Men's Ice Hockey 2/7/2017 2:45:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: Jan. 30-Feb. 5, 2017

WMU’s Conrad and Allison, UMD’s Pionk and Miska honored for week 16

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Underclassmen continue to perform well in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) as all four Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of January 30 to February 5, 2017 are either freshmen or sophomores. Earning Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for week 16 are Western Michigan sophomore forward Colt Conrad for Offensive Player of the Week, Minnesota Duluth sophomore blue liner Neal Pionk for Defenseman of the Week, WMU freshman forward Wade Allison for Rookie of the Week and UMD freshman netminder Hunter Miska for Goaltender of the Week.

This is Conrad’s second career NCHC weekly honor but first Offensive Player of the Week nod. Pionk has now garnered NCHC Defenseman of the Week three times this season and four times in his career, while this is his fifth career NCHC weekly award. Allison claimed his third NCHC weekly honor this year and second Rookie of the Week accolade, while Miska has now captured four NCHC weekly awards, including his third Goaltender of the Week honor and third straight NCHC weekly nod.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Colt Conrad, Western Michigan
Sophomore Forward
St. Alphonse, Manitoba

Conrad compiled four points to lead Western Michigan to a win and a tie against Arizona State. In Friday's 4-2 win, he notched WMU’s first two goals with his first goal of the game giving the Broncos a 1-0 first-period lead. His second goal of the night put WMU in front 2-1 on the power play late in the second stanza. Conrad posted a plus-2 rating in the win and was named the game’s First Star. The next night, the draft-eligible center had a hand in both Bronco goals, tying the game with an unassisted marker in the second period while dishing out the primary assist on the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation to earn a 2-2 tie. Conrad finished the series with three goals, an assist, a plus-3 rating, seven shots on goal and went .500 in the faceoff circle (16-for-32). On the season, he has nine goals and 16 points in 26 games, including an active three-game goal streak.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK

Neal Pionk, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Defenseman
Hermantown, Minn.

Pionk powered the Bulldogs to a five-point weekend against Omaha with a tie and a win. Offensively, he racked up three points, including an assist on UMD’s go-ahead power play goal in the second period of Friday’s eventual 2-2 overtime tie. The next night, Pionk was even better with another power play assist while also scoring the Bulldogs’ final goal in a 5-0 shutout of Omaha. In addition to helping keep the clean sheet, he led a penalty kill unit that went 4-for-4 Saturday against the NCHC’s top power play unit and posted a plus-2 rating en route to Third Star of the Game honors. Pionk also blocked seven shots in the series, including five on Saturday, while he finished the weekend with a goal, two assists, a plus-1 rating and seven shots on goal. Pionk’s 23 points this season are third among NCHC defensemen, while he has six goals and 17 assists in 28 games.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Wade Allison, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
Myrtle, Manitoba

Allison racked up four points to help lead Western Michigan to a win and a tie against Arizona State. In Friday’s 4-2 victory, he tallied a career-high three assists, which tied his career high for points. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect set up each of WMU’s first three goals, with the primary assist on the Broncos’ first and the third goals, the latter of which was the game-winner, and the secondary helper on a power play goal. All three goals broke a tie to put WMU in front while the winger finished with a plus-2 rating. In the series finale, Allison came through in the clutch, scoring the game-tying goal with 55 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime in an eventual 2-2 tie. He was named Third Star of the Game for his efforts, including firing a career-high 10 shots on goal. Allison ended the series with a goal, three assists, a plus-3 rating and 11 shots on goal. This season, he leads the Broncos with 23 points (11g, 12a) in 26 games and is now riding a four-game point streak (1g, 5a).

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Hunter Miska, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Goaltender
Stacy, Minn.

Miska continued his stellar play of late, limiting Omaha, which entered averaging 3.36 goals per game, to only two goals in a five-point weekend for the Bulldogs, while posting a 1-0-1 record. On Friday, he made 23 saves in a 2-2 overtime tie, while also making a save in the shootout to help UMD earn the extra standings point. He was named Third Star of the Game for his efforts. A night later Miska compiled 27 saves, including 11 in the third period, to pitch his NCAA-leading fifth shutout of the season, which ties the UMD single-season record. He was tabbed First Star of the Game while helping limit Omaha’s power play to 0-for-4 in the whitewash. Miska finished the series with a .962 save percentage and a 0.96 goals-against average, while stopping 50 of 52 shots faced. Of the two goals he allowed, only one came even strength (and one on the power play), while holding Omaha scoreless the final 83:18 of the series. On the season, Miska is 17-4-3 with a 1.98 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

OTHER NOMINEES

Offensive Player of the Week
Mike Gornall, So., F, UND – Scored his first two goals of the season in UND’s 2-1 overtime win over SCSU Saturday, including the game-winner in OT, while posting a plus-2 rating.

Dominic Toninato, Sr., F, UMD – Totaled four points against Omaha with two goals, two assists and a plus-3 rating, including scoring both goals in Friday’s 2-2 overtime tie.

Defenseman of the Week
Tucker Poolman, Jr., D, UND – Scored UND’s only goal in a 3-1 loss to SCSU on Friday that ended a long scoreless draught for UND, while blocking four shots in the series and leading a penalty kill that finished 6-for-7.

Rookie of the Week
Jeff Smith, Fr., G, SCSU – Backstopped SCSU to a road split at UND, posting a .945 save percentage and a 1.49 GAA, while compiling 52 saves and allowing only three goals in the series.

Goaltender of the Week
Cam Johnson, Jr., G, UND – In his only game of the weekend, made 20 saves (.952 save percentage) in his first game back from a three-game absence (injury) to lead UND to a 2-1 overtime win over SCSU, with the only goal allowed coming on the power play.

--#NCHCHockey--