COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Heading into the holiday break, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) handed out some presents in the form of the final KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week in 2024. Landing KJ Branding NCHC honors for the week of Dec. 9-15, 2024 (Week 11) are a trio of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, along with an Omaha Maverick:

• Forward – Charlie Lurie, Omaha, So.
• Defenseman – Abram Wiebe, North Dakota, So.
• Goaltender – T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota, Gr.
• Rookie – Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota, forward

These are the first career NCHC honors for both Lurie and Semptimphelter, while Wiebe repeats as Defenseman of the Week and Boisvert claims his third Rookie of the Week nod this season.
 
The next KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week will be announced on Monday, Jan. 6 and will include all regular-season games played between Sunday, Dec. 29 and Sunday, Jan. 5.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Charlie Lurie, Omaha
Sophomore Forward
Minnetonka, Minn.
 
Lurie had the best weekend of his college career to help Omaha to a split with Lindenwood, racking up three points in the series. He had a hand in three of UNO’s four goals on the weekend, including scoring the Mavericks’ first goal on Friday, which tied the game at 1-1 in an eventual, 3-2, loss. Lurie fired a career-high-tying five shots on goal in the opener and finished +1. The next night, he notched his first career multi-point game, handing out assists on both Omaha goals in a 2-1 win. Lurie dished out the primary helper on the game’s first goal Saturday only 3:54 into the contest, then picked up the secondary assist on the game-winning goal late in the second stanza that broke a 1-1 tie.
 
Lurie finished the series with a goal and two assists, eight shots on goal and a +2 plus/minus, which tied for the NCHC lead on the weekend. His three points also tied for the NCHC lead and doubled his season point total. After notching only one point (an assist) as a freshman, Lurie now has six points (3g/3a) in nine games this season.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Abram Wiebe, North Dakota
Sophomore Defenseman
Mission, B.C.
 
Wiebe won his second straight NCHC Defenseman of the Week award after contributing at both ends of the ice in North Dakota’s sweep of then-No. 9 St. Cloud State. Defensively, the Vegas Golden Knights draft pick helped UND log a shutout in the series opener – a 2-0 victory – and blocked two shots. A night later, Wiebe picked it up on the offensive end, recording two points for his third multi-point game in his last four contests. He scored a power play goal late in the second period to tie the game at 2-2, then tallied an assist on Jake Schmaltz’s overtime game-winner in Saturday’s 4-3 victory.
 
Wiebe completed the weekend with a goal, an assist, three blocked shots and six shots on goal, including five on Saturday. He also played on a penalty kill unit that finished 5-for-6 in the series. Wiebe now sits tied for second on UND’s team with 14 points (4g/10a), including six points (2g/4a) in his last four games.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota
Graduate Student Goaltender
Marlton, N.J.
 
Semptimphelter had one of his best weekends as a Fighting Hawk against then-No. 9 St. Cloud State, backstopping UND to a pair of wins and five points in conference play. In Friday’s 2-0 win, he stopped all 24 shots he faced for his first shutout at North Dakota and ninth of his college career. Of his 24 saves, 13 came in the third period to help UND hold on to a 1-0 lead, while he made five short-handed saves as SCSU went 0-for-4 on the man advantage. The next night, Semptimphelter racked up 23 saves in a 4-3 overtime win, including three stops in overtime, with one denying a breakaway.
 
Semptimphelter finished the weekend with a 1.48 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage, stopping 47 of 50 shots faced in the series. He led the NCHC in save percentage and GAA among goalies who played two games on the weekend, while allowing only one even-strength goal from SCSU. Semptimphelter was also named First Star of the Game after Friday’s shutout. He is now riding a five-game unbeaten streak in net (4-0-1) and is 10-5-1 overall in 16 games played. Semptimphelter improved his season numbers to a .903 save percentage and a 2.56 GAA.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
 
Boisvert continued his freshman tear for North Dakota, recording points in both of North Dakota’s wins over then-No. 9 St. Cloud State. In Friday’s opener, the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick handed out the primary assist on UND’s first goal, which broke a scoreless game in the second period and served as the game-winner in a 2-0 shutout. A night later in the finale, Boisvert sniped the game-tying goal in the third period to make it a 3-3 contest before UND went on to win in overtime. He was tabbed Third Star of the Game on Saturday and fired a game-high eight shots on goal.
 
Boisvert ended the sweep with two points on a goal and an assist, while putting nine shots on goal and finishing with an even plus/minus. He now has at least a point in eight of his last nine games, including five straight in NCHC play. Boisvert leads North Dakota with both eight goals and 17 points this season in 19 games, while he also leads all NCHC rookies in scoring and is tied for the NCHC rookie lead with nine assists.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Dylan James, North Dakota
Chase McLane, Colorado College
Samu Salminen, Denver

Defenseman of the Week
Cale Ashcroft, Denver
Ryan Koering, Colorado College

Goaltender of the Week
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
 
Rookie of the Week
Owen Beckner, Colorado College