Men's Ice Hockey 1/30/2018 3:15:00 AM By NCHC

Bauer NCHC Players of the Week: January 22-28, 2018

CC’s Halloran, Omaha’s Vesel and Messner, and UMD’s Swaney and Shepard honored for week 15

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – There were so many great performances last week that there are five Bauer National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Jan. 22-28, 2018, as there are co-Offensive Players of the Week. Garnering Bauer NCHC Player of the Week honors for week 15 are Colorado College sophomore forward Nick Halloran and Omaha senior forward Tyler Vesel, who are co-Offensive Players of the Week, Omaha senior blue liner Joel Messner for Defenseman of the Week, Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Nick Swaney for Rookie of the Week and UMD sophomore netminder Hunter Shepard for Goaltender of the Week.

This is Halloran’s third career NCHC weekly honor and second Offensive Player of the Week nod, both coming this season, while Vesel collected his second career NCHC weekly award, but first Offensive Player of the Week honor and first weekly award since his rookie season. Messner also earned his second career NCHC Defenseman of the Week nod, but first since his freshman campaign. Swaney’s honor was his second Rookie of the Week award this year, while Shepard is now a four-time NCHC Goaltender of the Week this season, the most of any NCHC netminder this year.

co-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Nick Halloran, Colorado College
Sophomore Forward
Draper, Utah

Halloran led CC to a five-point weekend against Miami with a five-point showing of his own. On Friday, he tied his career high with three assists, setting up each of the Tigers’ first three goals, including two on the power play, in a 6-3 victory. Two of his assists were primary helpers, while he was named Second Star of the Game. The next night, he scored the game’s first two goals in the first three minutes of the contest to put CC in front in an eventual 4-4 overtime tie. Halloran earned First Star of the Game after putting six shots on goal and logging a +2 plus/minus. The sophomore finished the weekend with two goals, three assists, six shots on goal and a +3 plus/minus. On the season, Halloran leads the NCHC and is tied for the NCAA lead with 39 points on 16 goals and 23 assists in 26 games.

co-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Vesel, Omaha
Senior Forward
Rochester, Minn.

Vesel compiled five points to lead Omaha to a sweep of Western Michigan, while hitting a career milestone along the way. On Friday, the Edmonton Oilers draft pick handed out a pair of assists, both on the power play, with his second helper setting up the game-winning goal in the third period that broke a 2-2 tie in an eventual 6-2 win. He also put four shots on goal and earned Third Star of the Game. A night later, Vesel had a hand in Omaha’s final three goals in a 7-3 victory, scoring back-to-back goals, with his first tally the Mavericks’ first short-handed goal this season, while assisting on UNO’s final goal of the night. He finished +3 and was named Second Star of the Game. His last assist gave him 100 points for his career, becoming the 16th Maverick all-time to do so and only the second active NCHC player in the Century Club. The assistant captain ended the series with two goals, three assists, eight shots on goal and a +3 plus/minus, while going 27-22 (.551) in the faceoff circle. On the season, Vesel has 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 26 games.

Defenseman of the Week

Joel Messner, Omaha
Senior Defenseman
Lorette, Manitoba

Messner contributed at both ends of the ice to help Omaha sweep Western Michigan. On Friday, he scored the game-winning goal on the power play in the third period to break a 2-2 tie in an eventual 6-2 victory. He also fired three shots on goal, was +1 and blocked six shots to earn the game’s First Star. In the series finale, the team captain handed out a pair of assists on UNO’s first and third goals, blocked four more shots and was +1 in a 7-3 win. Messner finished the series with a goal, two assists, 10 blocked shots and was +2, while firing five shots on goal. He also helped Omaha’s penalty kill go 11-for-14 on the weekend. On the season, Messner has five goals and 12 assists for 17 points and a team-best 52 blocked shots.

Rookie of the Week

Nick Swaney, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Lakeville, Minn.

Swaney helped UMD earn a split against in-state rival St. Cloud State with a three-point weekend, while also getting it done defensively. In Friday’s 5-1 victory, the Minnesota Wild draft pick handed out a pair of assists, setting up the Bulldogs’ first and last goals with the latter coming short-handed. He was +1 in the game and named the Third Star. The next night, Swaney scored UMD’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss, opening the game’s scoring in the first period. He finished the series with a goal, two assists and a +2 plus/minus. He also ended the week with five blocked shots and three shots on goal, getting a block and a shot on goal in a Tuesday night loss at Minnesota State, as well. On the season, Swaney has four goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 19 games.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Hunter Shepard, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Goaltender
Cohasset, Minn.

Shepard started all three games for the Bulldogs last week, all against top-10 opponents, and allowed only four goals in those games, despite his team posting a 1-2-0 record. He made 23 saves in a 1-0 loss last Tuesday at Minnesota State, while helping kill all five MSU power plays. In Friday’s series opener against St. Cloud State, Shepard again allowed only one goal while stopping 24 shots, including 12 in the third period, in a 5-1 victory. He then capped his week by making 26 more saves in a 2-1 loss to SCSU on Saturday, including half of them coming in the second period as he earned Third Star of the Game. Shepard finished the week with a .948 save percentage and a 1.35 goals-against average, while totaling 73 saves and helping kill off all 13 opponent power plays he faced in the three outings. On the season, the sophomore is 14-9-1 with a .914 save percentage and a 2.29 GAA with three shutouts.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player of the Week
Shane Gersich, Jr., F, UND – Totaled three points in two ties against Denver with a goal and an assist Friday, while adding another helper on Saturday.

Kiefer Sherwood, Jr., F, Miami – Compiled five points at Colorado College with a goal and two assists in Friday’s loss, while dishing out two more assists in Saturday’s tie.

Defenseman of the Week
Kristian Blumenschein, So., D, CC – Dished out four assists against Miami with a career-high three coming in Friday’s win, while he handed out another in Saturday’s tie.

Rookie of the Week
Jordan Kawaguchi, Fr., F, UND – Assisted on both game-tying goals in a pair of ties with Denver.

Ian Mitchell, Fr., D, Denver – Logged a +3 in a pair of ties at UND, assisting on a goal Saturday and also scoring the 3-on-3 overtime goal for an extra NCHC point Saturday.

Cole Pickup, Fr., F, Omaha – Tallied his first career multi-point game in Friday’s win over WMU with an assist and his first career goal, which came on an empty net, while he was +2.

Brian Williams, Fr., F, CC – Scored the first two goals of his career in Friday’s win over Miami, tallying the game-winner and sealing the victory with an empty-netter.

Goaltender of the Week
Tanner Jaillet, Sr., G, Denver – Backstopped DU to a pair of ties at UND, compiling 39 saves in the two draws for a 1.85 GAA and a .907 save percentage.

Cam Johnson, Sr., G, UND – Helped UND to a pair of ties against Denver, compiling 39 saves in the two draws for a 1.85 GAA and a .907 save percentage.

Evan Weninger, Jr., G, Omaha – Backstopped Omaha to a sweep of WMU, totaling 66 saves in the two wins for a .930 save percentage and a 2.50 GAA.

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