COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the first time this season, goaltenders stole the spotlight to claim both National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) monthly awards, as Minnesota Duluth sophomore Hunter Shepard was selected the NCHC Player of the Month for February, while St. Cloud State freshman Dávid Hrenák was tabbed the NCHC Rookie of the Month for February. This is the first career monthly honor for both players.

NCHC PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Hunter Shepard, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Goaltender
Cohasset, Minn.

Shepard backstopped the Bulldogs to a 4-2-0 record in February, playing every minute in net during the month. He led the entire country with his three shutouts (in six games) in February, while his 1.01 goals-against average was also first nationally, as he allowed only six goals in those six games. His .963 save percentage in February led the NCHC and ranked second nationally, as he compiled 156 saves in over 357 minutes of action. During that span, Shepard compiled a shutout streak of 222:00, including tying the UMD record with three straight whitewashes.

Shepard opened his month with his only defeats in February, falling by one goal in both games against defending national champion Denver. In the opener Feb. 2, he made 25 saves and allowed only one goal in a 1-0 loss as he was named Third Star of the Game. The next night, he compiled 40 saves, his most in February, in a 4-3 defeat.

Shepard would only allow one more goal, and none even strength, the rest of February, however. He blanked Miami twice in Duluth on Feb. 16-17, recording a 16-save shutout in the opener and stopping 34 more shots a night later to earn First Star of the Game and complete a perfect weekend. The two shutouts earned him NCHC Goaltender of the Week honors. Shepard then closed February by only surrendering one goal, on the power play, in a sweep at Western Michigan. He recorded his third straight shutout Feb. 23 with 22 saves to earn Second Star of the Night, while he saw his 222:00 shutout streak snapped in the series finale Feb. 24 when a power play goal through traffic found the net in a 6-1 victory. Shepard stopped 19 shots to close the month and repeated as NCHC Goaltender of the Week, while also earning NCAA Third Star of the Week.

With his three shutouts during February, Shepard broke the NCHC and UMD single-season shutout records as he now has six whitewashes this season, which rank third nationally and tops in the NCHC. On the season, he is 18-11-1 with a 2.04 GAA and a .924 save percentage, the latter two of which both rank third in the NCHC.

Shepard is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player of the Month for February, which will be announced on Thursday. The other nominees for NCHC Player of the Month were Denver senior goaltender Tanner Jaillet and St. Cloud State junior defenseman Jimmy Schuldt.

NCHC ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

Dávid Hrenák, St. Cloud State
Freshman Goaltender
Považská Bystrica, Slovakia

Hrenák helped lead St. Cloud State to an undefeated month in February, as the Huskies went 6-0-2 with Hrenák starting five of those games and posting a 4-0-1 record in net. His .900 win percentage in the month was tops among all NCAA freshmen and fourth among all goalies. His .935 save percentage in February ranked sixth nationally among rookie netminders, while his 1.58 goals-against average was fifth in the NCAA among freshmen. Hrenák racked up 115 saves in his five starts with one shutout.

Hrenák opened his February with a 15-save outing in a 5-3 win over Omaha Feb. 2. He then recorded his third shutout of the season Feb. 10, stopping all 30 shots fired at him in a 4-0 win at Miami, which earned him First Star of the Game and NCHC Rookie of the Week honors. Hrenák played in his second straight series finale on Feb. 17, giving up only two goals while turning aside 20 shots in a 4-2 win at Western Michigan for Third Star of the Game.

For only the second time all season, Hrenák started both games of a series to close February. In the opener Feb. 23 against Denver, he gave up only one goal while making 25 saves in a 1-1 tie. The next night, he allowed only two goals, while again stopping 25 shots in a 4-2 victory, which clinched the Penrose Cup for the Huskies as NCHC regular-season champions. Hrenák garnered his second NCHC Rookie of the Week honor in February for his efforts against the Pioneers.

Hrenák allowed more than two goals in a game only once in February, while playing 304:32 in net. On the season, he is now 10-4-1, with a 1.89 GAA, which is second in the NCHC, while his .929 save percentage is tops in the conference.

Hrenák is now a candidate for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month for February, which will be announced on Thursday.

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