COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Underclassmen had over-the-top performances to earn all four KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 6-12, 2023, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced Monday. The three sophomores and freshman to garner KJ Branding NCHC Week 6 honors are:

• Forward – Noah Laba, Colorado College, So.
• Defenseman – Joaquim Lemay, Omaha, So.
• Goaltender – Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, So.
• Rookie – Miko Matikka, Denver, Forward

This is Laba’s first career NCHC Forward of the Week nod and second career NCHC weekly honor, after earning Rookie of the Week once last year. Lemay locked up his second Defenseman of the Week award this season and of his career, while Mbereko gloved his fourth career NCHC Goaltender of the Week honor, but first this season. Matikka earned his first NCHC weekly award and is the third straight Pioneer freshman to claim the honor (defenseman Boston Buckberger and goaltender Freddie Halyk).
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Noah Laba, Colorado College
Sophomore Forward
Northville, Mich.
 
Laba had a massive, six-point weekend to lead Colorado College to a sweep at Miami. He tripled his goal total on the season, scoring four goals, including two each game. On Friday, the New York Rangers draft pick had a season-high four points with two goals and two assists in a 5-1 victory. Laba tallied the game’s first two goals in the opener, his first coming short-handed, before tallying the eventual game-winner later in the first frame. The next night, he again opened the game’s scoring in the first period, before adding another short-handed goal to up CC’s lead to 3-1 in an eventual 4-1 victory.
 
Laba was named First Star of the Game both nights against Miami, becoming the first Tiger to score two goals in consecutive games since Chris Wilkie in 2019. He’s also the first CC player with a short-handed goal in back-to-back contests since Chad Rau in 2007. Laba finished the weekend with eight shots on goal and a +6 plus/minus, with the latter tying for the NCHC lead. His four goals and six points were also tops in the NCHC on the weekend. Laba now has six goals and 11 points on the season, with the six goals tied for the team lead and tied for fifth in the NCHC.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Joaquim Lemay, Omaha
Sophomore Defenseman
Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets, Quebec
 
Lemay returned to the lineup last weekend and helped the Mavericks sweep Long Island. In Friday’s opener, he dished out an assist on a power play goal that made it a 2-0 game in an eventual 3-2 victory. The next night, the Washington Capitals draft pick was a dominant force on the ice, doling out an assist, firing seven shots on goal and scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in a 5-4 victory. Lemay was tabbed First Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Lemay finished the weekend with three points (1g/2a), 10 shots on goal and a +1 plus/minus. On the season, he now has three goals and six points in only five games, with his 1.20 points per game tops among all NCHC blueliners. His three goals already top his season total from his rookie campaign last year.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Sophomore Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko was a rock in net all weekend to backstop Colorado College to a sweep at Miami, conceding only one goal each night. He racked up an NCHC-best 61 saves in the series and led the conference with a .968 save percentage last weekend. On Friday, Mbereko turned aside 31 shots, including 13 in the second period, in a 5-1 win. He allowed only a third period power play goal to earn Third Star of the Game in the series opener. The next night, Mbereko made 30 more saves in a 4-1 win, including six short-handed stops to kill all five Miami power plays. He was named Second Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Mbereko finished the weekend with a 1.00 goals-against average in the two wins. He helped CC go 8-for-9 on the penalty kill at Miami, making 16 saves while short-handed. On the season, Mbereko improved to 7-3-0 while upping his save percentage to .908, which is fourth in the NCHC, and lowering his season GAA to 2.76.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Miko Matikka, Denver
Freshman Forward
Helsinki, Finland
 
Matikka continued his hot play of late, stretching his goal-scoring streak to three games and point streak to four games with a three-goal weekend at Arizona State. In Friday’s 6-5 overtime loss, the Arizona Coyotes draft pick recorded his first collegiate multi-goal game. He tallied both goals in the third period, putting the Pioneers in front each time at 4-3 and 5-4. Matikka continued his streak in the second period on Saturday, jump-starting a DU comeback as his goal was part of five consecutive Denver goals to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 5-3 lead and an eventual 8-4 victory.
 
Matikka fired seven shots on goal in the series, including a career-high six in Friday’s opener. His three goals at ASU give him four on the season, while he has five points on the year, all in his last four games. Matikka’s four goals tie for second among NCHC rookies.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Louis Jamernik V, North Dakota, Sr.
Carter King, Denver, Jr.
Veeti Miettinen, St. Cloud State, Sr.
Ty Mueller, Omaha, Jr.
 
Defenseman of the Week
Logan Britt, North Dakota, Gr.
Zeev Buium, Denver, Fr.
 
Goaltender of the Week
Dominic Basse, St. Cloud State, Sr.
Ludvig Persson, North Dakota, Sr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Tanner Ludtke, Omaha, forward