Bauer NCHC Player of the Week Archive

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Seniors led the way last weekend, as three of the four Bauer National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for week seven of the season are fourth-years who carried their respective teams a sweep. Garnering Bauer NCHC Player of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 12-18, 2018 are Western Michigan senior forward Colt Conrad for Offensive Player of the Week, St. Cloud State senior blue liner Jimmy Schuldt for Defenseman of the Week, Miami freshman defenseman Derek Daschke for Rookie of the Week and WMU senior netminder Trevor Gorsuch for Goaltender of the Week.

This is Conrad’s fourth career NCHC weekly honor, including third Offensive Player of the Week nod, but first this season. Schuldt earned his fifth career Defenseman of the Week honor with the first four coming last season, while it is Gorsuch’s second career Goaltender of the Week nod and first since his sophomore season. This is the first career NCHC honor for Daschke.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

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

Conrad powered WMU to its first sweep at North Dakota in program history, racking up six points in the two wins. In Friday’s 2-0 shutout, he sealed the victory with an empty-net goal and was +1. The next night, he compiled a career-high five points, including a career-best four assists. Conrad scored the Broncos’ first goal of the game Saturday to tie the game at 1-1. He then set up WMU’s next two goals, including the game-winner, to take the lead for good in the second period, and dished out two more helpers in the final frame to cap a 6-2 win. The assistant captain was named First Star of the Game Saturday and logged a +3 plus/minus, becoming the first Bronco with a five-point game since Justin Kovacs on Nov. 29, 2014. Conrad finished the weekend with two goals, four assists, five shots on goal and a +4 plus/minus, while also going 16-13 in the faceoff circle (.552).

Defenseman of the Week

Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State
Senior Defenseman
Minnetonka, Minn.

Schuldt led SCSU to a sweep of in-state rival Bemidji State, chipping in two points offensively and helping shut down the Beavers from the blue line. On Friday, the three-time captain helped the Huskies blank BSU, 2-0, as he blocked two shots, was +1 and anchored a penalty kill that went 3-for-3. A night later, Schuldt led the charge offensively, potting two goals, including the game’s first goal and SCSU’s final goal, in a 7-4 victory to extend the Huskies’ win streak to six games. He was named Third Star of the Game Saturday, firing five shots on goal and posting a +3 plus/minus. The undrafted free agent completed the weekend with two goals, six shots on goal, a +4 plus/minus and three blocked shots.

Rookie of the Week

Derek Daschke, Miami
Freshman Defenseman
Troy, Michigan

Daschke's strong freshman campaign added another chapter to it in Miami’s split at Colorado College last weekend. On Friday, he helped limit CC to only two goals in a 2-1 defeat, aided in killing all five Tiger power plays in the game, blocked a shot and put three shots on goal. In Saturday's 3-2 victory, Daschke chipped in two points and was +1, tallying Miami’s second goal in the first frame to go up 2-0 and handing out the primary assist on the overtime game-winner. Daschke guided the RedHawks' penalty kill to finish 10-of-11 on the weekend, with CC’s only power play goal coming on an extended 5-on-3. He finished the weekend with a goal, an assist, five shots on goal, three blocked shots and a +1 plus/minus. For the season, Daschke has a team-best +12 plus/minus.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Trevor Gorsuch, Western Michigan
Senior Goaltender
St. Charles, Mo.

Gorsuch had arguably the best weekend of his career, backstopping the Broncos to their first ever sweep at North Dakota. On Friday, he made a career-high 32 saves, including half of those in the first period, in a 2-0 victory to record his second shutout of the season and of his career. It was also WMU’s first ever shutout against North Dakota as he earned First Star of the Game. A night later, Gorsuch was up to the task again, turning aside 30 shots in a 6-2 victory, with both UND goals coming on the power play. He finished the weekend with 62 saves on 64 shots for a .969 save percentage, while logging a 1.00 goals-against average and not allowing an even-strength goal all series. Gorsuch was the lone NCHC goalie to record two wins last weekend.

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player
Mason Bergh, Sr., F, CC – Tallied three goals in a split with Miami, notching the first goal in Friday’s win and scoring both CC goals in Saturday’s loss.
 
Kevin Fitzgerald, So., F, SCSU – Compiled four points in a sweep of BSU, adding an empty-netter to seal Friday’s 2-0 win while recording a career-high three points on two goals and an assist Saturday.
 
Defenseman
Zach Berzolla, So., D, CC – Blocked eight shots in a split with Miami, blocking a career-high four shots each night, and finished the weekend +2.
 
Corey Schueneman, Sr., D, WMU – Helped pitch WMU’s first ever shutout of UND Friday, while tallying three points in Saturday’s win with a goal and two assists.
 
Rookie
Erik Middendorf, Fr., F, CC – Scored the game-winning goal in Friday’s victory over Miami, his first career game-winner.
 
Goaltender
Devin Cooley, So., G, DU – Recorded a shutout of UMD Friday, while compiling 79 saves in a split series with a 1.99 GAA and a .952 save percentage.
 
Ryan Larkin, Jr., G, Miami – Went 1-1 at CC, racking up 63 saves with a 1.99 GAA and a .940 save percentage.
 
Alex Leclerc, Jr., G, CC – Totaled 52 saves on 56 shots in a split with Miami, compiling a .929 save percentage and a 1.96 GAA.
 
Jeff Smith, Sr., G, SCSU – In his only game of the weekend, pitched a shutout of Bemidji State Friday, stopping all 32 shots for his second whitewash of the season.