COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After leading their teams to unbeaten weekends, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) named its Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 10-16, 2022 on Monday. Western Michigan claimed three of the four NCHC honors for Week 3 with sophomore Max Sasson earning Forward of the Week, senior Zak Galambos garnering Defenseman of the Week and forward Ryan McAllister claiming Rookie of the Week, while Omaha senior Jake Kucharski gloved Goaltender of the Week.
 
This is Sasson’s first career NCHC Forward of the Week honor and third NCHC weekly award, twice earning Rookie of the Week last year. These are the first NCHC honors for McAllister, Galambos and Kucharski, the latter two of whom were teammates at American International last season.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Max Sasson, Western Michigan
Sophomore Forward
Birmingham, Mich.

Sasson played a big role in helping lead Western Michigan to a home-and-home sweep of Bowling Green, racking up five points in the series. In Thursday’s 4-1 win in Kalamazoo, he had a hand in three of the goals for a season-high three points. Sasson set up the opening goal that gave WMU an early 1-0 lead. He then scored midway through the third period to push the lead to 3-1 on a give-and-go, before assisting on the Broncos’ final tally. The next night in Bowling Green, Sasson scored the game-winning goal and tacked on WMU’s final goal in an 8-2 rout.

Sasson finished the series with three goals and two primary assists. One of his goals came on the power play, while he finished with a +3 plus/minus. He also fired seven shots on goal in the sweep and went 16-for-29 (.552) in the faceoff circle.

On the season, Sasson is now second on the team with six points (3g/3a).

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Zak Galambos, Western Michigan
Senior Defenseman
Walnut Creek, Calif.

Galambos was a force at both ends of the ice in the Broncos’ sweep of Bowling Green. He chipped in three points offensively, while playing on a penalty kill that finished 7-for-8 in the series and limited the Falcons to three goals all weekend. In Thursday’s series opener, the AIC transfer tallied an assist and led a penalty kill unit that was a perfect 5-for-5 in a 4-1 victory. A night later in Bowling Green, Galambos scored two goals for his second collegiate multi-goal game (first with WMU). He scored the game’s first goal only 1:14 into the contest and added WMU’s seventh goal in an 8-2 victory.

Galambos finished the weekend with a +7 plus/minus, including a career-high +6 Friday as he was on the ice for every even-strength goal the Broncos scored. Along with his two goals and assist in the series, he also fired six shots on goal and blocked two shots.

On the season, Galambos now has three goals and four points in five games, with his three goals tying for the team lead.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Jake Kucharski, Omaha
Senior Goaltender
Erie, Penn.
 
Kucharski came up clutch for Omaha, backstopping the Mavericks to a win and a tie on the road at Lake Superior State. In Friday’s opener, the AIC transfer compiled 20 saves and allowed only a power play goal to help Omaha earn its first win of the season with a 4-1 victory. The next night, Kurcharski entered in relief midway through the first period with the Mavericks already down 4-0. He didn’t allow a goal the rest of the game in more than 51 minutes of action, stopping all nine shots he saw to allow Omaha to rally for a 4-4 overtime tie.
 
Kucharski ended the weekend with a 1-0-1 record and a .967 save percentage, stopping 29 of 30 shots in the two games. He also compiled a 0.54 goals-against average against the Lakers, not allowing a single even-strength goal all weekend.
 
Kurcharski improved to 1-1-1 on the season, while upping his season save percentage to .896 and lowering his season GAA to 1.77.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ryan McAllister, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
London, Ont.
 
McAllister had a monster weekend to lead the Broncos to a sweep of Bowling Green, continuing his strong start to his college career. The freshman racked up five points against the Falcons, while stretching his point streak to five games. In Thursday’s opener, he assisted on Max Sasson’s give-and-go goal that gave the Broncos a 3-1 lead. McAllister then sealed the victory soon after with a goal of his own to cap the 4-1 win. On Friday, McAllister tallied a career-high three points with a goal and two assists in an 8-2 road victory. He set up WMU’s third goal, which was the game-winner, scored the Broncos’ fifth goal and assisted on the final tally.
 
McAllister completed the sweep with two goals and three assists, with all of his helpers primary assists. He also fired 11 shots on goal in the two games, including seven on Friday, and posted a +2 plus/minus.
 
McAllister now leads the NCHC with eight points on the season, including three goals and five assists. His eight points also tie for the early NCAA scoring lead. He has at least one point in all five games so far this season.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Grant Cruikshank, 5th, St. Cloud State
Riese Gaber, Jr., North Dakota
Jack Randl, Sr., Omaha
 
Defenseman of the Week
Dylan Anhorn, Sr., St. Cloud State
Chris Jandric, Gr., North Dakota
 
Goaltender of the Week
Cameron Rowe, Jr., Western Michigan
 
Rookie of the Week
Grant Ahcan, F, St. Cloud State
Jackson Blake, F, North Dakota