COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – While many people were relaxing during the holiday break, four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) skaters put in the work to merit KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week for the period of Dec. 12, 2022 through Jan. 1, 2023. Earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for weeks 12 and 13 are Western Michigan senior Jason Polin for Forward of the Week, Denver junior Mike Benning for Defenseman of the Week, WMU junior Cameron Rowe for Goaltender of the Week and Colorado College forward Noah Serdachny for Rookie of the Week.

Polin earns his second Forward of the Week nod this season and of his career. Rowe gloved his second NCHC Goaltender of the Week this season, as well, also his second career NCHC honor. Benning nabbed his first Defenseman of the Week award this year, but it’s the fourth of his career, winning it three times last season. This is Serdachny’s first career NCHC weekly honor.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Jason Polin, Western Michigan
Senior Forward
Holt, Mich.

Polin continued his goal-scoring tear to lead Western Michigan to the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) championship in Grand Rapids, Mich. For the second time this season, Polin recorded back-to-back hat tricks to earn himself Most Valuable Player of the Great Lakes Invitational, as well as a spot on the All-Tournament Team. The Broncos captain also had back-to-back hat tricks on Nov. 4-5 against Miami, something that had never previously been done once in NCHC history, and now Polin has done it twice. With his two at the GLI, Polin has five hat tricks on the season (an NCHC single-season record), only one fewer than the rest of the NCHC combined (no other NCHC player has more than one this year).

WMU opened the Great Lakes Invitational on Tuesday, Dec. 27 with an 8-1 win over then-No. 16 Michigan Tech. Polin potted the game’s first goal early in the contest, then added the Broncos’ third and sixth goals of the game in the second period to cap his hat trick, with all goals even strength. A night later, Polin was back at it, this time tallying a natural hat trick in the GLI championship game. He scored WMU’s third, fourth and fifth goals in an 8-2 win over Ferris State, again all even strength, with his second goal serving as the game-winner.

Polin finished the Great Lakes Invitational with six goals, 13 shots on goal and a +7 plus/minus, all of which led the NCHC over the past three weeks. He now has 19 goals on the season, which leads the NCAA by four, while his 30 points are second nationally behind only his linemate, Ryan McAllister (38).

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Mike Benning, Denver
Junior Defenseman
St. Albert, Alta.
 
Benning played a big role in Denver’s sweep of Lindenwood back on Dec. 16-17, chipping in four points offensively and helping limit the Lions to only four goals all weekend. In the series opener, the Florida Panthers draft pick dished out a pair of assists on DU’s third and fourth goals in a 5-0 shutout. The next night, Benning scored two goals in a 5-4 victory, marking his second multi-goal game this season and the sixth of his career. With the game tied at 1-1, he struck on the power play to break the deadlock, then doubled DU’s lead less than a minute into the second period.
 
Benning finished the series with two goals, two assists and five shots on goal, with all his shots coming in the series finale. In doing so, he stretched his point streak to a career-long seven games. He also posted a +4 plus/minus, including +3 in Friday’s win, and blocked two shots. On the season, Benning has 19 points (7g, 12a), which is fifth nationally among blue liners, while his seven goals tie for fourth among defensemen.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan
Junior Goaltender
Wilmette, Ill.

Rowe backstopped Western Michigan to its fourth Great Lakes Invitational title in program history. He allowed only three goals in the tournament to land on the GLI All-Tournament Team. In the semifinals on Dec. 27, Rowe made 24 saves in an 8-1 win over then-No. 16 Michigan Tech, with MTU’s lone goal coming in the third period. Eight of his 24 saves came short-handed as he helped kill all four Huskies power plays in the win. A night later in the championship game against Ferris State, Rowe stopped 28 more shots, including 12 in the first period, as WMU rolled to an 8-2 victory to win the tournament.

Rowe finished the GLI with a 2-0-0 record, while posting a 1.51 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. He racked up 52 saves on 55 shots faced in the tournament.

On the season, Rowe improved to 11-8-1 while lowering his season GAA to 2.77 and raising his save percentage to .893.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Noah Serdachny, Colorado College
Freshman Forward
Edmonton, Alta.
 
Entering the weekend with only one collegiate point (an assist) in eight career games as a Tiger, Serdachny erupted for a career-high five points in CC’s 7-2 win over Princeton on Friday, Dec. 30. Serdachny set up each of CC’s first two goals, both on the power play, with primary assists. He then scored his first career goal, which served as the game-winner, early in the second period while falling to the ice with his back to the net. Serdachny added a third helper on CC’s fifth goal, while he scored for the second time off a deflection in the third period to cap the Tigers’ scoring and make it a 7-1 contest.
 
Serdachny also posted career highs with three shots on goal and a +3 plus/minus in Friday’s opener. He finished the series with two goals, three assists and was +2. Serdachny is the second Tiger freshman to post a five-point game this season, joining Noah Laba (Oct. 28 vs. Air Force). Serdachny now has six points (2g, 4a) in 10 games this season.

OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Matthew Barbolini, Jr., Miami
Tristan Broz, So., Denver
Nolan Sullivan, Sr., Omaha

Defenseman of the Week
Aidan Fulp, Jr., Western Michigan
Jack Millar, Jr., Colorado College
Hampus Rydqvist, Jr., Miami
Jonny Tychonick, Gr., Omaha

Goaltender of the Week
Matt Davis, So., Denver
 
Rookie of the Week
Ryan McAllister, F, Western Michigan
Aidan Thompson, F, Denver
John Waldron, F, Miami