COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A trio of freshmen and a trio of Denver Pioneers are among the KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 20-26, 2023, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced Monday. Earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for Week 8 are:

• Forward – McKade Webster, Denver, Sr.
• Defenseman – Zeev Buium, Denver, Fr.
• Goaltender – Freddie Halyk, Denver, Fr.
• Rookie – Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, Defenseman

These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for Webster, Buium and Livanavage. Halyk gloved his first Goaltender of the Week nod, but second NCHC award this year, also claiming Rookie of the Week after the first weekend in November.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
McKade Webster, Denver
Senior Forward
St. Louis, Mo.
 
Webster had the best weekend of his college career, racking up six points in Denver’s sweep of Yale. The DU captain recorded three points each night, which were the first two three-point games of his career. In Friday’s 5-0 win, Webster dished out two assists and scored the Pioneers’ final goal for his first career three-point outing. He was named First Star of the Game on Friday. The next night, the Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick notched his first career multi-goal game, scoring the game’s opening goal, which served as the game-winner, while adding another goal late in a 9-0 beatdown. Webster also added an assist Saturday for a second straight three-point game, while earning Third Star of the Game.
 
Webster finished the series against the Bulldogs with three goals and three assists, with his six points tying teammate Jack Devine for the NCHC lead on the weekend. He fired four shots on goal in the sweep and compiled a +5 plus/minus. Webster doubled his season goal total against Yale, giving him six on the year, while he has 15 points (6g/9a) in 14 games this season.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Zeev Buium, Denver
Freshman Defenseman
San Diego, Calif.
 
Buium continued the strong start to his freshman season, chipping in five points offensively from the blue line, while helping limit Yale to no goals all weekend in a sweep. In Friday’s opener, the draft-eligible blue liner scored DU’s third goal in a 5-0 win. The next night, Buium erupted for a career-high four assists (and points), dishing out a helper on each of the Pioneers’ first three goals, including the game-winner, in a 9-0 thrashing. He also added a primary helper on the fifth goal, with two of his four assists Saturday of the primary variety. Buium earned Second Star of the Game in the series finale.
 
Buium led all NCHC defensemen with four assists and five points on the weekend, stretching his point streak to a career-long eight games (3g/11a). He posted a +6 plus/minus against Yale, which tied for the NCHC lead last weekend, including a team-best +5 in Saturday’s finale. Buium also blocked two shots and fired three shots on goal in the series.
 
Buium now leads all NCHC defensemen and all NCHC rookies with 18 points this season in 14 games, while his four goals are tied for the NCHC lead among blue liners. His 14 assists tie for second in the NCHC and are first among defensemen.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Freddie Halyk, Denver
Freshman Goaltender
Cochrane, Alta.
 
Halyk was unbeatable last weekend, recording back-to-back shutouts of Yale in a sweep. He did not allow a goal all series, compiling a perfect 1.000 save percentage and a 0.00 goals-against average in the two wins. Halyk racked up 41 saves, becoming the first DU goalie to log back-to-back whitewashes since Magnus Chrona on Jan. 13-14, 2023 against Miami. Following a 13-save shutout in Friday’s opener, Halyk backed that up with a 28-save clean sheet on Saturday. He was tabbed Second Star of the Game in Friday’s 5-0 win and First Star in Saturday’s 9-0 victory.
 
With the two shutouts, Halyk now has three on the season, which ties for the NCHC lead. He’s currently riding a shutout streak of 140:02 dating back to Nov. 19 against Omaha, which is the 10th-longest shutout streak in Denver history. Halyk improved to 7-2-0 on the season with the wins, while lowering his season GAA to 2.32 (fourth in the NCHC) and upping his save percentage on the year to .899.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Freshman Defenseman
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Livanavage contributed at both ends of the ice in North Dakota’s sweep of Bemidji State. Offensively, he shined, dishing out a pair of assists, with one each night. On Friday, Livanavage handed out the primary assist on the overtime, game-winning goal scored by Jackson Blake in a 3-2, comeback victory. He was tabbed Third Star of the Game. The next night, Livanavage again set up Blake with a primary assist on UND’s second goal, this time on the power play, in a 5-0 victory. With the two assists, Livanavage recorded points in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
 
Along with his two helpers, Livanavage posted a +3 plus/minus and blocked a shot against the Beavers, including helping record a shutout on Saturday. The Arizona native now has five points (1g/4a) in 14 games this season.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Matthew Barbolini, Miami, Sr.
Cameron Berg, North Dakota, Jr.
Sam Colangelo, Western Michigan, Sr.
Kyler Kupka, St. Cloud State, 5th
Tyler Rollwagen, Omaha, So.

Defenseman of the Week
Zak Galambos, Western Michigan, Gr.
Victor Mancini, Omaha, Jr.
Garrett Pyke, North Dakota, 5th
 
Goaltender of the Week
Logan Neaton, Miami, Gr.
Ludvig Persson, North Dakota, Sr.
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Sr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, Forward
Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State, Forward