COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four different teams are represented among the KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week for the week of January 22-28, 2024, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced Monday, with all four honorees underclassmen. After leading their teams to unbeaten weekends, the KJ Branding NCHC Week 15 award winners are:

• Forward – Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Defenseman – Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, Fr.
• Goaltender – Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College, So.
• Rookie – Tanner Ludtke, Omaha, Forward

This is Steeves second NCHC Forward of the Week nod this season and of his career, while he was a four-time NCHC Rookie of the Week last year. Livanavage garnered his first NCHC Defenseman of the Week award and second NCHC weekly honor this season. Mbereko gloved his fourth Goaltender of the Week award this season and third in the last five weeks, while he’s now a seven-time NCHC Goalie of the Week for his career. This is the first career NCHC honor for Ludtke.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Bedford, N.H.
 
Steeves racked up five points to lead the Bulldogs to a five-point weekend in a pair of wins over Miami. The sophomore sniper led the NCHC with both four goals and five points last weekend, including a career-high-tying four points in Friday’s 6-2 win. Steeves recorded his third career hat trick and first of the season in the series opener, tallying the game’s first goal, UMD’s third goal, which served as the game-winner, and the Bulldogs’ fifth goal, all of which came even strength. He also dished out the primary assist on UMD’s second goal Friday to earn First Star of the Game. On Saturday, Steeves again opened the scoring, this time with a power play goal, in a 3-2, overtime victory.
 
With goals in both games, Steeves stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games and has at least one goal in nine of his last 10 games. He is now tied for the NCAA lead with 21 goals this season (with Denver’s Jack Devine), while his 11 power play tallies also tie for first in the country. Steeves finished the weekend with four goals, an assist, 10 shots on goal and a +3 plus/minus. He now has 29 points (21g/8a) in 25 games this season, ranking eighth in the NCHC in points.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Freshman Defenseman
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Livanavage was a key contributor at both ends of the ice in North Dakota’s sweep of then-No. 4 Denver. Along with handing out three assists in the two wins, including on both game-winning goals, he was an integral part of North Dakota’s blue line, which limited the Pioneers to four goals all weekend after DU entered the series first in the country averaging 5.25 goals per game. Offensively, Livanavage doled out the primary helper on the game-winning goal Friday, which put UND up, 3-1, in an eventual 5-2 victory. The next night, he handed out two more assists on the power play, setting up the Fighting Hawks’ first and third goals in a 4-2 win to earn Third Star of the Game.
 
Livanavage finished the weekend with three assists, all coming on the man advantage, including two primary helpers. He also blocked four shots in the sweep, including three on Saturday. The rookie was excellent on both special teams units, as UND went 4-for-6 on the power play in the series and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Livanavage had a hand in three of the four power play goals, including a big play to keep the puck in the zone on Saturday, which led to the game-winning goal and put North Dakota up for good, 3-2. Livanavage now has points in 11 of his last 14 games and has 17 points (2g/15a) in 26 games this season.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Sophomore Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko was a rock in net for the Tigers, backstopping CC to an overtime sweep at then-No. 12 Western Michigan. He led the NCHC with 61 saves on the weekend, while allowing only one goal each night. On Friday, Mbereko made 23 saves in a 2-1, overtime victory to earn Second Star of the Game. A night later he was even better, compiling 38 saves, his second-highest total of the season, in another, 2-1 overtime win. In Saturday’s victory, Mbereko racked up 18 of his 38 saves in the third period and overtime, and turned aside all 11 shots on WMU’s four power plays to again earn Second Star of the Game.
 
Mbereko finished the weekend with a .968 save percentage, which was tops among NCHC goalies who played two games, denying 61 of 63 shots faced in Kalamazoo. He also compiled a 0.97 goals-against average in the two wins, while stretching his win streak to a career-long-tying five games. Mbereko improved to 15-8-1 in net on the season with the two wins, while upping his season save percentage to an NCHC-best .915 and lowering his season GAA to 2.52.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Tanner Ludtke, Omaha
Freshman Forward
Elko, Minn.
 
Ludtke came up clutch for the Mavericks, tallying three points while helping Omaha earn four standings points in a win and tie at then-No. 15 St. Cloud State. In Friday’s wild, 7-6 affair, the Arizona Coyotes draft pick tied his career high with two points to earn First Star of the Game. Ludtke handed out the primary assist on UNO’s third goal, which cut SCSU’s lead in half and helped spark a comeback. He then sealed the comeback with the game-winning goal in overtime for his first collegiate game-winner. The next night, Ludtke dished out another helper on a power play goal that tied the game at 1-1, which is how the game ended.
 
Ludtke finished the series with a goal, two assists, four shots on goal and a +2 plus/minus. With points in both games he stretched his point streak to a career-long seven games, with 10 points (4g/6a) in that span. On the season, Ludtke now has seven goals and 11 assists in 24 games, with his 18 points second on the team.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Jackson Blake, North Dakota
Noah Laba, Colorado College
Tanner Ludtke, Omaha

Defenseman of the Week
Nicklas Andrews, Colorado College
Dylan Anhorn, St. Cloud State

Goaltender of the Week
Ludvig Persson, North Dakota
 
Rookie of the Week
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, Forward
James Gray, St. Cloud State, Goaltender
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, Defenseman