Bauer NCHC Player of the Week Archive

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – All four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) teams that played last weekend are represented among the Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week of February 11-17, 2019 as all four teams earned a win. Underclassmen cleaned up the Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for week 18 with Minnesota Duluth sophomore forward Justin Richards earning Offensive Player of the Week, Western Michigan freshman blue liner Michael Joyaux nabbing Defenseman of the Week, North Dakota freshman forward Mark Senden garnering Rookie of the Week and Denver sophomore netminder Devin Cooley gloving Goaltender of the Week.

This is the first career NCHC weekly award for Richards, Joyaux and Senden, while Cooley collected his second NCHC Goaltender of the Week nod this season (Oct. 8-14).

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Justin Richards, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Columbus, Ohio

Richards continued his breakout sophomore campaign to lead the Bulldogs to a win against No. 7 Denver. On Friday, he notched the first multi-goal game of his career, striking twice in a 5-2 win, including scoring the game-winning goal. Richards tallied UMD’s first goal of the game four minutes into the contest to tie the game at 1-1. He then put the Bulldogs ahead for good at 3-1 with the game-winner on a breakaway midway through the third period. Richards was +2 in the game with three shots on goal and earned First Star of the Game Friday. The next night, UMD was held off the scoreboard in a 1-0 defeat, while Richards sent two shots on net. He finished the weekend with two goals, five shots on goal and a +1 plus/minus, while he also won 10 faceoffs in the series.

Defenseman of the Week

Michael Joyaux, Western Michigan
Freshman Defenseman
Bloomingdale, Ill.

Joyaux enjoyed a breakout weekend to help WMU earn a split with North Dakota. In Friday’s 5-1 loss, he put one shot on goal and had an even plus/minus. The next night, however, he scored the first two goals of his career to power the Broncos to a 4-2 win, after entering with one point all season. Joyaux scored the first two goals of the game Saturday, both on the power play, in a span of 2:19 in the second period. His first goal opened the scoring seven minutes into the second stanza on a blast from the left side, while he doubled up with a blast from the right side and put six shots on goal in the contest to earn First Star of the Game. He also helped WMU go 6-for-7 on the penalty kill in Saturday’s win. Joyaux ended the series with two goals, seven shots on goal and a -1 plus/minus.

Rookie of the Week

Mark Senden, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Medina, Minn.

Senden notched his third multi-point game of the season to power UND to a win at then-No. 9 Western Michigan and a weekend split. In Friday’s opener, he notched a goal and an assist, while posting a +3 plus/minus to earn Second Star of the Game. He opened the game’s scoring only 18 seconds into the contest with his fifth goal of the season, which was UND’s fastest goal to start a game this season. Senden then handed out the primary assist on UND’s fourth goal to make it 4-0 early in the second period. The next night, he fired a shot on goal and was +1 in a 4-2 loss Saturday. Senden completed his weekend with a goal, an assist, three shots on goal and a blocked shot, while he won 10-of-19 faceoffs (.526) and his +4 plus/minus led all NCHC players on the weekend.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Devin Cooley, Denver
Sophomore Goaltender
Los Gatos, Calif.

Cooley was as cool as could be in his first game back from injury and illness on Saturday night at then-No. 4 Minnesota Duluth. After sitting out Friday’s 5-2 loss, which was his ninth straight missed game, he started Saturday’s game and showed no signs of rust. Cooley stopped all 27 shots he faced to backstop Denver to a 1-0 shutout at UMD, he third shutout of the season and second against the Bulldogs this season. Thirteen of his 27 saves came in the third period as he shut the door on any possible UMD comeback and also helped kill both Bulldog power plays to earn First Star of the Game. Cooley collected his ninth win of the season Saturday and first since Dec. 28, while his 1.000 save percentage upped his season save percentage to .934 (from .929) and lowered his goals-against average to 1.93 (from 2.08).

OTHER NOMINEES:

Offensive Player
Jordan Kawaguchi, So., F, UND – Scored two goals in a split at WMU, tallying once each night, while putting five shots on goal.
 
Defenseman
Matt Kiersted, So., D, UND – Led all NCHC players with three points, scoring an empty-net goal in Friday’s win at WMU, while adding an assist each night in a split and blocking three shots.
 
Rookie
Cole Koepke, Fr., F, UMD – Tallied two points in Friday’s win over DU, assisting on the game-winner and scoring an empty-netter, while finishing the series +2 with seven shots on goal.
 
Goaltender
Adam Scheel, Fr., G, UND – Went 1-1 with a .917 save percentage and a 2.57 GAA, while totaling 55 saves in a split at WMU.
 
Hunter Shepard, Jr., G, UMD – Totaled 35 saves in a split with Denver, posting a .921 save percentage and a 1.51 GAA in the series.