Weekly junior/college hockey award roundup
By @SKubus –
There were plenty of Michigan connections who took home awards the previous week in the world of college and junior hockey. Here’s a look at the award winners across the major junior/college conferences:
KYLE CONNOR – Youngstown Phantoms – USHL
Shelby Township native Kyle Connor potted seven points in a two-game weekend sweep of the Sioux Falls Stampede to help lift his Youngstown Phantoms to their 11th and 12th consecutive victories. The 18-year-old Belle tire product tallied five points in Friday’s 7-3 win, including the game-winning goal. With 61 points in 45 games this season, Connor leads the USHL in scoring. He is currently committed to play for the University of Michigan and is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
JAKE HILDEBRAND, MATT BERRY – Michigan State – Big Ten
Junior netminder Jake Hildebrand and senior forward Matt Berry (Canton) were named first and third star of the week, respectively, in the Big Ten. For more on their performances, check out our article.
ALEX DEBRINCAT – Erie Otters – OHL
Farmington Hills native and Victory Honda alum Alex DeBrincat was named the OHL’s Player of the Week after posting three goals and six assists for nine points in three games. Recently featured in our “You Should Know” magazine feature, the 17-year-old had three consecutive multi-point outings to help his team secure its first Midwest Division title since 2002. In Wednesday night’s 10-5 win over Barrie, DeBrincat posted a goal and two assists. He then chipped in with two assists in Thursday’s 5-3 victory over the Colts on the road, before registering two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win over the North Bay Battalion. A top prospect for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, DeBrincat’s impressive rookie campaign continues, as he now has 43 goals and 46 assists for 89 points in 65 games.
CJ MOTTE – Ferris State – WCHA
What a weekend it was for Ferris State senior netminder CJ Motte. The St. Clair native was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week after posting back-to-back victories between the pipes against Lake Superior State over the weekend. But with a 24-save shutout Saturday, Motte won his 64th career game for the Bulldogs, passing Mike Brown for the most wins in school history, certainly an impressive feat. The shutout also marked the 15th of his career, the most among any active NCAA goaltenders.
TYLER HEINONEN – Michigan Tech – WCHA
Sophomore forward Tyler Heinonen captured WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in helping the surprise Michigan Tech Huskies continue their excellent season and battle for the league’s top spot with Minnesota State. In a home-and-home series with Northern Michigan, Heinonen potted three goals. In a Friday night 5-1 victory, he potted two goals, and he followed that up with a powerplay goal in Saturday’s 3-1 road win to open the game’s scoring. He also finished with a plus-two rating on the weekend. Heinonen has 11 goals and 17 points in 26 games for the Huskies this season.
AUSTIN CZARNIK – Miami – NCHC
Senior Miami RedHawks forward Austin Czarnik had a huge hand in his team splitting with top-ranked North Dakota over the weekend, earning him NCHC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Despite being held scoreless in Friday’s contest, the Washington, Mich. native came through Saturday with a big four-point outing, posting his first career hat trick in the process on Senior Night in a 6-3 win. Two of the three tallies came shorthanded. The latter proved to be a huge insurance goal, as it held up to be the game-winner. That performance, no surprise, earned him the game’s first star honors. Despite leading the team in points, most of Czarnik’s work is done by setting up others, and he only had two goals heading into Saturday’s game, making the outburst even more impressive.
LUKAS HAFNER – Western Michigan – NCHC
Western Michigan junior netminder Lukas Hafner turned in a rock-solid performance Saturday night against No. 6/6 Minnesota-Duluth, stopping all 18 shots that came his way en route to being named NCHC Goaltender of the Week. In his only performance of the weekend, Hafner had to come up big late in the game, as 15 of his 18 saves came in the final two periods. He was certainly his team’s best penalty killer, as he shut down seven UMD powerplay shots to record his 11th victory and third career shutout.