COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After leading their teams to convincing sweeps last weekend, a trio of Denver Pioneers and an Omaha Maverick have earned KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) weekly honors for the week of Jan. 9-15, 2023. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week for week 15 are Denver sophomore Tristan Broz for Forward of the Week, DU sophomore Sean Behrens for Defenseman of the Week, Denver senior Magnus Chrona for Goaltender of the Week and Omaha forward Ray Fust for Rookie of the Week.
 
These are the first career NCHC weekly awards for both Broz and Fust. Behrens bagged his fourth career NCHC Defenseman of the Week nod, but first this season. Chrona, meanwhile, gloved his second NCHC weekly honor of the season and his sixth career NCHC Goaltender of the Week award.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Tristan Broz, Denver
Sophomore Forward
Bloomington, Minn.
 
Broz had the best weekend of his Pioneer career so far, racking up six points to lead Denver to a sweep of Miami. In Friday’s opener, the Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick dished out a pair of primary assists on DU’s third and fourth goals in a 7-0 victory. The next night, Broz scored a career-high and record-tying four goals in another 7-0 romp. He opened the game’s scoring 1:09 into the second period, with the goal serving as the game-winner. Broz then scored three straight goals in the third period, the latter two on the power play, to complete a hat trick and record a natural hat trick in the final frame alone.
 
Broz scored his four goals on Saturday on his only four shots on goal in the game. He became the first Pioneer to tally four goals in a game in nearly 20 years (since Feb. 21, 2003), while tying the NCHC single-game record. Broz became only the fifth player in NCHC history to tally four goals in a conference game and the first to tally four in a game this season. His four points Saturday tied his career high, while his three third-period goals came in a span of 6:57, the second-fastest three goals by a Denver player since 1999.
 
Broz finished the sweep of Miami with four goals, two assists and a +4 plus/minus. He also fired five shots on goal on the weekend. Broz upped his season totals to nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 24 games, with 18 of those points (8g/10a) coming in his last 11 outings.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Sean Behrens, Denver
Sophomore Defenseman
Barrington, Ill.
 
Returning to the DU lineup for his first full weekend following his participation in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, Behrens played a key role at both ends of the ice in Denver’s sweep of Miami. Offensively, the Colorado Avalanche draft pick chipped in three points, while defensively he anchored a blue line that did not surrender a goal all weekend in a pair of shutouts. In Friday’s 7-0 victory, Behrens dished out an assist on DU’s sixth goal of the second period, while he posted a +4 plus/minus. The following night in another 7-0 whitewash, he scored DU’s third goal and had the primary assist on the fifth tally. Behrens also blocked three shots and was +2 on Saturday.
 
Behrens ended the series with a goal, two assists and a +6 plus/minus, which led all NCHC players on the weekend. He also fired seven shots on goal in the sweep and blocked four shots, while not committing a single penalty. Behrens played on a penalty kill unit that finished a perfect 5-for-5 against the RedHawks, as well.
 
Behrens is now riding a season-long three-game point streak (1g/4a). On the season, he has two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 19 games.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Magnus Chrona, Denver
Senior Goaltender
Stockholm, Sweden
 
Chrona was perfect last weekend to backstop Denver to a sweep of Miami. The Swede didn’t allow a single goal all series by the RedHawks, posting back-to-back shutouts for the second time in his career. Chrona made 20 saves both Friday and Saturday for his second and third shutouts of the season, giving him 12 career clean sheets. The 12 career shutouts tie for second in NCHC history. The San Jose Sharks prospect is now riding a season-long shutout streak of 130:09.
 
Chrona totaled 40 saves on 40 shots against Miami for a perfect 1.000 save percentage. All three of his shutouts this season have come against the RedHawks. Chrona upped his season save percentage to .918, while lowering his goals-against average to 2.07 after not allowing a goal on the weekend. He also improved his record in 2022-23 to 15-5-0.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Ray Fust, Omaha
Freshman Forward
Bellinzona, Switzerland
 
Fust had a breakout, four-point weekend to help Omaha sweep Minnesota Duluth, doubling his season point total and tripling his goal total in the process. In Friday’s 3-2 victory, Fust handed out an assist on the game-winning goal with 6:57 left to play in the game that broke a 2-2 tie. A night later, he book-ended the scoring with his first career multi-goal game. Fust opened the scoring with a goal only 2:17 into the contest, then capped the 6-1 victory with a power play goal in the final minute. He also had the primary assist on Omaha’s third goal to give UNO a two-goal cushion. The three points Saturday marked his career high, as did his four shots on goal and +4 plus/minus.
 
Fust ended the series with two goals, two assists, five shots on goal and a +5 plus/minus. He is now riding a career-long three-game point streak (2g/3a) and has eight points in 16 games this season, including three goals and five assists.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Grant Cruikshank, 5^th, St. Cloud State
Riese Gaber, Jr., North Dakota
Luke Grainger, Jr., Western Michigan
Jake Pivonka, Gr., Omaha

Defenseman of the Week
Aidan Fulp, Jr., Western Michigan
Chris Jandric, Gr., North Dakota

Goaltender of the Week
Dominic Basse, Jr., St. Cloud State
Cameron Rowe, Jr., Western Michigan
 
Rookie of the Week
Ryan McAllister, F, Western Michigan
Owen McLaughlin, F, North Dakota
Aidan Thompson, F, Denver