COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Leading their respective teams to strong starts to the 2018-19 season, Miami junior netminder Ryan Larkin was selected the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player and Goaltender of the Month for October, while Denver freshman forward Emilio Pettersen was named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for the opening month of the season. This is the first career NCHC monthly award for both players, while this marks the first season the NCHC is awarding a Goaltender of the Month, in addition to the previously awarded Player and Rookie of the Month.
NCHC Player and Goaltender of the Month
Ryan Larkin, Miami
Junior Goaltender
Clarkston, Mich.
Larkin started the 2018-19 season strong, posting a 5-1-0 record in his six October starts, including three shutouts, which led the NCAA. The junior allowed only five goals all month, including only three even strength, as he posted a 0.83 goals-against average, which was tops in the NCHC and led all NCAA netminders in October with at least three games played. His .966 save percentage was also tops in the NCHC and among NCAA goaltenders with at least three games played during the opening month.
Larkin opened the season with an 11-save shutout on Oct. 7 against Alabama-Huntsville, which earned him NCHC Goaltender of the Week. The following weekend at the Ice Breaker Tournament, he suffered his only loss of the season so far to then-No. 4 Providence on Oct. 12, but rebounded the following night with his second shutout of the season – a 21-save effort in a 3-0 win over Mercyhurst in the consolation game.
The following Saturday on Oct. 20, Larkin stopped 25 shots in a 2-1 win over UMass Lowell, while he completed his month by allowing only one goal (on the power play) in a sweep of Colgate. He turned aside 28 shots in a 4-1 win Oct. 26, and stopped a season-high 30 shots in the series finale for his third shutout of the season. The Clarkston, Mich. native was named Third Star of the Game both nights against Colgate and garnered NCHC Goaltender of the Week honors for a second time.
Larkin totaled 144 saves in October on 149 shots faced, while he allowed one goal or less in all five of his victories, giving up more than one goal only once in his six starts. With his three whitewashes in October, Larkin now has five shutouts in his collegiate career.
Larkin is now a candidate for both Hockey Commissioner’s Association (HCA) National Player and Goaltender of the Month, which will be announced on Thursday. The other nominees for NCHC Player of the Month included St. Cloud State junior defenseman Jack Ahcan, Miami senior defenseman Grant Hutton and Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman Scott Perunovich, while other nominees for NCHC Goaltender of the Month were Denver sophomore Devin Cooley, St. Cloud State sophomore David Hrenak and Colorado College junior Alex Leclerc.
NCHC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Emilio Pettersen, Denver
Freshman Forward
Manglerud, Norway
Pettersen started his college career with a bang, tallying points in all four games he played in October, including three multi-point games, to lead Denver to a 3-0-1 start. The Calgary Flames draft pick compiled a team-best eight points in only four games, which led all NCHC rookies and tied for the NCAA lead among freshmen. His six assists and 2.00 points per game both also led all NCHC newcomers in October, with his six helpers tying for second among NCAA rookies. His 2.00 points per game led all NCAA freshmen with more than one game played during the first month.
Pettersen opened his DU career with a three-point effort in a win at Air Force on Oct. 12, including scoring his first collegiate goal and assisting on the game-winning goal. The next night in his home debut, the Norwegian chipped in an assist in a 6-0 shutout of Alabama-Huntsville. He was selected NCHC Rookie of the Week for his efforts. The following weekend, Pettersen tallied two points in both games against Alaska. On Oct. 19, he scored a power play goal and again set up the game-winner in a 4-1 victory to earn the game’s First Star, while he closed his October with two assists in a 3-3 tie with the Nanooks, setting up two goals in the final two minutes to erase a two-goal deficit.
Pettersen posted a positive plus/minus in all four games he played in October, finishing with a +7. He also fired 12 shots on goal during the month.
Pettersen is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioner’s Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month, which will be announced on Thursday. The other nominees for NCHC Rookie of the Month included Colorado College forward Grant Cruikshank, Miami defenseman Derek Daschke and St. Cloud State forward Sam Hentges.
--#NCHCHockey--