COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With half of the conference beginning non-conference competition last weekend, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has handed out its first Players of the Week for 2022-23, with three teams earning honors. The NCHC Players of the Week for games on Oct. 1-2, 2022 are St. Cloud State junior Veeti Miettinen for Forward of the Week, SCSU senior Dylan Anhorn for Defenseman of the Week, Miami junior Ludvig Persson for Goaltender of the Week and Minnesota Duluth forward Ben Steeves for Rookie of the Week. Four different countries are represented among the NCHC’s Week 1 honorees.
 
This is Miettinen’s second career NCHC Forward of the Week honor, but first since his freshman season. It’s also his fifth career NCHC weekly award. Persson gloved his fifth career NCHC Goaltender of the Week nod, as well. These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for both Anhorn and Steeves.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Veeti Miettinen, St. Cloud State
Junior Forward
Espoo, Finland
 
Miettinen, the 2020-21 NCHC Rookie of the Year, started his junior year strong, racking up four points in St. Cloud State’s season-opening sweep of St. Thomas. He had a hand in four of SCSU’s seven goals on the weekend, including two points each night. In Saturday’s opener, the Finn dished out primary assists on SCSU’s second and third goals, both in the first period, with his first helper coming on the game-winner in a 3-1 victory. The next day, Miettinen scored the game’s first goal, which ended up being the game-winner, and added a power play assist in a 4-0 shutout.
 
Miettinen finished the series with a game-winning goal, three assists and four shots on goal. Three of his four points against the Tommies came on the power play. He ended +3 on the weekend.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Dylan Anhorn, St. Cloud State
Senior Defenseman
Calgary, Alta.
 
A transfer from Union College, Anhorn made an immediate impact for the Huskies in their season-opening sweep of St. Thomas. The Calgary native tallied five points on seven SCSU goals against the Tommies, including tying a career high with three points in Saturday’s season-opening, 3-1 win. Anhorn scored the Huskies first goal of the season, then dished out assists on their next two tallies to have a hand in all three goals. A day later on Sunday, Anhorn handed out two more assists in his home debut, both primary helpers on power play goals, in a 4-0 shutout.
 
Anhorn ended the weekend with a goal and four assists, with three of his points coming on the power play. He also blocked two shots in the sweep of the Tommies and helped limit St. Thomas to only one goal all weekend. Anhorn contributed to a penalty kill that was a perfect 8-for-8 to start the season and posted a +2 plus/minus in the series.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Ludvig Persson, Miami
Junior Goaltender
Hindas, Sweden
 
Persson backstopped Miami to an unbeaten opening weekend, allowing only three goals in nearly 124 minutes of action, including only one even-strength goal. The Swede made 19 saves in Saturday’s season-opening, 2-2 overtime tie with Ferris State. He then upped his game even more Sunday, turning aside 30 shots to anchor the RedHawks to a 4-1 victory.
 
Persson totaled 49 saves on 52 shots for a .942 save percentage in the tie and win against the Bulldogs. He also posted a 1.45 goals-against average in the series and helped kill off two major power plays in Sunday’s win. Eight of his 30 saves Sunday came short-handed, while he helped Miami go 7-for-9 on the penalty kill during the weekend.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Bedford, N.H.
 
Steeves started his college career with a bang, helping lead Minnesota Duluth to a season-opening sweep of Arizona State. After making his debut for the Bulldogs in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime victory against the Sun Devils, Steeves had a huge impact in Sunday’s sweep-clincher. With the game tied 1-1, Steeves tallied his first collegiate goal midway through the second period on the power play. He then doubled UMD’s lead only 57 seconds later with his second career goal as the Bulldogs rolled to a 4-1 victory.
 
Steeves finished his first weekend of college hockey with two goals, including one game-winner. He also fired seven shots on goal in the series with ASU.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Joe Cassetti, Sr., Miami
Ben Steeves, Fr., UMD
 
Defenseman of the Week
Derek Daschke, Gr., UMD
Hampus Rydqvist, Jr., Miami
 
Goaltender of the Week
None
 
Rookie of the Week
Max Dukovac, F, Miami
Adam Ingram, F, SCSU
Ryan McAllister, F, WMU