COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four underclassmen put in over-the-top performances to earn KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 6-12, 2023. Three teams are represented among the KJ Branding NCHC weekly award winners for week 19, with Denver sophomore Massimo Rizzo the Forward of the Week, fellow DU sophomore Sean Behrens the Defenseman of the Week, Colorado College freshman Kaidan Mbereko the Goaltender of the Week and Omaha netminder Simon Latkoczy the Rookie of the Week.
 
All four recipients have earned KJ Branding NCHC weekly honors earlier this season, with Rizzo garnering Forward of the Week for the second time, while this is his third career NCHC weekly award. Behrens also bagged his honor for the second time this season, while he’s now won NCHC Defenseman of the Week five times in his two-year career so far. Mbereko gloved his third Goaltender of the Week nod this season, while Latkoczy picked up his second NCHC weekly honor but first for Rookie of the Week, earning co-Goaltender of the Week in his last series two weeks ago.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Massimo Rizzo, Denver
Sophomore Forward
Burnaby, B.C.
 
Rizzo led all NCHC forwards with four points last weekend to lead Denver to a sweep of rival North Dakota. In Friday’s 5-3 victory, the Carolina Hurricanes draft pick scored DU’s fourth goal on a snipe to make it a 4-2 game in the second period. His goal served as the game-winner, while he also fired three shots on goal and was +3 in the win. A night later, Rizzo racked up three points in a 5-2 victory to earn Third Star of the Game. He set up a power play goal in the second period to make it 2-0, then had the lone assist on DU’s fourth goal and capped the scoring with his second goal of the weekend, which came unassisted in the final frame.
 
Rizzo finished the weekend with two goals and two assists, while his +5 plus/minus led all NCHC skaters on the weekend. He also fired six shots on goal, with three each night, and won 18 faceoffs, going 18-for-38 in the series.
 
Rizzo is now third in the NCHC in scoring this season with 37 points on 12 goals and 25 assists in 30 games. His 37 points are 10th nationally, while his 25 assists tie for sixth in the country and are second in the NCHC.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Sean Behrens, Denver
Sophomore Defenseman
Barrington, Ill.
 
Behrens led all NCHC blueliners in scoring last weekend with four points, recording two each night, while helping Denver finish off a regular-season sweep of North Dakota. On Friday, the Colorado Avalanche prospect handed out the primary assist on DU’s second goal to break a 1-1 tie, then scored the Pioneers’ third goal in the second period, which again broke a tie game. He also blocked three shots in the 5-3 win and helped Denver’s penalty kill go 6-for-8. In Saturday’s 5-2 victory, Behrens dished out a pair of assists on the power play, setting up DU’s first and third goals to put the Pioneers up 3-0. He also shut down UND’s strong power play, playing on a penalty kill unit that went 6-for-6 in the series finale while blocking three more shots.
 
Behrens completed the series with a goal, three assists, four shots on goal and six blocked shots. He also posted a +2 plus/minus against UND and helped the Pioneers penalty kill finish the weekend 12-for-14. Behrens was named Second Star of the Game both nights against the Fighting Hawks.
 
On the season, Behrens now has three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 25 games. His 19 points rank eighth among NCHC defensemen.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko played a key role in backstopping Colorado College to three points at Omaha last weekend. On Friday, he made 36 saves, including a combined 18 in the third period and overtime, while allowing only three goals in a 3-2 overtime defeat. The next night, Mbereko tied his career high with 40 saves in a 2-2 overtime tie, including 14 saves in each of the final two periods of regulation. He then made two more stops in the shootout to allow CC to win the shootout and earn two points in the standings. Mbereko was tabbed First Star of the Game on Saturday, with 11 of his 40 saves coming with the Tigers short-handed.
 
Mbereko ended the weekend with 76 saves on 81 shots faced for a .938 save percentage, while compiling a 2.38 goals-against average. He posted an 0-1-1 record, with a shootout win and an overtime loss. He made 15 of his saves short-handed, helping the Tigers go 6-for-8 on the penalty kill against the Mavericks in the series.
 
On the season, Mbereko improved his save percentage to .923, which is third in the NCHC, while lowering his GAA to 2.45. He is now 6-12-2 this season in 22 games with three shutouts.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Freshman Goaltender
Trencin, Slovakia
 
Latkoczy was on the other side of the ice in his duel with fellow freshman goalie Kaidan Mbereko, backstopping the Mavericks to a win and tie for a three-point weekend. In Friday’s series opener, the Slovak made 26 saves, including half of those in the third period. He also stopped a penalty shot in overtime to allow Omaha to win the game shortly thereafter, earning him Second Star of the Game. A night later, Latkoczy made 31 saves in a 2-2 overtime tie, with 14 combined stops in the third period and overtime.
 
Latkoczy finished the weekend with a .934 save percentage, totaling 57 saves on 61 shots faced, while compiling a 1.87 GAA. He went 1-0-1 in net against the Tigers, while improving his record to 8-2-1 in 13 games played this season. Latkoczy upped his season save percentage to .932, which leads the country among all netminders, while his 1.83 GAA ranks second in the NCAA and first in the NCHC.

OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Noah Laba, Fr., Colorado College
Jack Randl, Sr., Omaha
 
Defenseman of the Week
Bryan Yoon, Gr., Colorado College
 
Goaltender of the Week
Magnus Chrona, Sr., Denver
Simon Latkoczy, Fr., Omaha
 
Rookie of the Week
Jackson Blake, F, North Dakota
Noah Laba, F, Colorado College
Aidan Thompson, F, Denver