Men's Ice Hockey 1/31/2017 3:30:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: January 23-29, 2017

Denver’s Finlay and Butcher, CC’s Leclerc and UMD’s Miska honored for week 15

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second straight week freshmen made their mark in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) as three of the four Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for week 15 are rookies. Earning Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Jan. 23-29, 2017 are Denver freshman forward Liam Finlay for Offensive Player of the Week, DU senior blue liner Will Butcher for Defenseman of the Week, Colorado College freshman goaltender Alex Leclerc for Rookie of the Week and Minnesota Duluth rookie netminder Hunter Miska for Goaltender of the Week.

This is Finlay’s first career NCHC weekly honor, while Butcher picked up his fifth Defenseman of the Week award this season and the 10th of his DU career. Leclerc takes home his fourth NCHC weekly honor this season, including second Rookie of the Week nod, while Miska garnered his third NCHC weekly award and second Goaltender of the Week honor.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Liam Finlay, Denver
Freshman Forward
Kelowna, B.C.

Finlay doubled his season point total in Denver’s sweep of Omaha, tallying four points in the two wins after entering with four points in 20 games all season. On Friday, he tallied the game-winning goal late in the second period that put DU in front 4-2 in an eventual 5-3 win. Finlay fired four shots on goal and had a plus-1 rating. The next night, he notched his first career multi-point game by handing out three assists in a 5-0 shutout, which stretched his point streak to four games. Finlay set up two power play goals to book-end the scoring, including on the game’s first goal, which was the game-winner, while also assisting on the fourth goal. He again logged a plus-1 rating and was named Second Star of the Game. Finlay finished the series with a goal, a trio of assists, a plus-2 rating and five shots on goal. He now has three goals and five assists for eight points this season.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK

Will Butcher, Denver
Senior Defenseman
Sun Prairie, Wis.

Butcher led the Pioneers to a sweep of Omaha over the weekend, tallying three points while helping limit the Mavericks to three goals in two games. On Friday, Butcher asserted himself on the offensive end, handing out an assist on the game-winning goal in the second period, while scoring a power play goal for insurance in a 5-3 victory. The Colorado Avalanche draft pick also fired six shots on goal and had a plus-1 rating en route to Third Star of the Game honors. The next night, Butcher assisted on DU’s second goal, while helping pitch a shutout in a 5-0 win and posting a plus-2 rating. Additionally, the team captain blocked three shots in the series and led a penalty kill unit that finished 8-for-9, including 5-for-6 on Friday. Butcher ended the weekend with a plus-3 rating and six shots on goal. He has 24 points on the season, including 19 assists, and a team-best plus-19 rating.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Alex Leclerc, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Longueuil, Quebec

Leclerc had a career weekend in backstopping Colorado College to a split at home against North Dakota, posting a .954 save percentage and a 2.02 goals-against average in the two games. On Friday, Leclerc totaled 38 saves in a 5-2 loss, while allowing four goals, three of which came in the game’s final five minutes. The next night, he made a career-high 45 saves, including 21 in the second period, to pitch his second shutout of the season in a 3-0 victory. Of his 45 saves, 15 came on UND’s six power plays as he totaled 19 saves in the series on UND man advantages, helping CC’s penalty kill go a perfect 9-for-9. Leclerc was named the game’s First Star on Saturday as the Tigers snapped a 14-game winless streak against the Fighting Hawks. He finished the series with 83 saves on 87 shots faced, the most saves in a weekend series by a CC goalie since Nov. 23-24, 2012 (87 saves by Joe Howe). On the season, Leclerc has a 5-14-2 record with a 3.16 GAA and a .900 save percentage.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Hunter Miska, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Stacy, Minn.

Miska led Minnesota Duluth to the program’s first North Star College Cup title over the weekend, allowing three goals (only one even strength) in two games while totaling 68 saves. In Friday’s semifinal, he compiled 37 saves, one shy of his career high, including 21 stops in the third period to help UMD hang on for a 3-2 win over its long-time rival Minnesota. Both Gopher goals came on the power play with the second coming with an extra attacker, as well, as Miska was named Second Star of the Game. In the championship game Saturday, he racked up 31 saves while giving up only one goal, allowing UMD to score in overtime for a 2-1 win and the title. He was tabbed First Star of the Game and Tournament MVP for his efforts. Miska finished the weekend with a .958 save percentage and a 1.43 goals-against average. On the season, he is 16-4-2 with a .925 save percentage and a 2.07 GAA.

OTHER NOMINEES

Offensive Player of the Week
Luc Gerdes, Sr., F, CC – Tallied the game-winning goal in Saturday’s win over UND, while adding an assist and finishing the series with a plus-3 rating.

Matt Marcinew, Sr., F, Denver – Totaled three points in a sweep of Omaha with two assists in Friday’s win and a goal on Saturday, while posting a plus-1 rating and winning 30 faceoffs in the series.

Defenseman of the Week
Louie Belpedio, Jr., D, Miami – Tallied two points in a split with WMU, scoring a short-handed goal in Friday’s 2-1 loss, while adding an assist in Saturday’s win and blocking three shots in the series.

Cole McCaskill, So., D, CC – Handed out an assist in Saturday’s shutout of UND, when he posted a plus-3 rating, while he blocked four shots in the series split.

Neal Pionk, So., D, UMD – Dished out an assist in both of UMD’s wins at the North Star Cup, including on the overtime game-winner Saturday, while logging a plus-2 rating and blocking four shots in the tournament.

Rookie of the Week
Alex Berardinelli, Fr., F, CC – Tallied a goal in both games of a split with UND, including an empty-netter to seal Saturday’s win, while he fired five shots on goal in the two games.

Ryan Larkin, Fr., G, Miami – Went 1-1 in a split with WMU, totaling 74 saves in the series, including 44 in Saturday’s win, while posting a .937 save percentage and a 2.53 GAA.

Jeff Smith, Fr., G, SCSU – Went 1-1 at the North Star College Cup, making 26 saves in a 2-1 win Friday over BSU, while compiling 32 saves in an OT loss Saturday as he finished the weekend with a 1.43 GAA and a .951 save percentage.

Goaltender of the Week
Matt Hrynkiw, Sr., G, UND – Posted a 1-1 record at CC despite allowing only one goal, making 15 saves in a shutout relief appearance Friday before stopping 17 shots in a start on Saturday as he finished with a 0.61 GAA and a .970 save percentage.

Tanner Jaillet, Jr., G, Denver – Totaled 42 saves in a sweep of Omaha, picking up both wins while allowing only three goals, all on Friday, as he finished the weekend with a 1.62 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

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