COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second straight month, Colorado College sophomore forward Nick Halloran has been named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Month, earning the honor again for January, while Miami freshman forward Phil Knies was selected the NCHC Rookie of the Month for January. Halloran garnered his first NCHC monthly award in December, while this is Knies first NCHC monthly honor. Halloran joins Denver's Joey LaLeggia (Jan.-Feb. 2015) as the lone back-to-back NCHC Players of the Month.

NCHC PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Nick Halloran, Colorado College
Sophomore Forward
Draper, Utah

Halloran tied for the NCHC scoring lead and tied for fifth nationally in January with 12 points in only six games, while his 2.00 points per game and 1.17 assists per game both led the conference, with the 2.00 points per game also ranking second nationally during the month. He scored five goals in January, while also tying for the NCHC lead with seven assists in the month, including six on the power play. Halloran recorded points in five of six games in January, including four multi-point games, in which the Tigers went 2-1-1.

Halloran logged four points in a pair of games against Minnesota Duluth Jan. 12-13. In the series opener, he notched three points, including a career-high-tying two goals, in a 6-5 loss, but still earned Third Star of the Game. He then added an assist the next night, as well. After being held scoreless in CC’s series opener at Western Michigan Jan. 19, his only game without a point during the month, he again recorded three points the next night in a 6-5 overtime win, handing out two assists before scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to nab First Star of the Game and give the Tigers their first ever win at WMU.

Halloran concluded his month with a five-point outing against Miami Jan. 26-27, which earned him NCHC co-Offensive Player of the Week. In last Friday’s 6-3 victory, he tied a career high with three assists, all on CC’s first three goals, as he was named Second Star of the Game. The sophomore then scored two goals in the first three minutes of Saturday’s 4-4 overtime tie for his second multi-goal game of the month and First Star of the Game as he was +2. Halloran fired 18 shots on goal during January, while his 0.83 goals per game in the month were second in the conference.

On the season, Halloran is tied for the NCAA lead with 39 points on 16 goals and 23 assists in 26 games, while his 16 goals are tied for the NCHC lead and his 23 assists are first in the conference by himself.

Halloran is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player of the Month for January, which will be announced on Friday. The other nominees for NCHC Player of the Month were Denver senior goaltender Tanner Jaillet and Omaha senior forward David Pope.

NCHC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

Phil Knies, Miami
Freshman Forward
Phoenix, Ariz.

Knies doubled his season point total and tripled his goal total in the month of January, recording eight points in six games, which tied for the NCHC lead among rookies and tied for fifth nationally among freshmen. His six goals in the month led all NCHC players and all rookies nationally, as did his 1.00 goals per game. His 1.33 points per game led all NCAA freshmen in January, as well.

Knies started his month handing out an assist in Miami’s win over Denver Jan. 5. The next weekend, he was named NCHC Rookie of the Week after a four-goal, five-point showing at Omaha. He tallied a career-high three points in a record-setting 18-goal contest Jan. 12 against the Mavericks, including his first career multi-goal game. The next night, Knies did it again, scoring two more goals, including one on the power play, in a narrow loss as he earned Third Star of the Game.

Knies closed out January with a goal in each game at Colorado College Jan. 26-27, tallying again on the power play in last Saturday’s tie to stretch his goal-scoring streak to four games. He put 12 shots on goal during the month for a .500 shooting percentage, while he finished January with a +2 plus/minus and also blocked six shots.

On the season, Knies now has nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 24 games, with the 16 points tying for third among NCHC rookies.

Knies is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month for January, which will be announced on Friday. The other nominees for NCHC Rookie of the Month were Denver defenseman Ian Mitchell and Minnesota Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich.

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