COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Underclassmen were over-the-top good last weekend, with three freshmen and a sophomore picking up KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Player of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 7-13, 2022. Earning NCHC Week 7 honors presented by KJ Branding are Denver freshman Jared Wright for Forward of the Week, Minnesota Duluth sophomore Owen Gallatin for Defenseman of the Week, DU forward Aidan Thompson for Rookie of the Week and Colorado College freshman Kaidan Mbereko, who repeats as Goaltender of the Week.

These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for Wright, Gallatin and Thompson, while Mbereko wins his second straight and second career Goaltender of the Week nod.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Jared Wright, Denver
Freshman Forward
Burnsville, Minn.

Wright had a breakout weekend to help Denver earn its first sweep at North Dakota since 2010. He totaled four points in the series with two each night, which were the first four points of his college career. On Friday, Wright tallied his first career point with a primary assist to help put DU up 2-1, then scored his first collegiate goal in the third period to break a 2-2 tie. His first career goal also served as the game-winner as DU won, 3-2.

A night later, Wright continued his big weekend with a pair of goals for his first multi-goal game. His first goal put DU ahead 4-2 in the third period, which turned out to be the game-winner. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick then sealed the 6-3 victory and sweep on Saturday with an empty-net goal.

Wright ended the weekend with three goals, including both game-winning goals, and an assist. He fired seven shots on goal in the series, including five on Saturday, and posted a +4 plus/minus against UND (+2 each night). Wright also blocked four shots on the weekend. Wright’s three goals this season (12 games) already put him in a tie for fourth on the Pioneers’ team.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Owen Gallatin, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Defenseman
Hugo, Minn.

Gallatin contributed at both ends of the ice to help Minnesota Duluth pick up a split with Omaha. The sophomore dished out assists on both of the Bulldogs goals in Friday’s 3-2 loss. He was also +2 and blocked a shot in the series opener. The next night, Gallatin handed out the primary assist on the game’s opening goal only 6:01 into the contest, which UMD went on to win, 3-2, in overtime. He also fired five shots on goal in Saturday’s win and blocked three more shots.

Gallatin finished the series with three assists, a +3 plus/minus, six shots on goal and four blocked shots. He also logged big minutes on a penalty kill unit that went 6-for-8 against the Mavericks. Gallatin now leads the team in scoring with both eight points and six assists on the season.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.

Mbereko continued his strong play of late, allowing only two goals all weekend at Miami, to repeat as NCHC Goaltender of the Week. On Friday, he compiled 22 saves, including seven while the Tigers were short-handed, to backstop CC to a 1-1 overtime tie. Mbereko also denied Miami on all three shootout attempts to help the Tigers earn the extra point in the standings. The next night, the draft-eligible freshman tied his career high with 34 saves in a 2-1 victory to earn First Star of the Game.

Mbereko completed the weekend unbeaten (1-0-1) with a 0.96 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage, totaling 56 saves on 58 shots faced. Nine of his 56 saves came short-handed as he helped CC finish a perfect 9-for-9 on the penalty kill in the series.

On the season, Mbereko improved his record to 3-3-1, while upping his save percentage to .929 and lowering his GAA to 2.11. He now ranks third in the NCHC this year in both save percentage and GAA.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Aidan Thompson, Denver
Freshman Forward
Fort Collins, Colo.

Playing in only his second series of the season due to injury, Thompson continued his strong start, tallying three points to help Denver sweep North Dakota on the road. In Friday’s 3-2 victory, the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick notched his first collegiate multi-point game. He scored his first career goal in the second period to break a 1-1 tie, before assisting on Jared Wright’s game-winner to break a 2-2 tie. The next night in a 6-3 victory, Thompson again broke a deadlock, scoring a power play goal to put the Pioneers in front, 3-2, in the second period.

Thompson finished the series with the first two goals of his college career and an assist, stretching his point streak to three games in the process. He fired five shots on goal in the series, including four Saturday, and finished with a +1 plus/minus. Thompson also went 15-for-24 (.625) in the faceoff circle against the Fighting Hawks.

On the season, Thompson now has four points (2g/2a) in four games, all of which have come in his last three games.

OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Grant Cruikshank, 5th, St. Cloud State
Quinn Olson, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
 
Defenseman of the Week
Chase Foley, Jr., Colorado College
 
Goaltender of the Week
Dominic Basse, Jr., St. Cloud State
Magnus Chrona, Sr., Denver
Ludvig Persson, Jr., Miami
Matthew Thiessen, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
 
Rookie of the Week
Kaidan Mbereko, G, Colorado College
Ben Steeves, F, Minnesota Duluth