NAHL Alumni Update

January 11, 2018

Freshman Marc Johnstone picked up his fifth multi-point game of the season in the Pioneers 3-3 overtime tie against Army West Point in first collegiate hockey game at newly renovated NYCB Live, home of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The rookie picked up the assist on Zach Tsekos’ one-timer at 4:16 in the second period. Johnstone then picked up the breakaway goal at 7:58 in the second immediately out of the penalty box. He is tied for the team lead with 19 points and leads AHA freshmen in points and with seven goals on the season.

 

Senior goaltender Merrick Madsen earned ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week honors, the conference announced last night. Madsen was a big part of Harvard's two-win weekend, picking up victories against RPI and Union. On Friday night in Harvard's 3-0 win over RPI, Madsen made all 32 saves in net to earn his third shutout of the season, his 10th career shutout and his 50th career win at Harvard, third on the all-time list. Madsen moved into second on the all-time shutout list at Harvard with the victory. On Saturday night against Union, Madsen stopped 35 of 38 shots, and was excellent in overtime, helping Harvard earn a 4-3 win against the Dutchmen. Madsen has been at his best in ECAC Hockey play this year, posting a 4-3-1 record with a 1.87 goals-against average and .929 save percentage, including three shutouts.

 

Bauman led Bemidji State to a WCHA sweep at Lake Superior State, scoring twice and assisting on two other goals for a four-point weekend. After an assist on the game-winning goal in a 3-0 shutout Friday, the senior scored twice, including the game-winner, and added a helper in a 6-3, comeback win Saturday. Both of Bauman's goals Saturday were shorthanded and game in the Beavers' five-goal second period. In fact, he tied the all-time WCHA record for most shorthanded goals in a period, becoming the 14th player to accomplish the feat (and first since Derek Stepan on March 7, 2009). The Apopka, Fla. native finished the weekend with a plus-3 rating, tied for tops in the WCHA. This is Bauman's first WCHA weekly award of the 2017-18 season and his fourth career honor, including a pair of Rookie of the Week accolades.

 

Brickley had a goal and three assists as now-No 8/6 Minnesota State earned a WCHA road sweep at Alaska Anchorage. The junior from Sandy, Utah led all WCHA defensemen in points, goals (tied), assists (tied), game-winning goals (tied, with one) and shots on goal (10). Additionally, his plus-3 rating was tied for the best among all league skaters last weekend. A prolific special-teams player, all four of Brickley's points came on the power play. He had two assists in the Mavericks' 5-2, series-opening win, before adding a helper and scoring the game-winning goal (snapping a 1-1, second-period tie) in Saturday's 4-1 triumph. This is Brickley's fourth WCHA weekly award of the 2017-18 season and the sixth of his career.

 

Bitzer backstopped Bemidji State to a league road sweep at Lake Superior State, in the process moving into a tie for second in NCAA men's hockey history with his 20th career shutout – an ongoing BSU and WCHA record. The senior from Moorehead, Minn. turned aside all 21 shots he faced Friday night in a 3-0 win, drawing even with Vermont's Joe Fallon (2005-08), six back of Michigan State legend, National Hockey League All-Star and 2010 Team USA Olympic hero Ryan Miller (26 between 1999-2002). Despite surrendering three goals Saturday, Bitzer earned another win as the Beavers ran their winning streak to six-straight – the program's longest since a six-gamer during its 2008-09 NCAA Frozen Four season. Among WCHA goaltenders with two starts last weekend, Bitzer was tops with a 1.50 goals-against average and second with a .923 save percentage. This is Bitzer's fourth WCHA weekly award of the 2017-18 season and his 15th career honor, including a pair of Rookie accolades and nine Defensive awards.

 

The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced Darren McCormick of the Macon Mayhem is the Warrior Player of the Week for January 1-7. McCormick scored goals in three consecutive games, including one game-winner, and added an assist in helping Macon win two of three games and move into a tie for third place in the SPHL standings. On Thursday, the Buffalo, NY native scored one first-period goal and assisted on another as the Mayhem defeated Roanoke 3-1. McCormick found the back of the net again on Friday, scoring on the power play in Macon’s 3-2 win over Evansville. McCormick closed out the weekend with another power play goal in Macon’s 6-4 loss to Huntsville on Saturday. Now in his first full professional season, McCormick played three years at SUNY-Cortland where he recorded 43 goals and 50 assists in 75 career games for the Red Dragons. Last year, McCormick was named to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) men's ice hockey all-conference third team after leading the Red Dragons in goals and points as a junior.

 

Former Kenai River Brown Bears forward Alec Butcher has transferred to Alaska-Anchorage (read)

 

Former Topeka RoadRunners forward Mike Gornall has been added to the RPI roster (read)

 

Former Austin Bruins forward CJ Smith has been named to the AHL All-Star Game (read)