Colorado College, allowing only two goals in the series, while totaling 57 saves on 59 shots faced. On Friday, Blacker tied his career high with 32 saves while surrendering his only goals of the weekend in a 4-2 victory. He made 10 of his saves on CC’s power plays, helping WMU go 5-for-5 on the penalty kill en route to First Star of the Game. The next night, Blacker compiled 25 more saves to pitch a shutout in a 3-0 win, with 11 saves coming on seven Tiger power plays. It was his third shutout of the season, all coming in his last five games, while he again garnered First Star of the Game honors. Blacker finished the weekend with a 2-0-0 record, a 1.00 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage while holding CC to 0-for-12 on the power play. On the season, Blacker leads the NCHC and ranks in the top five nationally in both save percentage (.939) and goals-against average (1.67) while posting an 8-1-0 record.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Steven Spinner, So., F, Omaha – Totaled three points against Miami, with a goal each night and an assist on the game-winner Saturday, while finishing with a plus-2 rating.

Defenseman of the Week
None

Rookie of the Week
Liam Finlay, Fr., F, Denver – Notched a goal in Friday’s loss at SCSU, while handing out an assist in Saturday’s win and totaling a plus-2 rating in the series.

Jeff Smith, Fr., G, SCSU – Compiled a 2.49 GAA and a .922 save percentage in a split with Denver, totaling 59 saves in the series, including 35 in Saturday’s loss.

Goaltender of the Week
Tanner Jaillet, Jr., G, Denver – Allowed three goals in a split at SCSU, posting a 1.80 GAA and a .956 save percentage in the series while totaling 65 saves, including a season-high 37 in Saturday’s win.

Evan Weninger, So., G, Omaha – Went 1-0-1 against Miami while compiling a .954 save percentage and a 1.44 GAA with 62 saves on 65 shots faced, including a 30-save shutout on Saturday.

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