COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the second month of the season coming to a close, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has announced its November Players of the Month, with Western Michigan capturing two awards and Colorado College claiming one. WMU senior forward Jason Polin earned NCHC Player of the Month for November, while his freshman linemate, Ryan McAllister, repeated as the NCHC Rookie of the Month. CC freshman netminder Kaidan Mbereko gloves NCHC Goaltender of the Month accolades for November.
 
These are the first career NCHC monthly honors for both Polin and Mbereko, while McAllister was also named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for October.

All three NCHC monthly honorees – Polin, Mbereko and McAllister – are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA November national honors are expected to be announced next Wednesday, Dec. 7.
 
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Jason Polin, Western Michigan
Senior Forward
Holt, Mich.
 
Polin had a monster month of November, tallying 10 goals to double any other NCHC player. He finished second behind only his linemate, Ryan McAllister, in scoring this month, adding five assists for 15 points in only seven games. Polin recorded three hat tricks in November, while no other NCHC player recorded one. The three hat tricks are also an NCHC single-season record. The Broncos captain averaged 1.43 goals per game and 2.14 points per game throughout November, first and second in the NCHC, respectively.
 
Polin opened November with a bang, becoming the first player in NCHC history to record hat tricks on back-to-back nights, doing so Nov. 4-5 in a sweep of Miami. In the finale against the RedHawks, Polin added two assists for a career-high five points. He tallied the game-winning goal both nights against Miami, as well, to earn NCHC Forward of the Week honors. Polin scored a goal and added two assists in a split with Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 18-19. He then closed out the month with his third hat trick in seven games, leading WMU to a 6-4 win over then-No. 18 Northeastern in the Music City Hockey Classic.
 
Of Polin’s 10 goals during the month, two were game-winners, one came on the power play and one was short-handed. He fired 23 shots on goal in November and was second in the NCHC during the month with a +9 plus/minus. Polin had a goal in four of seven November games and a point in six of seven outings.
 
On the season, Polin is now tied for the NCAA lead with 13 goals this year, while his 23 points are third nationally and second in the NCHC behind McAllister.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko was a rock in net for the Tigers in November, starting all six games as CC began conference play. He earned two wins and a tie, going 2-3-1 in NCHC action, while compiling a .945 save percentage, which is second in the NCHC in November. Mbereko’s 1.68 goals-against average is also second among NCHC netminders this month. He racked up 155 saves in November, tying for third in the NCHC, while averaging 25.83 saves per game.
 
Mbereko opened November with his first collegiate shutout, making a career high 34 saves on Nov. 4 in a 5-0 win over then-No. 19 Minnesota Duluth. He matched his 34-save total the following weekend in a 2-1 win at Miami on Nov. 12. Mbereko also stopped 32 shots on Nov. 5 in the series finale with the Bulldogs, giving up only two goals. He was twice named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week in November, earning it for his performance in the split with UMD Nov. 4-5 and for his win and tie at Miami the next weekend.
 
On the season, Mbereko improved to 3-5-1, while boasting a .920 save percentage, which is third in the NCHC. He also lowered his GAA to 2.38 on the year, tying for fifth in the NCHC.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Ryan McAllister, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
London, Ont.
 
McAllister continued his hot start to his college career, repeating as NCHC Rookie of the Month after leading the conference with both 16 points and 14 assists in seven November games. His 2.29 points-per-game average in the month was also tops among all NCHC players, while his +10 plus/minus led the NCHC in November, as well. He recorded five multi-point games, including four three-point games in November, and had at least one point in all seven games this month.
 
McAllister opened November with a six-assist weekend in a sweep of Miami, handing out three helpers per night to earn Rookie of the Week honors. He then tallied two assists and a goal in a split at then-No. 4 St. Cloud State on Nov. 11-12. The following weekend against Minnesota Duluth, McAllister chipped in three more assists and added his second goal of the month in a 5-3 win on Nov. 19, part of a three-point night. He then capped November with his third three-assist game of the month in a 6-4 win over then-No. 18 Northeastern in Nashville. McAllister again claimed NCHC Rookie of the Week to close the month, his second time in November and fourth time this season.
 
McAllister doled out two assists per game on average in November, but still managed to tie for second in the NCHC with 26 shots on goal in the month. On the season, McAllister leads the entire NCAA with 29 points, four more than any other player, while his 22 assists are also tops in the country by seven.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Grant Cruikshank, 5^th, F, St. Cloud State
Derek Daschke, Gr., D, Minnesota Duluth
Riese Gaber, Jr., F, North Dakota
 
Goaltender of the Month
Dominic Basse, Jr., St. Cloud State
Magnus Chrona, Sr., Denver
 
Rookie of the Month
Jackson Blake, F, North Dakota
Ben Steeves, F, Minnesota Duluth
Aidan Thompson, F, Denver