COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – On the penultimate weekend of the regular season, the Penrose Cup was clinched by the University of Denver and two Pioneers garnered KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week honors for their efforts. Three other student-athletes from three different teams also collected KJ Branding NCHC weekly accolades for the week of Feb. 20-26, 2023. Earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for week 21 are Denver sophomore Carter Mazur for Forward of the Week, DU junior Mike Benning for Defenseman of the Week, St. Cloud State forward Adam Ingram for Rookie of the Week, and North Dakota fifth-year senior Drew DeRidder and Miami junior Ludvig Person, who shared Goaltender of the Week honors.
 
This is Mazur’s second Forward of the Week award this season and his fourth career NCHC weekly honor. Benning also captured Defenseman of the Week for the second time this year, but it’s the fifth time in his career. DeRidder and Persson each gloved Goaltender of the Week for the third time this season, while Persson is now a seven-time Goalie of the Week in his NCHC career. This is Ingram’s first NCHC weekly award.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Carter Mazur, Denver
Sophomore Forward
Jackson, Mich.
 
Mazur had a stellar weekend in his home state, racking up four points to help lead Denver to a sweep of then-No. 5 Western Michigan. The reigning NCHC Rookie of the Year tallied two points each night, starting with the game-tying goal on the power play on Friday that knotted the game at 2-2. He then dished out an assist on a power play goal in the third period to seal the 5-2 win. The following night, Mazur again had a goal and an assist. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick handed out another power play helper on DU’s first goal that tied the game in the second period. He then scored the game-winner unassisted early in the third period to break the 1-1 tie, as Denver went on to win 3-1 and clinch its second straight Penrose Cup.
 
Mazur finished the sweep with two goals, two assists, four shots on goal and a +2 plus/minus, going +1 each night. He also blocked two shots on Saturday, while helping DU’s power play go 4-for-11 in the series with three power play points. Mazur was named First Star of the Game on Saturday, after being tabbed Third Star on Friday.
 
Mazur is now riding a three-game goal-scoring streak and a six-game point streak (5g/4a) heading into the last weekend of the regular season. His 22 goals this season rank second nationally and in the NCHC, while his 33 points tie for sixth in the NCHC.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Mike Benning, Denver
Junior Defenseman
St. Albert, Alta.
 
Benning played a big role in Denver locking up the Penrose Cup, chipping in four points in a sweep at then-No. 5 Western Michigan, while helping limit the nation’s top-scoring offense to only three goals all weekend. In Friday’s 5-2 victory, the Florida Panthers draft pick tallied a career-high four points, scoring two goals and assisting on two more. It was his third multi-goal game of the season. Benning opened the scoring Friday midway through the first period, before setting up a power play goal in the second period to tie the game. He then sealed the victory in the third period by scoring a power play goal and handing out the primary assist on another, which was DU’s final tally of the night. Benning earned First Star of the Game on Friday, as one of only two NCHC blue liners with a four-point game this season (Minnesota Duluth’s Wyatt Kaiser the other).
 
On Saturday, Benning was held off the scoresheet in a 3-1 victory, but fired three shots on goal and was +2 in the win. In doing so, DU secured their second straight NCHC regular-season title. Benning finished the sweep with two goals, two assists, seven shots on goal and a +2 plus/minus. He also played a big role on special teams, helping Denver’s penalty kill finish 10-for-12 in the series, while the power play went 4-for-11.
 
Benning is now tied for the NCAA lead among defensemen with 12 goals this season. His 32 points this season rank third nationally among blue liners and lead all NCHC defensemen.

CO-GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Drew DeRidder, North Dakota
Fifth-Year Senior Goaltender
Fenton, Mich.
 
DeRidder had one of his best weekends of the season, backstopping North Dakota to four points in a win and tie at Colorado College. The Michigan State transfer allowed only one goal all weekend, while earning his fourth shutout of the season and not allowing a goal in Saturday’s shootout either. On Friday, DeRidder made 17 saves, allowing only a second-period goal in a 2-1 overtime win. The next night, he stopped all 26 shots he faced, including three in overtime, in a scoreless tie. DeRidder also denied all three CC attempts in the ensuing shootout to earn UND the extra standings point. He helped UND go 5-for-5 on the penalty kill Saturday with six short-handed saves, while earning First Star of the Game.
 
DeRidder finished the weekend with 43 saves on 44 shots faced for a NCHC-best .977 save percentage on the weekend among goalies who played two games. He also posted a 0.48 goals-against average at CC in more than 125 minutes of action, while going 1-0-1.
 
DeRidder upped his season save percentage to .896 and lowered his GAA to 2.64. His four shutouts on the season tie for the NCHC lead and seventh nationally, while he is now 9-7-4 in net this year, including 2-0-2 in his last four starts.

CO-GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Ludvig Persson, Miami
Junior Goaltender
Hindas, Sweden
 
Persson was a puck-eating machine in net, racking up 85 saves in a split at Minnesota Duluth to help Miami snap a 12-game winless skid. On Friday, the Swede made 35 saves, including six with Miami short-handed, as he helped kill all five UMD power plays in a 3-2 defeat. The next night, Persson recorded his third career 50-save game, turning aside a season-high 50 of 51 shots faced in a 4-1 victory, which was Miami’s first win of 2023. The 50 saves are the most by any NCHC goaltender this season, with 20 of his saves coming in the third period alone. Persson earned First Star of the Game in Saturday’s victory.
 
Persson finished the weekend with a .955 save percentage, stopping 85 of 89 shots faced, while posting a 2.02 GAA. He also backstopped Miami’s penalty kill to a perfect 9-for-9 mark in the split, with 10 of Persson’s saves coming short-handed.
 
With the split, Persson is now 8-16-4 on the season, while he upped his season save percentage to .899 and lowered his season GAA to 3.41. His 28.52 saves per game average is tops in the NCHC, while his 827 saves on the year are 11th nationally and first in the NCHC, as well.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Adam Ingram, St. Cloud State
Freshman Forward
West St. Paul, Manitoba
 
Ingram had a career-best weekend to help St. Cloud State split at No. 14 Omaha last weekend. In Friday’s 6-2 victory over the Mavericks, the Nashville Predators draft pick tallied a career-high five points on two goals and three primary assists. He’s only the fifth NCHC player to record five or more points in a game this season (third freshman) and only the second SCSU freshman ever to record a five-point game.
 
Ingram helped SCSU build a 4-0 lead in the series opener with primary assists on the Huskies first and third goals, before scoring on the power play early in the second period. He then struck again five minutes later with his second goal of the night to make it 5-1, while adding another primary helper on the power play to cap SCSU’s scoring. It was his second career multi-goal game. Three of Ingram’s five points came on the power play as the Huskies went 3-for-5 on the man advantage in the win. He was named First Star of the Game on Friday. On Saturday, Ingram fired a shot on goal, but was held off the scoresheet in a 6-2 loss.
 
Ingram finished the weekend with two goals, three assists, three shots on goal and a +1 plus/minus. On the season, he leads all SCSU freshmen with 19 points (6g/13a), which is seventh on the team and fifth among NCHC rookies.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Joe Cassetti, Sr., Miami
Veeti Miettinen, Jr., St. Cloud State
 
Defenseman of the Week
Jacob Guevin, Fr., Omaha
 
Goaltender of the Week
Magnus Chrona, Sr., Denver
 
Rookie of the Week
Jackson Blake, F, North Dakota
Jacob Guevin, D, Omaha