Men's Ice Hockey Michael Weisman

KJ Branding NCHC Players of the Week: December 1-7, 2025

WMU’s Whitelaw, North Dakota’s Livanavage, and Denver’s Miller and Chyzowski honored for Week 10

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week presented by KJ Branding for the week of Dec. 1-7, 2025 all came up clutch in leading their teams to victories over the weekend. Three teams are represented among the KJ Branding NCHC Week 10 honorees, which consists of two juniors and two freshmen:
  • Forward – William Whitelaw, Western Michigan, Jr.
  • Defenseman – Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, Jr.
  • Goaltender – Quentin Miller, Denver, Fr.
  • Rookie – Kyle Chyzowski, Denver, F
These are the first career NCHC honors for both Whitelaw and Chyzowski. Livanavage garnered his sixth career Defenseman of the Week nod but first this season. Miller, meanwhile, gloved his second Goaltender of the Week award this season (both in the last four weeks) and his third NCHC weekly honor of the year (Rookie of the Week once).

FORWARD OF THE WEEK
50115William Whitelaw, Western Michigan
Junior Forward
Rosemount, Minn.
 
Whitelaw came up huge for the Broncos on Saturday night, leading No. 7/8 Western Michigan to an overtime win over then-No. 4 Minnesota Duluth. The Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick book-ended the scoring for the Broncos in the series finale for his second multi-goal game this season. His first goal of the night tied the game at 1-1 in the second period, before he scored the game-winner in overtime, going coast-to-coast to give WMU a 3-2 victory. Whitelaw was named First Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Whitelaw was held off the scoresheet in Friday’s series-opening loss, but fired three shots on goal, blocked a shot and had an even plus/minus. The Michigan transfer totaled two goals and two points against UMD, with the pair of tallies tying for the NCHC lead on the weekend. Whitelaw put seven shots on goal in the series and posted a +2 plus/minus, which tied for tops among NCHC forwards. On the season, he now leads the team with nine goals while his 15 points are tied for first on the Broncos.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
50114Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Junior Defenseman
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Livanavage was a force at both ends of the ice to help now-No. 4/6 North Dakota sweep St. Cloud State on the road last weekend. The UND assistant captain recorded points in both games against the Huskies, while anchoring a penalty kill unit that finished 7-for-8 in the series.
 
Livanavage recorded a primary assist in Friday’s 4-3 win, setting up North Dakota’s third goal on the power play with a point shot that was deflected. The next night, he erupted for two goals, breaking a 2-2 tie in the third period to lift UND to a 4-2 win. His first goal Saturday was the game-winner and came short-handed, marking his first career short-handed goal. Livanavage then sealed the sweep with an empty-net goal for his first career multi-goal game. The undrafted free agent was named First Star of the Game on Saturday, when he logged more than 27 minutes of ice time.
 
Livanavage finished the series with two goals and three points, both of which led NCHC defensemen and tied all NCHC skaters for tops on the weekend. He also blocked three shots against the Huskies and posted a +1 plus/minus in the series, while firing three shots on goal. Livanavage now has three goals in 16 games this season, while his 10 assists are second on the team and his 13 points pace UND defensemen. A member of the 2025 U.S. Collegiate Selects Team, Livanavage will compete in the Spengler Cup later this month.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
50039Quentin Miller, Denver
Freshman Goaltender
Monreal, Quebec
 
Miller continued his hot play of late, backstopping No. 5/6 Denver to a sweep of then-No. 19 Miami over the weekend. The reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Month allowed only two goals all series, while starting his 13th and 14th straight games in net for the Pioneers. In Friday’s opener, Miller recorded his third shutout of the season and first in NCHC play, stopping all 22 shots he faced in a 4-0 victory. He was named First Star of the Game on Friday. The next night, Miller made 22 more saves in a 5-2 victory to finish the sweep.
 
Miller compiled a 1.02 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage against Miami, both of which led the NCHC on the weekend, while totaling 44 saves on 46 shots faced. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick also helped Denver go a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill against the RedHawks, including 5-for-5 on Saturday, totaling seven short-handed saves.
 
Miller is now unbeaten in regulation in his last 11 starts with eight wins and three overtime losses. He improved to 10-4-1 on the season with the two wins, while upping his season save percentage to .931, which is tops in the NCHC, and lowering his GAA to 1.84, which is third in the conference.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
50112Kyle Chyzowski, Denver
Freshman Forward
Surrey, B.C.
 
Chyzowski had a breakout weekend in Denver’s sweep of then-No. 19 Miami, tripling his season goal total in the series. Entering with one goal all year, the freshman scored both nights against the RedHawks, marking the first time he’s tallied a goal in back-to-back games for DU. In Friday’s opener, Chyzowski scored Denver’s third goal in a 4-0 shutout, which came in the second period. A night later, he struck on the power play in the third period to double the DU lead in an eventual 5-2 win. Chyzowski was named Second Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Chyzowski ended the series with two points, while he was the only NCHC rookie to tally two goals on the weekend. He fired four shots on goal, including three on Friday, and finished with a +1 plus/minus against Miami. He also won seven faceoffs, going 7-of-14 in the center circle over the weekend. On the season, Chyzowski upped his totals to three goals and eight points in 17 games.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Kyle Chyzowski, Denver
Cade Littler, North Dakota
Scout Truman, Minnesota Duluth

Defenseman of the Week
Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Zack Sharp, Western Michigan

Goaltender of the Week
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Jan Špunar, North Dakota
 
Rookie of the Week
Cole Reschny, North Dakota, F
Grayden Siepmann, Minnesota Duluth, D
 
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