NAHL Alumni Update
Former NAHL and Kenai River Brown Bears goalie Luke Pavicich is among the 31 players named to the preliminary roster for the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team.
Adding to his awards this week, Minnesota Duluth junior goaltender Ryan Fanti (Minnesota Wilderness) was selected the HCA Men’s National Goaltender of the Month for November, as the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced last month’s award winners on Thursday. Fanti was also tabbed NCHC Goaltender of the Week on Monday and NCHC Goaltender of the Month on Wednesday. Fanti (Thunder Bay, Ont.), who is also an NAPHL grad, allowed only eight goals in eight games last month, while posting a 5-2-1 record in the Bulldogs’ net. He allowed more than one goal only twice in his eight November outings, while recording shutouts in half his games (four), which were the first four whitewashes of his career. He compiled a 1.00 goals-against average in November, which ranked second nationally, while his .957 save percentage and four shutouts both led the NCAA last month. Fanti turned aside 177 shots of the 185 he faced in over 480 minutes of action.
University of Massachusetts freshman goaltender Luke Pavicich is among the 31 players named to the preliminary roster for the 2021 U.S. National Junior Team, USA Hockey announced on Tuesday. Pavicich will head to Plymouth, Michigan for a training camp at USA Hockey Arena, starting Dec. 12, looking to earn roster spots on Team USA's 25-man squad for the upcoming 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, Dec. 26, 2021-Jan. 5, 2022. Pavicich, a native of Clarence Center, New York, has yet to see collegiate game action, but joined the Minutemen this fall from the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) where he was named NAHL Midwest Division MVP and to the All-NAHL Second Team in 2020-21. In 36 regular season games in 2020-21, Pavicich registered a 2.86 goals against average and a .919 save percentage with two shutouts and a record of 19-14-1. He was ranked 16th among North American goaltenders in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings ahead of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Month: Colin Bilek, F, Army West Point (Northeast Generals) - Army West Point senior Colin Bilek was the offensive spark that powered Army to an early season five-game unbeaten streak. The team captain kicked off November with one of the best games of his career, scoring a power play, shorthanded and game-winning goal to register his second hat trick of the season against Yale (Nov.12). The Brighton, Mich., native also had an assist in the contest. He added an important late-game tally in a win against Niagara (Nov. 20) to help Army secure the win. Bilek tallied his final point of the month with an assist on Army's lone goal against Bentley (Nov. 26). The Black Knights have relied on Bilek to lead the team in all phases of the game and the senior captain has done just that. He has helped rally an Army power play - scoring one power play goal of his own - and played a large number of minutes on a penalty kill that ranks first in the AHA. Bilek has shown his willingness to jump in front of shots, blocking five in the month and a season high three against Bentley (Nov. 26). This is his first Atlantic Hockey monthly honor this season.
Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Month: Jacob Barczewski, Canisius (Janesville Jets) - Canisius junior Jacob Barczewski started all eight games and played 467 of a possible 480 minutes between the pipes for Canisius during the month of November. The O’Fallon, Mo., native was a two-Time AHA Goaltender of the Week selection (Nov. 8, Nov. 15) while posting a 5-3-0 record with 2.70 goals against average and .909 save percentage (210-of-231). Of the 21 goals scored against him, 12 came on special team situations. He began month with a career-high 40 saves in a 2-1 setback at Bentley on Nov. 5 before stopping 23 shots in 6-3 victory versus the Falcons the following night. Against RIT on Nov. 12-13, Barczewski turned aside 24-of-26 shots in a 5-2 victory in the series opener and stopped 28 shots in a 4-1 triumph in game two that saw him lose the shutout bid in final minute of regulation. He stopped 18-of-19 shots in a 6-1 victory at Mercyhurst on Nov. 19 and recorded 20 saves in 6-5 victory against defending league champion AIC (Nov. 26). This is Barczewski’s first Atlantic Hockey monthly award this season.
CCHA Goaltender of the Month: Dryden McKay, Minnesota State (Corpus Christi/Springfield) - Minnesota State senior goaltender Dryden McKay finsihed the month with an impressive three shutouts to increase his NCAA Division I men's ice hockey career shutout record to 30. He posted a 6-1-0 record, a 1.14 goals against average (GAA) and a .929 save percentage (SV%) this month.
ECAC Player of the Month: Max Andreev, F, Cornell (New Jersey Titans) - Andreev (Sr. - Moscow, Russia) recorded 12 points during the month of November, pacing all ECAC Hockey skaters in that time. His best game of the month (and his career) came on November 13 when he registered six points (4G-2A) in an 11-3 win over RPI, the most points a Big Red skater has recorded in a game since November, 2003. He finished the month on a six-game scoring streak, of which three were multi-point outings.
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week: Max Kouznetsov, F, Canisius (Amarillo Bulls) - Canisius sophomore Max Kouznetsov tallied three goals and an assist during the Golden Griffins’ Atlantic Hockey home series against AIC last weekend. The Voorhees, N.J., native recorded a career-high three points on two goals and an assist in the Griffs' 6-5 triumph over the Yellow Jackets in the series opener on Friday. Kouznetsov had a hand in all three third period goals, helping Canisius rally from a three-goal deficit on its way to the one-goal triumph. He notched the game-tying goal on the power play before scoring the go-ahead goal midway through the final frame and adding a secondary assist on the eventual game-winning goal. He also tallied Canisius' opening goal in the series finale the following day and finished the weekend with four shots on goal, three blocked shots and 11 faceoff wins. This is Kouznetsov’s first Atlantic Hockey weekly honor this season.
CCHA Forward of the Week: Tristan Ashbrook, Michigan Tech (Bismarck Bobcats) - Michigan Tech junior forward Tristan Ashbrook scored four goals in the weekend CCHA sweep of Ferris State. The native of Manistique, Mich. had a pair of goals each night. He scored the game-winning goal in the third period Friday and had a power-play goal each night. Ashbrook is currently on a four-game point streak with six goals and two assists. He ranks second on the team with seven goals.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Tanner Edwards, F, Minnesota State (Fairbanks Ice Dogs) - Minnesota State freshman forward Tanner Edwards recorded his first collegiate goal in his first weekend of NCAA Division I play this past week at Lake Superior State. He finished with a plus-one rating and one shot on goal, including 50-percent in the face-off circle.
ECAC Goalie of the Week: Ethan Haider, Clarkson (Minnesota Magicians) - Haider (So. - Maple Grove, Minn.) continued his strong play this weekend, backstopping Clarkson to a a series win at Wisconsin, and extending the unbeaten streak to six straight. He stopped 33 of 34 shots on Friday evening before posting a 31-save shutout on Saturday. It was Haider’s second shutout of the season, and he now leads ECAC Hockey in saves (362), and save percentage (.928).
Hockey East Goalie of the Week: Mike Robinson, New Hampshire (Springfield Jr. Blues) - Mike Robinson (Sr., G; Bedford, N.H.) ent 2-0-0 on the week only allowing two goals as he made 47 saves for a .959 save percentage. He posted his eighth career shutout in a 1-0 win at No. 16 Harvard with 27 saves. He then made 20 saves as UNH defeated Holy Cross, 3-2 in overtime. New Hampshire is now 3-3-0 against ranked teams this season. Robinson has now been named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Week for two consecutive weeks.
SPHL Player of the Month: Jacob Barber, F, Huntsville (Alaska/Wenatchee) - The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) today announced that Jacob Barber Huntsville Havoc was named the SPHL Player of the Month for October/November. Barber led Huntsville to a 14-1-0 record through November, including an SPHL record 12-game winning streak to begin the season as the duo both scored 11 goals and added 15 assists in 15 games for the Havoc. Barber, a native of Dardenne Prairie, MO, was +15 while tallying three power play goals and three game-winning goals. Barber recorded a point in 13 of the 15 games, including nine multi-point outings.
