COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With all NCHC games in the first month of 2024 complete, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) revealed its January Players of the Month on Tuesday, with Colorado College claiming two of the three monthly honors. CC sophomore forward Noah Laba was tabbed Player of the Month, while classmate Kaidan Mbereko repeated as NCHC Goaltender of the Month. North Dakota defenseman Jake Livanavage picked up NCHC Rookie of the Month honors for January.
 
These are the first NCHC monthly honors for both Laba and Livanavage, while Mbereko gloved his fourth career NCHC Goalie of the Month award, including for the second straight month. Mbereko has now collected five career NCHC monthly awards, including three last season.
 
All three NCHC monthly honorees – Laba, Mbereko and Livanavage – are now eligible for HCA January National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA January national monthly honors are scheduled to be announced next Tuesday, Feb. 6.
 
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Noah Laba, Colorado College
Sophomore Forward
Northville, Mich.
 
Laba led the NCHC with seven goals and three game-winning goals to help CC to a 6-2-0 record in January. He added three assists during the month for a 10-point January, averaging 1.25 points per game. The New York Rangers draft pick tallied at least one goal in six of his eight games during the month, while recording four multi-point games. The Tigers went 6-0-0 in games in which Laba scored a goal in January.
 
Laba started January strong, tallying a goal and an assist in a 6-4 win at then-No. 9 Minnesota on Jan. 7. He also finished the month strong, carrying a five-game goal-scoring streak into February, including a trio of overtime game-winners. Laba’s first game-winner came at Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 13 in a 3-2 OT victory. He then scored both overtime game-winning goals in a sweep at then-No. 12 Western Michigan on Jan. 26-27 to close the month – both, 2-1, wins. Laba potted both CC goals in the series finale at WMU for a three-goal weekend. He had a three-point weekend in a sweep of Miami a week earlier, as well, with two goals and an assist.
 
Laba also came up clutch in the faceoff circle, posting a .604 win percentage, while ranking third in the NCHC with 87 wins and 10.88 faceoff wins per game in January. He finished the month with a +4 plus/minus.
 
Laba doubled his season goal total in January, as he now has 14 on the year, which ties for sixth in the NCHC. He also has eight assists for a team-best 22 points in 23 games this season.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Sophomore Goaltender
Aspen, Colo.
 
Mbereko was rock solid in net for the second straight month, backstopping CC to a 6-2-0 record in January, with the six wins the most of any NCHC goalie. He also led the NCHC with 234 saves in January, 36 more than any other goalie, while ranking second with a .921 save percentage during the month. Mbereko posted a 2.52 goals-against average, which was fourth in the NCHC this month, while he finished the month on a five-game winning streak, tying his career long.
 
Mbereko did not allow more than two goals in any of his final five games in January and gave up only 10 goals over his last six games of the month. He posted 30-plus saves in half of his January starts, including 38 in a 2-1 overtime win at then-No. 12 Western Michigan last Saturday. Mbereko also stopped 34 shots in a 3-2 overtime win at Minnesota Duluth on Jan. 13 and made 33 saves in a 6-4 win at then-No. 9 Minnesota on Jan. 7. He limited Miami to only one goal on Jan. 19 and again surrendered only one goal each game in the overtime sweep at Western Michigan to close the month.
 
Mbereko was twice named NCHC Goaltender of the Week in January. He first earned it after combining for 67 saves in a split at UMD on Jan. 12-13, and won it again following the WMU series, when he totaled 61 saves with two goals allowed.
 
Mbereko now leads the NCHC with a .915 save percentage on the season, while ranking fourth in the conference with a 2.52 GAA. He is 15-8-1 in net this year, with the 15 wins tied for tops in the NCHC.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Freshman Defenseman
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Livanavage tied for the NCHC lead among defensemen scoring in January with eight points in eight games, while tying for second among rookie scoring. He dished out seven assists during the month, which tied for fourth among all NCHC skaters, while chipping in one goal from the blue line. Livanavage posted a +6 plus/minus in January, tying for fifth in the NCHC, while not committing a single penalty all month.
 
Livanavage recorded points in six of eight games during the first month of 2024 to help UND to a 6-1-1 record. He dished out an assist each night in a sweep of Alaska to start January. Two weeks later, he recorded a three-point weekend in a win and tie at St. Cloud State. Livanavage tallied two assists in the series-opening win on Jan. 19, while he scored a game-tying goal in the third period of a draw the next night. He closed out the month with three assists in a sweep of then-No. 4 Denver to earn NCHC Defenseman of the Week honors.
 
Livanavage played a key role on North Dakota’s power play this month, helping UND finish 11-for-23. Defensively, he blocked 11 shots in January, tying for ninth in the NCHC. Livanavage now has points in 11 of his last 14 games, while compiling 17 points (2g, 15a) in 26 games this season.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Owen McLaughlin, North Dakota, So., F
Jack Devine, Denver, Jr., F
 
Goaltender of the Month
Zach Stejskal, Minnesota Duluth
 
Rookie of the Month
Zeev Buium, Denver, Defenseman
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, Forward
Bret Link, Colorado College, Forward
Tanner Ludtke, Omaha, Forward