Six NAHL alumni earn NCAA conference honors | North American Hockey League | NAHL
Menu
North American Hockey League logo North American Hockey League
The League of Opportunity NAHL Combines NA3HL USA Hockey T1ER NAPHL
Download on the App Store
Download on Google Play

Six NAHL alumni earn NCAA conference honors

November 21, 2013
It was a big week for NAHL alumni this past week in the NCAA as five alumni earned respective conference honors.  Here is a look at the winners, who all previously played in the NAHL.
 
Former NAHL forward Cory Thorson (Owatonna Express) was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Offensive Player of the Week as he had a monster weekend, totaling five points on three goals and two assists to lead St. Cloud State to a sweep at Alabama-Huntsville. In Friday’s 10-0 win, he notched a career-high four points on two goals and two assists, including one each on the man advantage. Three of his four points Friday came in the second period, having a hand in the first two goals of the frame. The next night, the senior tallied the first goal of the night in the first period before being injured later in the game. Thorson posted a +2 rating in Friday’s contest and finished +2 on the weekend.
 
Thorson played two years in the NAHL for the Owatonna Express during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. In 116 career NAHL regular season games, Thorson had 102 career points. During the 2009-10 season he was named to the All-NAHL Central Division team as he had 54 points in 58 games that season before moving onto St. Cloud State.
 
Former NAHL forward Ross Mauermann (Janesville Jets) was named as the Hockey East Player of the Week as he registered four points (3g,1a) in Providence's weekend sweep at Vermont, including two goals Friday and the game-winner on Saturday night. He finished the weekend with five shots on goal and a +4 rating for the Friars.
 
Mauermann played two seasons in the NAHL, both for the Janesville Jets in the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 seasons. He is also a veteran of three NAHL Top Prospects Tournaments. While in the NAHL, Mauermann scored 100 points in 113 career regular season games. He also had five points in eight career playoff games. 
 
Former NAHL goaltender Mac Haight (Fresno/Chicago/Amarillo) and current UMASS hockey freshman goaltender Mac Haight has been named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week and Co-UMass Athlete of the Week. It marks the first two career honors for Haight. Filling in for the injured Steve Mastalerz, Haight made the first two starts of his career and posted a 1.92 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage against #7 Boston College, who came into last weekend with the No. 1-ranked offense in the nation at 5.00 goals per-game. Haight stopped 51 of the 61 shots he faced over the two contests, including 31 saves in Thursday's matchup. On Friday, he made 26 saves to help lead the Minutemen to a 2-2 tie against the Eagles, including stopping the final 21 shots he faced in the contest with 15 saves in the second period alone.
 
Haight played the better part of two seasons in the NAHL, most of which was with the Fresno Monsters during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.  During the 2010-11 season, he played sparingly for the Amarillo Bulls and Chicago Hitmen. Haight played in the 2013 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament for the Frontier team.
 
Former NAHL goaltender Hunter Leisner (Texas/Aberdeen) was named at the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) Goaltender of the Week as he stopped all 22 shots that he faced on Friday night against the Holy Cross Crusaders, earning his first collegiate win and shutout in American International’s 1-0 victory at the Hart Center.
 
Leisner backstopped the Tornado to the 2012 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship and appeared in 145 career NAHL games. He posted a career goals against average of 2.89 and a career save percentage of 91.1%
 
Former NAHL goaltender C.J. Motte (Traverse City) was named as the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week as the veteran Ferris State University goaltender backstopped the league-leading and host Bulldogs to three points with a tie and victory against Bowling Green last weekend. A 6-0, 190-pound junior from St. Clair, Mich., Motte extended his season-opening unbeaten streak to nine games as Ferris State held onto first place in the WCHA standings and extended their unbeaten streak to seven games overall at 6-0-1. Motte's 8-0-1 mark in nets ranks as the nation's top mark for goaltenders with four or more wins this year. Motte had 37 saves in the series opener in Big Rapids last Friday (Nov. 15), as the Bulldogs overcame a 3-1 third period deficit to forge a 3-3 (ot) tie. He held the Falcons scoreless on five power-play chances. Then on Saturday (Nov. 16), he turned aside 30 of 32 shots on goal and stopped all four PP chances as FSU came through with a 4-2 triumph, this time after trailing 2-0 in the third. Ferris State gained three points on the weekend despite being outshot in each game.
 
Motte played one season in the NAHL for the Traverse City North Stars during the 2008-09 season, when he was also named to the All-NAHL North Division Team. During that season, Motte had 22 wins, a 2.30 goals against average and a 91.8% save percentage.
 
Former NAHL goaltender Michael Shibrowski (Owatonna) was named as the Big 10 Hockey Second Star of the Week as the University of Minnesota senior stopped all 25 shots he faced on Saturday as Minnesota completed a series sweep over Minnesota State with a 3-0 win. He notched his first career shutout in just his third career start and matched his career high for saves in a single game. 
 
During the 2009-10 season Shibrowski appeared in 25 games for the Express, posting a 14-5-3 record with a 3.15 goals against average and an 89.5% save percentage.
 
Click here to see a current list of NAHL alumni playing NCAA Division I hockey
 
 
Bauer True Temper Hockey USA Hockey
USPA Hockeyak Warroad Howies Hockey Tape Lettermen Sports DASH Digital Auction Showdown K1 Sportswear Official Game Puck
HockeyWolf Bethel University Avis Car Rental Budget Car Rental Ace Rent A Car
Neutral Zone CaptainU NSC Super Rink Source One Digital
Let's Play Hockey Let's Play Hockey USA Hockey Magazine MYHockey Rankings