NAHL Alumni Update

January 4, 2018

Brady Ferguson was tops in both Atlantic Hockey and the NCAA in scoring during the month of December. He totaled 13 points on five goals and eight assists in six games. One goal came shorthanded while the other four were at even-strength. Ferguson added eight blocks in the six games and finished the month with a plus-seven rating. Ferguson had points in all six games, including multiple points in three-straight games from December 16th-29th. He posted seven points in a weekend sweep of Atlantic Hockey rival Mercyhurst, helping Robert Morris move back to .500 in league play heading into the 2018 portion of its schedule. Ferguson led the Colonials to the championship game of the Three Rivers Classic with a one-goal, two-assist performance against Lake Superior State, then had an assist in RMU’s 2-1 loss to Providence in the title game.

 

Weis tallied three points last week to help Ohio State sweep Niagara. He registered an assist on the game-winning goal with seven seconds remaining on Friday. He also scored two power-play goals on Saturday, including the eventual game winner, to extend his point streak to four games. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns his second career weekly award and first of the season.

 

Princeton goaltender Ryan Ferland was named the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Month for the month of December. Ferland, who was named the league's rookie of the week earlier this week, led the ECAC in saves during the month with 159 stops in five games, averaging more than 30 saves per game. With a 2-1-2 record, Ferland recorded wins over Dartmouth and had a shutout at Arizona State prior to two ties against the No. 1 team in the nation St. Cloud this past weekend.

 

A sophomore from Eden Prairie, MN, Kielly was named ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month for the third consecutive time, earning the honor in December after winning it also for October and November. Kielly allowed just four goals on 79 shots through three games, two of which were on the road, to help Clarkson close out the year on an 11-game winning streak. He made 24 saves in the 5-1 win at Canisius on December 2, posted 26 in the 3-1 victory over St. Lawrence at Cheel Arena on December 8 and followed with 25 stops in the 4-2 triumph over the Saints in Canton on December 9. Kielly has played every minute in the Clarkson crease through the first 19 games. Entering the break, he owned the best goals against average (1.42) in the nation, was tied for second in save percentage (.947), tied for most wins (15) and led the country in shutouts (5).

 

Jones contributed at both ends of the ice to lead Omaha to a sweep of No. 19 Union.  On Friday, the Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick scored the eventual game-winning goal, the first of his career, on three shots on goal and was +2 in the Mavericks’ 5-1 win.  He also registered one shot block and helped the penalty kill go 4-for-4 to earn Second Star of the Game.  The next night, he handed out two assists, including on the game-winning goal, was +1 and had three blocked shots as the Mavericks completed the sweep with a 5-3 victory.  Jones finished the series with a goal, two assists, a +3 plus/minus, four blocked shots and four shots on goal. He has one goal and five assists in 16 games this season.

 

Despite missing five skaters to the World Junior Championship, Shepard backstopped Minnesota Duluth to the Ledyard Classic title, earning tournament MVP honors after going 1-0-1 in net. On Friday, he earned his third shutout of the season and of his career, stopping all 29 shots he faced in a 5-0 win over Yale. The next night in the championship game, Shepard made a career-high 41 saves in a 2-2 tie with host Dartmouth, including five saves in overtime. He also then made two saves in a three-person shootout after overtime to clinch the tournament title for UMD. Shepard finished the Ledyard Classic with 70 saves on 72 shots faced for a .972 save percentage, while posting a 0.96 goals-against average and not allowing a goal on six opponent power play chances. On the season, he is 9-7-1 with a .912 save percentage and a 2.35 GAA.

 

Craggs was named to the All-Tournament Team and earned Most Valuable Player honors for the 53rd Great Lakes Invitational, leading Bowling Green to the title with a tournament-best five points (2g-3a). In a career-best performance, the Elmhurst, Ill. native notched a three-point night against Michigan in the semifinals, helping the Falcons to a 6-4 win with two goals and one assist. Against WCHA foe Michigan Tech in the GLI Championship, Craggs assisted on Connor Ford's game-winning goal that broke a 1-1, second-period stalemate, then set up John Schilling's third-period strike that put BGSU up by two en route to a 4-1 triumph. The sophomore's five points led all WCHA skaters last week, while his plus-4 rating tied for the league lead. This is Craggs' first career WCHA weekly award.

 

Kossoff backstopped Lake Superior State to a third-place finish at the Three Rivers Classic with a brilliant performance in his lone start. Given the nod for the consolation game against Arizona State, Kossoff turned aside 48-of-49 shots in a 4-1 Lakers victory, earning the junior a spot on the All-Tournament Team. The native of West Des Moines, Iowa made 15 saves in the first period, 14 in the second and 19 more in the third, allowing LSSU to win despite being outshot by a 49-21 margin. Kossoff also made a relief appearance against Robert Morris in the tournament opener, finishing the weekend by tying for the WCHA lead with 67 saves and pacing the league with a .957 save percentage. This is Kossoff's second WCHA weekly award of the 2017-18 season and of his career.

 

Dop was given the start in the GLI Championship and stopped 29-of-30 shots, leading Bowling Green to a 4-1 win over Michigan Tech and the Falcons' first Great Lakes Invitational title. His lone appearance in Detroit was good enough to land the freshman a spot on the GLI All-Tournament Team – and for good reason. The Lewis Center, Ohio native set the tone with a 12-save first period, allowing BGSU to take a 1-0 lead into intermission despite being outshot 12-5, in the frame. He made nine stops in the second period and eight more in the third, as the Falcons scored twice in final 20 minutes. Dop also played 45:52 in relief last Thursday (Dec. 12) against No. 12 Western Michigan, stopping 12-of-13 shots. He finished the week second in the WCHA for both goals-against average (1.13) and save percentage (.956). This is Dop's fourth WCHA weekly award of his freshman season.

 

The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) today announced Tyler Parks of the Peoria Rivermen is the Warrior Player of the Week for December 25-31. Parks went 3-0-0, posting a 1.52 goals against average and .953 save percentage as he led the Rivermen to a weekend sweep to close out 2017 and help Peoria move to within three points of first place in the SPHL standings. On Friday, the Imperial, MO native came on in relief early in the second period, allowing only one goal the rest of the way as the Rivermen rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Evansville 4-3 in overtime. The following night, Parks stopped 37 of 38 shots as Peoria travelled to Huntsville and came away with a 3-1 win over the Havoc. Parks closed out the year with a 37-save outing as Peoria defeated Evansville 5-2 on New Year’s Eve. Now in his second professional season, Parks played collegiately at St. Lawrence University (2013-15) and Adrian College (2015-16). Parks has posted a 5-1-0 record and 1.90 goals against average after spending most of December with the ECHL’s Reading Royals.