COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  – The KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 2022 have a Minnesota flavor to them, with Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State capturing all four awards. Earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for Week 10 are St. Cloud State senior Zach Okabe for Forward of the Week, SCSU sophomore Jack Peart for Defenseman of the Week, Minnesota Duluth senior Matthew Thiessen for Goaltender of the Week and UMD forward Ben Steeves for Rookie of the Week.
 
This is Okabe’s second career NCHC Forward of the Week honor, but first this season. It’s his third career NCHC weekly award, also earning Rookie of the Week once. Peart garnered Defenseman of the Week for the first time in his career, but was also a Rookie of the Week once. Steeves landed Rookie of the Week for the second time this season, while this is Thiessen’s first NCHC weekly honor.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Zach Okabe, St. Cloud State
Senior Forward
Okotoks, Alta.
 
Okabe helped power St. Cloud State to its first sweep of North Dakota since 2013 and first home sweep of UND since 2001. In Saturday’s series finale, Okabe recorded a natural hat trick in less than 10 minutes of game time to single-handedly lead the Huskies to a comeback victory. Down 3-1, Okabe scored three straight goals, starting late in the second period, and capped his second career hat trick with a power play goal 7:05 into the final frame, which was the game-winner in an eventual 6-3 victory. He scored on all three of his shots on goal in Saturday’s win. In Friday’s opener, Okabe was +1 in a 7-2 victory.
 
Okabe finished the series with a +3 plus/minus. With his three goals, Okabe now has 11 tallies on the season, already tying his career high and ranking second on the team. His 18 points on the year tie for third on the Huskies.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Jack Peart, St. Cloud State
Sophomore Defenseman
Grand Rapids, Minn.
 
Peart played a key role at both ends of the ice in St. Cloud State’s sweep of North Dakota. He chipped in five points from the blue line, while helping limit UND to five goals all series. In Friday’s 7-2 win, the Minnesota Wild draft pick tied a career high with three points and was a career-best +3. He assisted on the game-tying goal to make it 2-2, scored an extra attacker goal to make it 4-2 and added another helper to seal the victory. The next night, Peart assisted on Zach Okabe’s game-winning goal that broke a 3-3 tie and capped the win with an unassisted, empty-net goal.
 
Peart ended the series with his first two goals of the season, three assists and a +5 plus/minus. He also blocked one shot and played on a penalty kill that went 6-for-8 in the series.
 
On the season, Peart now has 14 points (2g/12a), second among Huskies blueliners.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Matthew Thiessen, Minnesota Duluth
Senior Goaltender
Steinbach, Manitoba
 
Thiessen had his best weekend as a Bulldog last weekend, backstopping UMD to a split with Colorado College. On Friday, he made 28 saves, including 12 in the third period, and allowed only two goals in a tough-luck, 3-0 loss. The next night, Thiessen turned aside all 24 shots he faced, with 10 coming in the final frame, to record his first collegiate shutout in a 4-0 victory.
 
Thiessen finished the weekend with an NCHC-best .963 save percentage, stopping 52 of the 54 shots he faced. The Vancouver Canucks draft pick also posted a 1.01 goals-against average against CC, lowering his season GAA to 2.00. Thiessen is now 5-4-0 in nine starts this year and upped his season save percentage to .925.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Bedford, N.H.
 
Steeves continued his hot start to the season, recording his first collegiate hat trick to power UMD to a split with Colorado College. On Friday, the Bulldogs were blanked, but Steeves fired a game-high eight shots on goal. The next night, he erupted with three straight goals for a natural hat trick. With the Bulldogs up 1-0, Steeves scored a goal in each period, with his second coming on the power play, to lead UMD to a 4-0 victory. Steeves became the first UMD rookie to record a hat trick since 1994. He put five more shots on goal in Saturday’s win and was +3.
 
Steeves ended the series with three goals, 13 shots on goal and a +1 plus/minus. On the season, Steeves leads the Bulldogs with both 11 goals and 14 points. His 11 goals tie for the NCAA lead among freshmen, as well.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Jake Pivonka, Gr., Omaha
Massimo Rizzo, So., Denver
 
Defenseman of the Week
Sean Behrens, So., Denver

Goaltender of the Week
Jaxon Castor, Sr., St. Cloud State
 
Rookie of the Week
Jacob Guevin, F, Omaha
Adam Ingram, F, St. Cloud State
Ryan McAllister, F, Western Michigan
Jared Wright, F, Denver