COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the regular season wrapping up over the weekend, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its final KJ Branding Players of the Week for the 2023-24 season on Monday. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC honors for the week of March 4-10, 2024 (Week 21) are:

• Forward – Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Defenseman – Aaron Pionk, Minnesota Duluth, Fr.
• Goaltender – Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Sr.
• Rookie – Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State, Forward

Steeves snagged his third Forward of the Week nod this season and seventh career NCHC weekly award (four-time Rookie of the Week last year), while Rowe gloved his third NCHC Goaltender of the Week award this year and eighth of his career. These are the first career NCHC weekly honors for both Pionk and Gross.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Ben Steeves, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Bedford, N.H.
 
Steeves played a key role in Minnesota Duluth’s sweep of rival and then-No. 17 St. Cloud State to close the regular season, tying for the NCHC scoring lead on the weekend with four points. The undrafted free agent tallied three points in Friday’s 6-5 overtime win, including a pair of goals. His first goal tied the game at 2-2, before scoring the overtime game-winner with just over six seconds left in the extra period. Steeves also added an assist on UMD’s fourth goal Friday, which brought the Bulldogs within one at 5-4 and started a third-period rally. He earned First Star of the Game on Friday for his efforts.
 
The next night in a 4-2 victory, Steeves dished out the primary assist on the game-winner, which broke a 2-2 tie midway through the third period on the power play. Steeves finished the series with two goals and two assists, while firing nine shots on goal, including six on Friday. On the season, Steeves now has 24 goals, which is second in the NCHC, and 34 points overall in 35 games.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Aaron Pionk, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Defenseman
Hermantown, Minn.
 
Pionk had a career-best weekend with four points and contributed at both ends of the ice in UMD’s sweep of then-No. 17 St. Cloud State. The Minnesota Wild draft pick tallied a career-high three points in Friday’s 6-5 overtime victory. He handed out assists on both of Ben Steeves’ goals, including on the overtime game-winner, while scoring early in the third period to cut UMD’s deficit in half at 4-3 as the Bulldogs ultimately completed the comeback. A night later, Pionk again helped set up the game-winner, assisting on Aiden Dubinsky’s power play tally that broke a 2-2 tie in the final frame and put UMD up for good in an eventual 4-2 victory.
 
Pionk ended the series with a goal and three assists, including on both game-winning goals. He was also +2 for the weekend (+2 on Friday), blocked two shots and fired five shots on goal, including four in Saturday’s finale. On special teams, Pionk ran point on a power play that finished 2-for-4 against the Huskies. Pionk now has 20 points on the season, which is fifth on the team, scoring three goals and adding 17 assists in 35 games.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan
Senior Goaltender
Wilmette, Ill.
 
Rowe shined in likely his final home games at Lawson Ice Arena, backstopping the Broncos to a sweep of rival Miami to close the regular season. He allowed only three goals in the series and was the lone NCHC netminder on the weekend to win two games. Rowe compiled 18 saves in Friday’s 3-2 win, including 10 in the third period to fend off the RedHawks from tying the game. On Senior Night Saturday, he was even better, making 24 saves, including 14 in the third period, in a 6-1 victory. Rowe was tabbed Third Star of the Game both nights.
 
Rowe ended the series with 42 total saves and a .933 save percentage, while posting a 1.50 goals-against average. He also helped shut down Miami’s power play, as the RedHawks were 0-for-8 on the man advantage with Rowe making seven short-handed stops. With his performance, Rowe upped his season save percentage to .910, which is second in the NCHC, while lowering his season GAA to an NCHC-best 2.30. The two wins improved him to 20-13-1 on the season, while Rowe has now started 70 consecutive games in goal for the Broncos.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State
Freshman Forward
Calgary, Alta.
 
Gross closed the regular season with one of his best weekend’s all year, racking up three points at Minnesota Duluth. He scored a goal both nights against the Bulldogs, his first time scoring a goal in back-to-back games as a Husky, while tying for the NCHC lead with two goals on the weekend. In Friday’s overtime defeat, Gross tied a career high with two points, scoring a go-ahead goal in the second period, while setting up a power play goal minutes later to put SCSU up, 4-2. It was his fourth multi-point game this season. The next night, Gross tallied SCSU’s first goal of the game late in the second period on the power play to help the Huskies pull even in an eventual 4-2 loss.
 
Gross finished the series with two goals, an assist and six shots on goal, including five on Saturday. He now has goals in three of his last four games and has five goals on the season. Gross has totaled 15 points overall this season in 30 games, also chipping in 10 assists.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Noah Laba, Colorado College
Rieger Lorenz, Denver
Veeti Miettinen, St. Cloud State
Zach Urdahl, Omaha

Defenseman of the Week
Carter Berger, Western Michigan
Jacob Guevin, Omaha

Goaltender of the Week
Seth Eisele, Omaha
Matthew Thiessen, Minnesota Duluth
 
Rookie of the Week
Sam Harris, Denver
Drew Montgomery, Colorado College