Lumberjacks’ Eric Schierhorn named USA Hockey’s Goaltender of the Year; NTDP’s Matthews, Eichel claim awards

By @MichaelCaples –

While Michigan native Kyle Connor claimed USA Hockey’s Junior Player of the Year award, two of the players he has shared the ice with this season will be taking home awards of their own.

Lumberjacks goaltender Eric Schierhorn has been named the Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year after an exceptional USHL season in Muskegon. Meanwhile, U.S. NTDP forward Auston Matthews has been named the recipient of the Bob Johnson Award, given to a player for excellence in international hockey competition.

Schierhorn, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, led the Lumberjacks to their first-ever Clark Cup Final appearance and USHL Eastern Conference championship. He finished the regular season with a 26-13-4 record and a .927 save percentage. In the postseason, he stopped 407 shots to finish with a .915 save percentage. He also finished with a 3-0-0-0 record and a .959 save percentage while playing for the U.S. Junior Select Team that won the 2014 World Junior A Challenge in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, in December.

Matthews, a Scottsdale, Ariz. native, just wrapped up his second year with the NTDP program in Ann Arbor, where he broke Patrick Kane’s single-season scoring marks with 55 goals and 117 points. On the international stage, he helped Team USA capture their sixth IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship title in seven years, racking up a tournament-best 15 points in seven games. He was the youngest player on the U.S. roster at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he played in one exhibition game (scoring one goal) at the Men’s World Championship in April.

Eichel named college player of the year

Former NTDP standout Jack Eichel picked up another award for his freshman season with Boston University, as well. Fresh off winning the Hobey Baker award, Eichel was named the USA Hockey College Hockey Player of the Year today.