NAHL Alumni Update

December 21, 2017

The Lewisville, Texas, native led Robert Morris to a home-and-home sweep of Mercyhurst in Atlantic Hockey action. On Saturday at home, the senior forward had four points on two goals and two assists in a 5-2 victory against the Lakers. On Sunday, he tallied three assists, including one on the game-winner in a 5-3 win in Erie. For the weekend, he totaled seven points on two goals and five assists in addition to 10 shots on goal and a +4 rating. He has now increased his season totals to 23 points on 10 goals and 13 assists.

 

The junior forward was instrumental in leading the Beavers to two wins in conference play against Alaska Anchorage at home. On Friday the Shoreview, Minnesota, native had a hat trick, which included the game-winner in a 5-1 victory against the Seawolves. The next night he added another goal in a 4-0 shutout of Alaska Anchorage. He finished the weekend with five points on four goals and an assist in addition to six shots on goal and a +5 rating. For the season, he is third on the team in scoring with 14 points on 10 goals and four assists.

 

Evan Bell recorded the first two points of his collegiate career Sunday in a 4-3 win over #13 New Hampshire. The freshman defenseman dished out two helpers and finished with a plus-three rating in the game to help Merrimack earn a weekend sweep.

 

Bitzer backstopped Bemidji State to a WCHA sweep of Alaska Anchorage, in the process moving into second place on the school's all-time saves list (he now has 2,740) and into a tie for third place on the all-time NCAA Division I men's hockey shutout list (he now has 19). The senior from Moorhead, Minn. surpassed former BSU great Grady Hunt (who had 2,717 saves between 2000-04) with a 21-stop effort in Friday's 5-1 victory. Saturday, Bitzer posted a 20-save shutout in a 3-0 triumph, extending his own school and WCHA record, while matching Quinnipiac's Michael Garteig (2013-16) and Cornell's Ben Scrivens (2007-10) for third in NCAA men's history. Bitzer finished the weekend with a 0.50 goals-against average and .976 save percentage (41-for-42), both tops among all NCAA goaltenders that made two starts. He also helped BSU's penalty-kill unit go a perfect 5-for-5 against the Seawolves. This is Bitzer's third WCHA weekly award of the 2017-18 season and his 14th career honor, including a pair of Rookie accolades and nine Defensive awards.

 

Beydoun helped Michigan Tech to a five-point WCHA series against Lake Superior State, picking up his first collegiate shutout along the way. The freshman from Plymouth, Mich. blanked the Lakers, 3-0, Friday night, stopping all 25 shots he faced – including 10 in the third period, as the Huskies scored twice to break open a 1-0 contest. He then made 22 official saves in a 3-3 tie Saturday, but also stopped all three LSSU shootout attempts as Tech earned the extra league point. Of the five WCHA goaltenders that started both games last weekend, Beydoun was second with a 1.44 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. This is Beydoun's first WCHA weekly award of his rookie season.

 

Kane registered 4-1-5, including a pair of decisive goals, to help the Blackhawks (17-11-5, 39 points) go 3-0-0 and extend their overall winning streak to five games. He scored his fourth career overtime goal in a 3-2 victory against the Florida Panthers Dec. 12. Kane then collected 1-1-2, his eighth multi-point performance of the season, in a 5-1 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets Dec. 14. He capped the week with two goals, including the winner, in a 4-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild Dec. 17. In doing so, Kane (299) moved past Dennis Hull (298) and into sole possession of fifth place on the Blackhawks' all-time goals list. The 29-year-old Buffalo native paces Chicago with 14 goals and 34 points in 33 contests this season. Kane recorded 71 points in 55 career NAHL games.

 

Former Ice Dogs goalie Packy Munson thriving at Michigan Tech (read)

 

Former RoadRunner Cam Strong leads Dartmouth to upset of Denver (read)