NFL
Welcome back NCHC fans. What an amazing first three weeks of the hockey season we have seen so far. It’s time to look at the last weekend of non-conference games which includes a TOP 3 matchup in Michigan, the players of the week for last weekend, and the USCHO rankings.
Before we get into the games let’s look at the current rankings in college hockey. Western Michigan stays at number 2 this week. After the split last week against Lindenwood, Denver University dropped 2 spots to number 7. North Dakota stayed put at number 8 after their split last weekend against Minnesota. With their sweep in Northern Michigan, Colorado College moves up 3 spots to number 16. The only other NCHC ranked in the top 20 is Minnesota Duluth who debuts this week at number 18.
The final order of business for last weekend is the Players of the Week. Unlike the first two weekends of the season, last weekend we had a winner from 4 different teams.
The Forward of the Week goes to Minnesota Duluth Sophomore Jayson Shaugabay. He had a monster weekend with a 7-point series against Bemidji State in which Minnesota Duluth swept. Friday night he had a goal and three assists. On Saturday night he scored 2 goals and 1 assist.
The Defenseman of the Week goes to Colorado College Sophomore Seth Constance. In the sweep of Northern Michigan, he had 1 goal and 2 assists and posted a +2 plus/minus and blocked a shot. He helped Colorado College penalty kill go 5-6 on the weekend.
The Goalie of the Week went to Sophomore Hampton Slukynsky of Western Michigan. He faced 37 shots and stopped 36 of them on the weekend. That’s a true definition of a brick wall. He improves his record to 3-1-0 on the young season and lowered his Goals against average (GAA) down to 2.02.
The Rookie of the Week goes to another goalie in the NCHC. It goes to Yan Shostak with the St. Cloud State. Friday night he suffered a tough 2-1 loss in Overtime to Vermont but comes back Saturday night and makes 21 saves to earn his first career shutout. He became the first St. Cloud State freshman goalie to record a shutout since February. 10th, 2018.
As I said in the opening we have a top 3 matchup in college hockey this weekend. That’s because we have a home and home series featuring #3 Michigan and #2 Western Michigan. Thursday nights game is at Ann Arbor, home of the Michigan Wolverines and then Friday night game is in Kalamazoo, home of the defending national champs, the Broncos from Western Michigan.
#7 Denver travels up to Massachusetts for the weekend. Friday night they play #9 Boston College and then Saturday Night they play at Northeastern.
St. Cloud State welcomes Alaska Anchorage to the Herb Brooks Arena for a weekend series. #8 North Dakota travels to Potsdam, New York this weekend to face off against Clarkson. Omaha welcomes #13 UMass to the Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena.
Newly ranked #18 Minnesota Duluth travels to Minneapolis to face off against the #12 Minnesota Golden Gophers.
After splitting last weekend against the Denver Pioneers, Lindenwood welcomes 4-0-0 Miami (OH) to Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Well, that’s a look at the rankings, the player of the week for last weekend and the games for this weekend. Next weekend is not just Halloween weekend, but it’s the start of the NCHC conference play.
Will be back next week to recap these games from this weekend as well as look ahead to the 1st weekend of conference play. Until next week NCHC fans, its time to drop the puck on this weekend’s games.
