NAHL Alumni Update
James Crossman, who played in 144 career NAHL games for three different teams, was named the Defender of the Week in the ECAC.
Atlantic Hockey Defensive Player of the Week: Brett Callahan, D, AIC (Brookings Blizzard) - Senior Brett Callahan was stellar at both ends of the ice as AIC earned a sweep at Air Force. The Westmont, Ill., native assisted on two goals in the Yellow Jackets’ 3-2 win in the series opener, including the game-winning goal, before netting the tie-breaking goal in the third period Saturday. He finished +3 on the weekend and led the team's defense with six blocked shots. This is his first career Atlantic Hockey weekly honor.
Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week: Max Itagaki, F, Army West Point (Janesville Jets) - Army West Point’s Max Itagaki was once again a key cog in the Black Knights’ offense this weekend. The Glenview, Ill., native secured a goal and four assists in West Point’s split with Mercyhurst. Itagaki assisted on a goal in regulation in the series opener, before scoring his third goal of the season with a breakaway in overtime to give Army the victory. He returned on Saturday to post assists on all three Army goals to set a new career-high with three total points. Two of his helpers on Saturday came on the power-play. This is his third career Atlantic Hockey weekly honor.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Joey Larson, F, Northern Michigan (New Mexico Ice Wolves) - Larson led all CCHA rookies with four points last week, scoring two goals with two assists in a home sweep of Ferris State. Second among all league skaters with nine shots on goal, he recorded his first-career two-goal game on Friday, helping the Wildcats to a 9-2 victory, before dishing out a pair of helpers in an 8-3 win on Saturday. For the week, he was a +4 with one block defensively.
ECAC Defender of the Week: James Crossman, D, Brown (Jamestown/Odessa/MN Wilderness) - James Crossman (Sr., Brown) had a three-goal weekend from the blue line, keeping the Bears in close in both of their contests. On Friday, Crossman scored the go-ahead goal on the power play for Brown, but the team ultimately dropped the contest to Princeton, 3-2. Saturday saw Crossman score both of the Bears’ goals against top-ranked Quinnipiac, including one at even strength and one with the skater advantage.
ECAC Goalie of the Week: Nathan Reid, G, Yale (Fairbanks Ice Dogs) - Nathan Reid (Jr., Yale) stood on his head for the Bulldogs this weekend, earning his second win of the season in a dominant fashion. In sixty minutes played, Reid made 40 saves — just one save shy of his season-high, set against Quinnipiac in November — and earned his second shutout of the season as Yale blanked Princeton at Hobey Baker. In just his second season splitting games with goalie partners Pearson and Hopkins, Reid has shown up for the Bulldogs in critical moments and helped keep the team afloat.
ECHL Goalie of the Week: Charles Williams, Jacksonville (Owatonna Express) - Williams went 3-0-0 with one shutout, a 0.97 goals-against average and a save percentage of .966 in three appearances last week. The 30-year-old made 28 saves in a 3-2 win against Orlando on Wednesday, stopped 29 shots in a 5-1 victory at Greenville on Friday and stopped all 25 shots in a 3-0 win at South Carolina on Sunday. A native of Canton, Michigan, Williams is 7-3-1 in 11 appearances for the Icemen this season with one shutout, a 2.39 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912.
