COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the calendar turning to 2024, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its December Players of the Month on Wednesday, with three different teams represented. Earning NCHC honors for the final month of 2023 are:

• Player – Ben Steeves, So., F, Minnesota Duluth
• Goaltender - Kaidan Mbereko, So., Colorado College
• Rookie – Zeev Buium, D, Denver

Buium garnered his second straight NCHC monthly honor after capturing NCHC Player of the Month and Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) National Co-Player of the Month for November. Mbereko collected his third career NCHC Goalie of the Month award and fourth NCHC monthly accolade overall, but first this season. This is the first career NCHC monthly honor for Steeves.
 
With Buium landing Rookie of the Month, Denver has now captured all three NCHC Rookie of the Month awards so far this season (defenseman Boston Buckberger in October and forward Miko Matikka in November).
 
All three NCHC monthly honorees – Steeves, Mbereko and Buium – are now eligible for HCA December National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA December national monthly honors are scheduled to be announced later this week.
 
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Bedford, N.H.
 
Despite temperatures dropping, Steeves heated up in December, scoring seven goals and racking up eight points in six games to help UMD go 3-2-1 during the month. His seven goals and eight points led all NCHC players in December, as did his two game-winning goals. Steeves tallied a goal in five of six games during the month, including a pair of multi-goal games and three multi-point games, while averaging 1.17 goals per game.
 
Steeves opened the month with a goal in a win against Omaha on Dec. 1 After the Bulldogs were shut out a night later, he ripped off six goals in his final four games of December. Steeves scored three goals at Miami on Dec. 8-9. He potted two goals in a tie in the opener, plus a highlight-reel shootout goal to earn the extra standings point, while notching the game-winner in the series finale with the RedHawks. The undrafted free agent finished up the month with four points in the Kwik Trip Holiday Faceoff on Dec. 28-29 in Milwaukee. Steeves opened the tournament with a goal and an assist in an overtime loss to Northeastern, before scoring two goals, including the game-winner, against Air Force in the consolation game.
 
Steeves was +3 in December, with two of his goals coming on the power play, giving him an NCHC-best eight on the season. He ranks second in the NCHC with 14 goals overall this season, while his 21 points in 19 games are eighth in the conference.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Sophomore Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko started all four Colorado College games in December, posting a 2-1-1 record in net. He ranked third in the NCHC with both a .926 save percentage and a 1.95 goals-against average during the month. Mbereko racked up 100 saves in December, averaging 25 saves per game, while allowing only two goals in each of his four starts.
 
Mbereko compiled 46 saves in a series with future NCHC member Arizona State to start the month. He racked up 34 stops, including 19 in the first period, in a 2-2 overtime tie on Dec. 1 for his second-highest save total of the season. His best outings came a week later, when he backstopped CC to a pair of 3-2 overtime wins at then-No. 1 North Dakota. Mbereko compiled 32 saves in the series opener on Dec. 8, before making 22 more stops in another overtime win a night later. He was named NCHC Goaltender of the Week for his efforts at UND.
 
Mbereko improved to 9-6-1 overall this season, while upping his season save percentage to .912, which is third in the NCHC. He also lowered his season GAA to 2.52, which sits fifth in the NCHC.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Zeev Buium, Denver
Freshman Defenseman
San Diego, Calif.
 
Buium continued his stellar play during his freshman campaign, racking up seven points, including a goal and six assists, in only four games in December. His seven points led all NCHC blue liners during the month and tied for second among all NCHC skaters in December. His six assists also tied for first in the NCHC among all players last month. The draft-eligible 18-year-old recorded at least one assist and point in all four games in December to stretch his point streak to 12 games. The Pioneers went 2-0-0 in games he recorded multiple points last month.
 
Buium tallied three points in a split against then-No. 2 North Dakota to start the month, including scoring the tying goal and assisting on the overtime game-winner on Dec. 2 in a 3-2 victory. That was enough to earn him NCHC Rookie of the Week honors. The following weekend, Buium dished out four assists in a split at then-No. 13 Western Michigan. Three of the four helpers against the Broncos came in the finale on Dec. 9, when he again had an assist on the overtime game-winner – a 6-5 victory.
 
Buium is currently representing the United States on the U.S. National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden. He has two goals and two assists in five games so far to help Team USA reach the semifinals (Thursday vs. Finland).
 
On the season, Buium leads all NCHC defensemen with five goals, 20 assists and 25 points in 18 games, with the 25 points tied for third in the NCHC and tied for fourth nationally among all skaters. His 25 points are first among all NCAA blue liners, as well. Buium is now riding a 12-game point streak into 2024 that started Nov. 3, with 21 points (4g, 17a) in that span.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Cameron Berg, North Dakota, Jr., F
Zeev Buium, Denver, Fr., D
Sam Colangelo, Western Michigan, Sr., F
 
Goaltender of the Month
Dominic Basse, St. Cloud State, Sr.

Rookie of the Month
Bruno Bruveris, Miami, G