Men's Ice Hockey 3/4/2020 9:45:00 PM By NCHC

Perunovich, Hrenak and Pinto Procure NCHC February Monthly Honors

UMD defenseman earns Player of Month; SCSU netminder snags Goalie of Month; UND forward is top rookie

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Three teams are represented among the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Month for February, with a pair of juniors and a freshman taking home monthly honors. Minnesota Duluth junior defenseman Scott Perunovich is the NCHC’s Player of the Month, while St. Cloud State junior netminder David Hrenak garnered Goaltender of the Month and North Dakota freshman forward Shane Pinto claimed Rookie of the Month.

All three earned their first NCHC monthly honors of the season, while Perunovich earned his first career Player of the Month accolade but third career NCHC monthly honor as he was a two-time Rookie of the Month in 2017-18. Hrenak is now a two-time Goaltender of the Month in his career and was also a Rookie of the Month in 2017-18.

Player of the Month

Scott Perunovich, Minnesota Duluth
Junior Defenseman
Hibbing, Minn.

Perunovich powered Minnesota Duluth to a 6-1-0 record in February, while tallying 10 points from the blue line. His 10 points led all NCHC defensemen during the month and ranked second overall in the conference, while his eight assists led all NCHC skaters and all NCAA blue liners in February. Half of his helpers came on the power play and two came on game-winners. The St. Louis Blues draft pick averaged 1.43 points per game during the month to lead the NCHC and rank second among NCAA defensemen. Perunovich recorded four multi-point games in February, while recording a point in five of his seven games in the month.

Perunovich opened February with a three-primary-assist outing in a sweep-clinching, 4-1 win at Denver on Feb. 1, including setting up the game-winner. He was named NCHC Defenseman of the Week for his efforts. After recording a helper in a sweep of Omaha the next weekend, Perunovich tallied a goal and an assist in a loss at Western Michigan Feb. 21, UMD’s only defeat of the month. He then capped his month with four points in a sweep at Colorado College to again earn NCHC Defenseman of the Week honors. Perunovich assisted on the game-winning goal and scored an empty-netter in Friday’s win, while adding two more helpers in the series finale.

Perunovich finished the month with two goals on 12 shots on goal, while posting a +7 plus/minus, which was fourth in the NCHC in February. He also blocked 17 shots during the month, which was fifth in the conference. On the season, Perunovich leads all NCHC defensemen with 39 points on six goals and 33 assists.

Perunovich is now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player of the Month, which will be announced later this week. Other nominees for NCHC February Player of the Month included North Dakota junior forward Collin Adams, Denver sophomore forward Emilio Pettersen, St. Cloud State senior forward Nick Poehling and Western Michigan junior forward Austin Rueschhoff.

Goaltender of the Month

David Hrenak, St. Cloud State
Junior Goaltender
Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia

Hrenak backstopped St. Cloud State to a second-half turnaround, leading the Huskies (and himself) to a 4-1-2 record in the month, including wins over then-No. 1 North Dakota and No. 6 Denver. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick led the NCHC with a .937 save percentage in February, ranking ninth nationally, while his 1.84 goals-against average was second in the conference during the month and 13th in the NCAA. Hrenak recorded four games with at least 30 saves in February.

Hrenak opened February with his second shutout of the season, turning aside all 18 shots he faced on Feb. 1 in a 3-0 win over Miami. It was his ninth career shutout, tying the program record. The following weekend he totaled 53 saves in a win and tie, both in overtime, at Colorado College, while allowing only two goals each night. On Feb. 21, Hrenak made a month-high 32 saves in a 3-3 overtime tie with then-No. 1 UND, and also made a stop in the shootout to earn SCSU an extra conference point. He then made 29 saves in a 2-1, series-finale win over the Fighting Hawks to nab NCHC Goaltender of the Month. Hrenak wrapped up his month by stopping 31 shots each night in a split with Denver.

Hrenak racked up 194 saves in February, which was third in the NCHC, on 207 shots faced. His four wins in the month tied for second in the NCHC, while his .714 win percentage was second by itself. Hrenak improved to 12-9-6 on the season, while upping his season save percentage to .908 (from .898 on Jan. 31) and lowering his GAA to 2.67 (from 2.94 entering the month).

Hrenak is now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Goaltender of the Month, which will be announced later this week. Other nominees for NCHC February Goalie of the Month included Minnesota Duluth senior Hunter Shepard and North Dakota junior Peter Thome.

Rookie of the Month

Shane Pinto, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Franklin Square, N.Y.

Pinto continued his strong rookie campaign by compiling six points in February to lead all NCHC rookies in scoring. The Ottawa Senators prospect tallied four goals in the month, tops among NCHC freshmen, to help North Dakota to a 5-1-1 record and at least a share of the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions. Pinto notched a point in five of seven games in the month, while his 20 shots on goal were also tops among conference rookies.

Pinto opened February with points in four straight games, which was part of a longer nine-game point streak that started in January. He scored a goal in UND’s first game of the month on Feb. 1 in an 8-1, sweep-clinching win over Colorado College. He then scored again in his next game on Feb. 14 at Denver for a three-game goal-scoring streak, while he chipped in an assist the next night to cap a sweep of DU. Pinto’s lone multi-point game came Feb. 21 in a 3-3 tie at St. Cloud State, scoring a power play goal and adding an assist. He then saved his best for last, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime on Feb. 29 against Western Michigan to clinch the Penrose Cup.

Pinto finished February with a +3 plus/minus and won 64.2 percent of his faceoffs, going 68-38 in the center circle. He also blocked six shots in the month. On the season, Pinto leads all NCHC rookies with 27 points on 16 goals, also tops among NCHC freshmen, and 11 assists.

Pinto is now eligible for HCA National Rookie of the Month, which will be announced later this week.

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