COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – All four KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Feb. 3-9, 2025 are repeat winners from earlier in the season. Three teams are represented among the KJ Branding NCHC Week 17 honorees, including a pair of Mavericks:

• Forward – Brady Risk, Omaha, Gr.
• Defenseman – Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, So.
• Goaltender – Simon Latkoczy, Omaha, Jr.
• Rookie – Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, goaltender

Risk was rewarded with his second NCHC Forward of the Week award this season, both coming in the last five weeks. Livanavage collected his third Defenseman of the Week nod this year and the fifth of his career. Latkoczy gloved his fourth NCHC Goalie of the Week honor this season and third in the last five weeks. He has now earned the award seven times in his career. This is Slukynsky’s third Rookie of the Week honor in 2024-25.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Brady Risk, Omaha
Graduate Student Forward
Medicine Hat, Alberta
 
Risk powered Omaha to a sweep of Minnesota Duluth, tying for the NCHC lead with five points on the weekend. The Alaska Fairbanks transfer tallied multiple points both nights, including a goal and an assist in Friday’s 4-1 win. Risk scored the game’s first goal only 2:13 into the first period, then assisted on a power play goal to help seal the victory. The next night, Risk had three points, having a hand in Omaha’s final three tallies in a 5-2 victory. He scored the game-winning goal in the second period, then recorded a power play assist and power play goal in the final frame to secure the win.
 
Risk was named Second Star of the Game on Friday and First Star on Saturday. He totaled three goals and two assists in the sweep, while posting a +2 plus/minus and firing five shots on goal. Risk also tallied his 100th collegiate career point in Saturday’s win. He now ranks second on the team with both 11 goals and 20 points in 28 games this season.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Sophomore Defenseman
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Livanavage had a stand-out weekend on both ends of the ice against then-No. 20 Colorado College. The sophomore matched his career best with a trio of points in Friday’s contest, scoring a goal and dishing out a pair of assists for his second three-point game of the season and his career. He was also +2 in the defeat. Livanavage then had a strong defensive performance on Saturday to help the Fighting Hawks collect a 3-1 win, again posting a +2 plus/minus and blocking four shots.
 
Livanavage finished the weekend with a goal and two assists, as well as an NCHC-high seven blocked shots and a +4 rating, which was second in the NCHC. He helped UND block a season-high 23 shots and finish a perfect 4-for-4 night on the penalty kill in Saturday’s finale. Livanavage leads the team and sits fourth in the NCHC among defensemen with 21 points while his 14 points during league play are third among blueliners.  
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Junior Goaltender
Trencin, Slovakia
 
Latkoczy continued his stellar run of play, backstopping the Mavericks to a sweep of Minnesota Duluth while picking up his third Goaltender of the Week honor in the last five weeks. The Slovak averaged 44.5 saves per game, while allowing only three goals, including one even strength, in the pair of wins. On Friday, Latkoczy totaled 39 saves in a 4-1 win, including 18 in the third period to secure the victory. The next night, the junior racked up 50 stops in a 5-2 win, which were his second-most saves in a game this season. He turned aside 21 shots in the second period and 16 more in the final frame Saturday. Latkoczy was tabbed Third Star of the Game both nights.
 
Latkoczy finished the series with 89 saves, a .967 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average, with the 89 saves tops in the NCHC on the weekend and the save percentage second (first among goalies with two games played). He also stopped 15 of 17 shots while Omaha was short-handed on the penalty kill against the Bulldogs. Latkoczy improved to 13-10-1 on the season, with his .932 save percentage third in the NCHC and his 2.42 GAA sixth in the conference.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Freshman Goaltender
Warroad, Minn.

Slukynsky continued his strong freshman campaign Saturday night, backstopping WMU to a 6-1 win over St. Cloud State. The L.A. Kings draft pick made 25 saves in the win to earn Second Star of the Game honors. The freshman helped WMU go 2-for-2 on the penalty kill with a trio of short-handed saves, as the Broncos have now killed off 40 straight penalties.
 
Slukynsky compiled a .962 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average in his lone appearance of the weekend on Saturday. He improved his record to 6-4-1 on the year in 11 starts. Slukynsky leads the NCHC with both a .942 save percentage and a 1.62 GAA this season, both of which rank third nationally.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Sam Harris, Denver, So.
Dylan James, North Dakota, Jr.
Bennett Schimek, Arizona State, Jr.
Grant Slukynsky, Western Michigan, So.
Klavs Veinbergs, Colorado College, So.

Defenseman of the Week
Zeev Buium, Denver, So.
Anthony Dowd, Arizona State, Jr.
Ty Gallagher, Colorado College, Gr.
Dylan Gratton, Omaha, Jr.
Brian Kramer, Western Michigan, Gr.

Goaltender of the Week
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr.
T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota, Gr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Myles Hilman, Omaha, forward
Jayson Shaugabay, Minnesota Duluth, forward
Andrew Strathmann, North Dakota, defenseman