COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After all eight NCHC teams played two regular-season games over the last two weeks on either side of the New Year, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its KJ Branding Players of the Week for games played between Dec. 28, 2023 and Jan. 8, 2024. Four different teams and four different classes are represented among those earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for Weeks 11 and 12:

• Forward – Riese Gaber, North Dakota, Sr.
• Defenseman – Cooper Wylie, St. Cloud State, So.
• Goaltender – Matt Davis, Denver, Jr.
• Rookie – Bret Link, Colorado College, Forward

This is Gaber’s fourth career NCHC Forward of the Week nod and fifth career NCHC weekly award, but first this season. Davis gloved his second career Goalie of the Week award from the NCHC, but also first this season, while these are the first career NCHC weekly honors for both Wylie and Link.
 
Exhibition games and statistics are not considered for NCHC weekly awards.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Riese Gaber, North Dakota
Senior Forward
Gilbert Plains, Manitoba
 
Gaber put together his best weekend of the season in a sweep of Alaska, racking up an NCHC-best six points in the two games on Jan. 5-6. The UND captain tallied three points both nights against the Nanooks. In Friday’s 6-4 victory, Gaber scored two goals while assisting on the Fighting Hawks’ first goal of the night. His first goal Friday put UND up for good at 2-1, while a power play strike helped seal the victory in the third period. A night later, Gaber had a hand in each of North Dakota’s first three goals with a marker and two primary assists. He opened the scoring Saturday with an unassisted power play tally, while his second primary assist of the game helped break a 2-2 tie and put UND up for good in an eventual 6-2 win.
 
Gaber was named First Star of the Game both nights in the sweep of the Nanooks. He finished the series with three goals and three assists, while firing 10 shots on goal in the two games. He also ended with a +4 plus/minus on the weekend. These were Gaber’s first three-point games of the season, while he now ranks 10th in the NCHC with 20 points in 20 games this season. His 11 goals on the year tie for seventh in the NCHC.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Cooper Wylie, St. Cloud State
Sophomore Defenseman
Stillwater, Minn.
 
Wylie finished out 2023 strong with his most complete weekend of the season in the Huskies home-and-home sweep of Bemidji State on Dec. 29 and Dec. 31. The sophomore tallied his first three points of the season against the Beavers, while helping limit BSU to only two goals in the whole series. In the series opener at Bemidji on Friday, Dec. 29, Wylie notched his first career multi-point game with a goal and an assist. He scored SCSU’s second goal unassisted, which was his first goal of the season and served as the game-winner, while setting up the Huskies third goal in a 6-1 victory. He earned Third Star of the Game on Dec. 29 and posted a career-best +4 plus/minus. Two nights later back in St. Cloud, Wylie dished out an assist on the game-winning goal in another 6-1 win.
 
Wylie completed the sweep with a +5 plus/minus, which tied for the NCHC lead over the last two weekends, while tallying a goal and two assists. He also fired four shots on goal, blocked two shots in the series and played on a penalty kill that finished a perfect 5-for-5 against the Beavers. Wylie now has three points, is +6 and has 11 blocked shots on the season. The Dec. 29 goal was only the third of his career, while he now has 10 career points in 47 games as a Husky.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Matt Davis, Denver
Junior Goaltender
Calgary, Alta.
 
After missing 13 games with a lower-body injury, Davis returned in goal for Denver last weekend and barely missed a beat, backstopping DU to a sweep of Niagara. The junior racked up 49 saves in the two wins, while allowing only three goals on Jan. 5-6. Last Friday, Davis stopped 22 shots in a 5-2 win, which was his first official game action since Oct. 27. That earned him Second Star of the Game. The next night, he made 27 saves, including six short-handed, in a 6-1 victory, to land Third Star of the Game.
 
Davis posted a .942 save percentage (49 saves on 52 shots) in the sweep of the Purple Eagles, which was tops among NCHC goalies who played two games over the last two weeks. He also compiled a 1.50 goals-against average in the series and is now 3-0-1 in his last four starts, dating back to Oct. 21. On the season, Davis improved to 5-1-1 in net with an .893 save percentage and a 2.73 GAA.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Bret Link, Colorado College
Freshman Forward
Anchorage, Alaska
 
Link had the best series of his young career on Jan. 7-8, helping Colorado College to a split at No. 12 Minnesota. He racked up three points against the Gophers and is now riding a career-long three-game point streak. In Sunday’s series opener, Link scored two even strength goals for his first career multi-goal game, after entering with one goal all season. His first goal was CC’s first goal and tied the game at 1-1, while his second tally put the Tigers up 4-2 in an eventual 6-4 victory. Link earned First Star of the Game in Sunday’s win. In Monday’s series finale, the Alaska native dished out the primary assist on the game’s first goal in an eventual 6-2 defeat.
 
Link finished the series with two goals, an assist, four shots on goal and a +3 plus/minus. He tripled his season goal total against the Gophers, as he now has three goals on the year. He has also handed out seven assists for 10 points in 17 games this season.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Tristan Broz, Denver, Jr.
Luke Grainger, Western Michigan, Sr.
Adam Ingram, St. Cloud State, So.
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth, So.
John Waldron, Miami, So.
Logan Will, Colorado College, Sr.

Defenseman of the Week
Kent Anderson, Denver, So.
Zak Galambos, Western Michigan, Gr.
Garrett Pyke, North Dakota, 5th

Goaltender of the Week
Dominic Basse, St. Cloud State, Sr.
Bruno Bruveris, Miami, Fr.
Hobie Hedquist, North Dakota, Fr.
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha, So.
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Sr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Bruno Bruveris, Miami, Goaltender
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, Forward
Hobie Hedquist, North Dakota, Goaltender
Isak Posch, St. Cloud State, Goaltender