NAHL Alumni Update
NAHL and Janesville Jets grad Jack LaFontaine was named the 3rd Star of the Week in the B1G.
NAHL grad Duma gets recruited again to fill in for Air Force (by Kate Shefte, Colorado Springs Gazette)
Three years in a row, Air Force hockey video manager Billy Duma has seen a wave of injuries hit the team.“There’s a lot of jokes of, ‘Hey Duma, one more guy goes down and you’re going to be back in the lineup,’” the junior recalled. “It just finally happened I guess.” He absorbed the jokes until about a month ago, when he was asked to start practicing with the team. Then in the Falcons’ second game of the season at AIC, he dressed as the extra skater and took part in warmups wearing the No. 10. Who’s chuckling now? Everyone. A little. “We’re getting down to dressing the student manager — that’s the bad news,” Air Force coach Frank Serratore said. “The good news is our student manager is a pretty good hockey player.” Duma, a Plymouth, Minn. native, co-captained the state championship winning Wayzata High (Minn.) team that Air Force’s starting goaltender and reigning team MVP Alex Schilling was also a part of. Duma then split his two years of junior hockey between the Coulee Region Chill and the Amarillo Bulls of the NAHL. (read the rest of the story)
Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week: Nicholas Grabko, Bentley (Minot Minotauros)
Nicholas Grabko, despite a 1-2-0 record, had a strong debut week for the Bentley Falcons. In games against Holy Cross and Army West Point, the freshman posted a 1.66 goals against average and a save percentage of 0.940. He allowed no more than two goals in any of the games played and had a high of 32 saves in Bentley’s 4-2 win over Army on Friday. Overall, he totaled 78 saves on 83 shots faced.
B1G 3rd Star of the Week: Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota (Janesville Jets)
LaFontaine backstopped the No. 5/5 Golden Gophers to their third sweep of the season, picking up a pair of wins at Michigan State and extending his personal winning streak to eight games. He made 24 saves on 25 shots in Thursday's victory before finishing the series with a 31-save performance on Friday to improve to 6-0-0 on the year, allowing only two goals or fewer in each of his last 11 appearances. He leads the nation in save percentage (.956) and goals-against average (1.17) among goalies with more than two starts this season.
NCHC Goalie of the Week: Ryan Fanti, Minnesota-Duluth (Minnesota Wilderness)
Fanti was sharp in his collegiate debut, backstopping the Bulldogs to a 3-0-0 start to the 2020-21 season. He stopped 80 of 87 shots he faced during week one of the NCHC Pod for a .920 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average. Fanti turned aside 26 shots in a 5-3 season-opening win over Omaha on Tuesday to start the Pod, for his first career win in his first start, while making 28 more saves in a 2-1 win over then-No. 4 Denver a night later to earn Second Star of the Game. The 6-foot-3 netminder capped his week with another 26-save showing in a 5-3 victory over Miami on Sunday. Fanti was the lone goalie in the NCHC to post a 3-0-0 record in the first week of the Pod, while making the second-most total saves.
WCHA Rookie of the Week: Quinn Green, Alabama-Huntsville (Topeka Pilots)
Alabama Huntsville's Quinn Green led all WCHA freshmen in points this past week with two points on two assists. The Chargers newcomer registered one assist in each game of the series at LSSU, where UAH tied 2-2 on opening night before a 3-2 loss on Sunday. The West Chicago, Ill., native tied for first among WCHA freshmen with a +1 rating on the ice. His two points and +1 rating were highest amongst the Chargers this weekend. This is Green's first career WCHA weekly honor.
