COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – All four KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2025 hail from teams in the state of Colorado. Denver and Colorado College each have two KJ Branding NCHC Week 16 honorees:

• Forward – Rieger Lorenz, Denver, Jr.
• Defenseman – Zeev Buium, Denver, So.
• Goaltender – Carsen Musser, Colorado College, Fr.
• Rookie – Owen Beckner, Colorado College, forward

This is Lorenz’s first career Forward of the Week honor and his second career NCHC weekly award, earning Rookie of the Week once two seasons ago. Buium bagged his third Defenseman of the Week nod this season and the sixth of his career. These are the first career NCHC weekly awards for both Musser and Beckner.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Rieger Lorenz, Denver
Junior Forward
Calgary, Alberta
 
Lorenz led all NCHC players with six points on the weekend, tallying multiple points both nights against Omaha. In Friday’s 3-3 overtime tie, the Minnesota Wild draft pick dished out a pair of assists. His first helper came on DU’s first goal, which tied the game at 1-1, while his other assist came on the game-tying goal in the third period that ultimately forced overtime. The next night, Lorenz tallied a career-high four points, while helping Denver tie an NCHC record with 11 goals in conference play in an 11-2 rout. He scored DU’s second and seventh goals in the win, with his first tally tying the game at 2-2. Lorenz also doled out a pair of helpers Saturday on Denver’s fourth and 10th goals to earn First Star of the Game.
 
Lorenz finished the series with two goals and four assists, after entering with only one multi-point game all season. He also fired five shots on goal and posted a +5 plus/minus against Omaha, including +4 in Saturday’s finale. Lorenz doubled his season point total against the Mavericks as he now has 12 points (5g/7a) in 26 games this year.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Zeev Buium, Denver
Sophomore Defenseman
San Diego, Calif.
 
Buium was a force at both ends of the ice in Denver’s series against Omaha, racking up four points to lead all NCHC blueliners on the weekend. In Friday’s 3-3 overtime tie, the Minnesota Wild draft pick scored the game-tying goal early in the third period that knotted the game at 3 all. The next night, Buium handed out a trio of assists to tie a season high, setting up DU’s first, fifth and sixth goals as the Pioneers tied an NCHC record with 11 goals in a conference game. He also blocked two shots in Saturday’s 11-2 win, while helping limit Omaha to no even strength goals in the finale.
 
Buium finished the series with a goal and three assists, while logging a +2 plus/minus. He also fired five shots on goal and blocked two shots against the Mavericks. Buium now has seven multi-point games this season and leads all NCAA defensemen with both 23 assists and 29 points in 24 games. His six goals are tied for second among NCHC blueliners.  
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Carsen Musser, Colorado College
Freshman Goaltender
Sherburn, Minn.
 
Musser played perhaps the best game of his young collegiate career on Saturday night, backstopping the Tigers to a 3-2 overtime win over then-No. 3 Western Michigan in his only action of the weekend. The Utah Hockey Club prospect totaled 34 saves in the victory, his second-highest total of the season, including 10 stops in the third period and four more in the extra session. Musser was tabbed Second Star of the Game in the series finale.
 
Musser posted a .944 save percentage and 1.90 goals-against average in the win over WMU, with only one even strength goal allowed. Eight of his 34 saves came short-handed as he helped CC go 2-for-3 on the penalty kill in Saturday’s win. The Arizona Coyotes draft pick earned just his second collegiate win on Saturday, improving to 2-1-0 in three starts. Musser upped his season save percentage to .921 and lowered his GAA to 2.90 in five appearances.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Owen Beckner, Colorado College
Freshman Forward
Victoria, B.C.
 
Beckner continued his strong play of late, totaling three points in a split with then-No. 3 Western Michigan. He scored the Tigers’ lone goal in Friday’s 4-1 loss with a top-shelf snipe in the third period. The next night, the Ottawa Senators draft pick dished out a pair of assists in a 3-2 overtime win. Beckner handed out the primary assist on the game’s first goal, then helped secure the victory with an apple on the overtime game-winner.
 
Beckner completed the series with a goal and two assists, tying for the NCHC rookie lead on the weekend with three points. He fired five shots on goal against WMU, blocked two shots and posted a +1 plus/minus in the series. With points in both games over the weekend, Beckner stretched his point streak to a career-long four games (2g/3a). He now has nine points (2g/7a) in his last six games, while his 18 points (5g/13a) on the season are fourth on the Tigers team and tied for third among NCHC freshmen.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Alex Bump, Western Michigan, So.
Jayden Perron, North Dakota, So.
Tyler Rollwagen, Omaha, Jr.
Bennett Schimek, Arizona State, Jr.
Zaccharya Wisdom, Colorado College, So.

Defenseman of the Week
Brasen Boser, Arizona State, Fr.
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, So.
Samuel Sjolund, Western Michigan, Jr.

Goaltender of the Week
Hobie Hedquist, North Dakota, So.
Luke Pavicich, Arizona State, Sr.
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr.
 
Rookie of the Week
Sam Court, Arizona State, defenseman
Iiro Hakkarainen, Western Michigan, forward
Jayden Jubenvill, North Dakota, defenseman
James Reeder, Denver, forward