COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the postseason nearing, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its February Players of the Month on Tuesday with three different teams represented:

• Player – Jack Devine, Denver, Sr., forward
• Goaltender – T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota, Gr.
• Rookie – Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan, defenseman

Devine earned his second NCHC Player of the Month honor this season, also winning the award for October, while the Pioneers have now claimed three of the five NCHC Players of the Month this season (Aidan Thompson in November). These are the first NCHC monthly awards for both Semptimphelter and Väisänen, with Väisänen the first defenseman to earn NCHC Rookie of the Month this season.
 
All three NCHC monthly honorees – Devine, Semptimphelter and Väisänen – are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) February National Player, Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, respectively. HCA national monthly honors for February will be announced on Thursday.
 
PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Jack Devine, Denver
Senior Forward
Glencoe, Ill.
 
Devine had a historic month of February, while leading the NCHC and ranking third nationally with 14 points. The Florida Panthers draft pick tied for the NCHC lead with both five goals and nine assists last month. Devine averaged an NCHC-best 1.75 points per game, while helping Denver to a 6-2 record in February. He tallied a point in seven of eight games last month, including six multi-point games.
 
Devine opened February with a goal and an assist in a record-tying 11-2 rout of Omaha. The goal was the 50th of his career, which leads all active NCHC players and makes him the 61st Pioneer in program history to reach the mark. He then handed out four assists in a split at then-No. 12 Arizona State, including three in an OT loss on Feb. 8. The senior notched his first multi-goal game of the season with two tallies in a 4-0 shutout over then-No. 17 North Dakota on Feb. 14. Devine put up four points in a sweep at Miami the following weekend with a goal and three helpers, recording his 150th career point in the process, only the 22nd player in Denver history to do so. Devine then finished the month the way he started – with a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over St. Cloud State.
 
Devine posted a +8 plus/minus in February, which was third among NCHC forwards, while firing 34 shots on goal, which was third among all NCHC skaters in the month. On the season, Devine continues to lead the NCHC and entire NCAA with 48 points (11g/37a) in 34 games, while his 37 assists also lead the NCAA. His 154 career points while playing in the NCHC lead all active NCHC players by a wide margin. He is one assist shy of 100 for his career, which will make him only the 10th player in Denver’s 50-goal, 100-assist, 150-point club.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
T.J. Semptimphelter, North Dakota
Graduate Student Goaltender
Marlton, N.J.
 
Semptimphelter had his best month as a Fighting Hawk, backstopping North Dakota to a 4-2-0 record in February. He led the NCHC with both a .929 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average during the month, with his 170 saves second in the conference. Two of his four wins came against ranked opponents, while he allowed two goals or fewer in four of his six starts (all wins).
 
Semptimphelter was tabbed NCHC Goaltender of the Week back-to-back weeks in February. His first honor came after a spilt at then-No. 6 Denver, which included a 3-1 win in the finale on Feb. 15 when he made 34 saves. The following weekend Semptimphelter led UND to a sweep of Minnesota Duluth, surrendering only three goals while totaling 57 saves to glove his second Goalie of the Week nod. He made at least 27 saves in each of his final five starts in February.
 
Semptimphelter improved to 15-9-2 on the season, upping his season save percentage to .907, while lowering his season GAA to 2.66. In conference play, his .909 save percentage ranks sixth.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan
Freshman Defenseman
Kirkkonummi, Finland
 
Väisänen continued his stellar freshman campaign, tying for the NCHC rookie lead with eight points in February, though he was the lone defenseman to do so. He scored two goals and chipped in six assists, while helping WMU clinch its first ever Penrose Cup. The Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick tallied a point in five of eight games last month, including a trio of multi-point outings.
 
Väisänen spearheaded a sweep of St. Cloud State by collecting two assists in the series finale on Feb. 8. He followed that up by scoring two goals and dishing out an assist in 5-4 overtime win over Omaha on Feb. 14. It was his first career three-point game and multi-goal game, with the second goal the overtime game-winner, which earned him NCHC Defenseman of the Week. The following Saturday, he produced an assist at then-No. 12 Arizona State, helping the Broncos split a series in Tempe. Finally, this past Friday, Väisänen dished out two assists in a win over North Dakota, which included a helper on the Penrose Cup clinching goal for the Broncos. He was again tabbed Defenseman of the Week after WMU secured the regular-season title.
 
Along with his eight points, Väisänen finished with a +1 plus/minus in February, while blocking five shots and firing 14 shots on goal. On the season, Väisänen is up to 21 points on three goals and 18 assists, with the 21 points tops among NCHC rookie blueliners. Along with that, he has a +14 plus/minus and 27 blocked shots this year. Two of his three goals this season are game winners.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Player of the Month
Lukas Sillinger, Arizona State, Gr., F
Grant Slukynsky, Western Michigan, So., F
 
Goaltender of the Month
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, Fr.
 
Rookie of the Month
Owen Beckner, Colorado College, forward
Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota, forward
Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, forward
Cullen Potter, Arizona State, forward