COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Three teams are represented among the KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 14-20, 2024 (Week 3), including a pair of Pioneers:

• Forward – Carter King, Denver, Sr.
• Defenseman – Eric Pohlkamp, Denver, So.
• Goaltender – Isak Posch, St. Cloud State, So.
• Rookie – Zach Nehring, Western Michigan, Forward

These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for King, Pohlkamp and Nehring, while Posch gloved his second Goaltender of the Week nod this season and of his career. Posch was also NCHC Rookie of the Week once last season.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Carter King, Denver
Senior Forward
Calgary, Alberta
 
King powered Denver to a pair of 5-2 wins over then-No. 19 Northeastern with a five-point series, tying with teammate Aidan Thompson for the NCHC lead in points over the weekend. The Denver captain also led all NCHC skaters with three goals on the weekend, tallying both nights to stretch his goal-scoring streak to three games.
 
On Friday, King opened the game’s scoring early in the first period. The next night, he tied a career high with four points (also Nov. 11, 2023 at Arizona State), scoring two goals and setting up two more. King once again scored the game’s first goal, this time on the power play, while helping seal the win with DU’s fourth goal. He also handed out the primary assist on the game-winning goal Saturday.
 
In addition to his offense, King won a career-high 20 faceoffs in Saturday’s finale, the most by a Pioneer since Tyson McLellan won 23-of-35 from the dot on Jan. 4, 2020 against Massachusetts. King finished the sweep with three goals and two assists and is now tied for the team lead with four goals on the year. His seven points (4g, 3a) in four games are third on the Pioneers. He ended +1 in the series with Northeastern and compiled 28 faceoff wins.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Sophomore Defenseman
Baxter, Minn.
 
Pohlkamp made his presence felt at both ends of the ice in a sweep of then-No. 19 Northeastern. The San Jose Sharks draft pick chipped in two points, blocked three shots and helped limit the Huskies to two goals each night. On Friday, Pohlkamp dished out the primary assist on DU’s final goal in a 5-2 victory and fired five shots on goal, while posting a +2 plus/minus. A night later, the Bemidji State transfer scored his first goal with the Pioneers, a rocket that doubled DU’s lead to 2-0 in the second period. He also blocked two shots in Saturday’s finale, another 5-2 win.
 
Pohlkamp ended the series with a goal, an assist, three blocked shots and nine shots on goal, most among any NCHC defenseman on the weekend. He also posted a +3 plus/minus in the sweep. Pohlkamp now has three points on the season (1g, 2a).
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Isak Posch, St. Cloud State
Sophomore Goaltender
Umea, Sweden
 
Posch was a rock in net for St. Cloud State in its split at then-No. 10 Michigan over the weekend, allowing only two goals in his two starts. His best game came in Saturday’s finale, when he turned aside all 24 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season and third of his career. In backstopping the Huskies to a 4-0 win, it marked the program’s first-ever victory over the Wolverines. In Friday’s opener, Posch compiled 27 saves in a 3-0 defeat, with all three goals coming in the third period, including an empty-netter.
 
Posch posted a 1.02 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage against Michigan to lead all NCHC goalies over the weekend. He totaled 51 saves in 118 minutes of work, averaging 25.5 saves per game. Posch also helped the SCSU penalty kill finish 6-for-6 against the Wolverines (nine short-handed saves), including making six short-handed saves on four Michigan power plays on Friday. On the season, Posch is now 4-1-0 with a .952 save percentage and a 1.41 GAA, both tops among NCHC goalies with more than one start. Posch was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team last season.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Zach Nehring, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
Minot, N.D.
 
Nehring has made an immediate impact for the Broncos, tallying a career-high three points in last Thursday’s 6-2 win over Bowling Green. The Winnipeg Jets draft pick scored WMU’s first two goals of the game, both in the first period, then dished out the primary assist on an extra attacker goal in the second period to make it a 4-2 contest. It was his first collegiate multi-goal and multi-point game, earning him First Star of the Game honors.
 
Nehring scored on his only two shots on goal of the game, while he posted a +3 plus/minus in the win. The freshman is now tied for the WMU team lead with both three goals and five points, with at least one point in all three collegiate games this season. In addition, Nehring scored a goal on Saturday in WMU’s 8-0 exhibition win over York University.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State, So.
Liam Valente, Western Michigan, Jr.

Defenseman of the Week
Sam Sjolund, Western Michigan, Jr.
 
Goaltender of the Week
Matt Davis, Denver, Sr.
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr.
T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota, Gr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota, Forward
Jake Fisher, Denver, Forward
Gavyn Thoreson, St. Cloud State, Forward