NAHL Alumni Update

December 11, 2019

Benson had a remarkable week behind the net, as he racked up 78 saves and allowed just four goals in three league wins, vaulting Sacred Heart to the top of the AHA standings. In the Pioneers 6-0 shutout of Robert Morris on Saturday he compiled 32 saves which is four off his career high that he had at Boston University earlier this year. He has started behind net in every game this season tallying a record of 10-6-1.

 

This was a breakout weekend for Anthony Firriolo, as the Army freshman scored the first goal and first multi-point game of his career. His first goal came during a three-goal second period for Army which helped them fend off Bentley in a 4-3 win on Friday. On Saturday, he was involved in both Army goals, scoring one and assisting on the other, as the Black Knights fell, 4-2.

 

Led the Big Ten with a 1.39 goals-against average and ranked second with a .951 save percentage as Ohio State took four points in a weekend series against Minnesota. Nappier stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced on Friday, allowing just two power-play goals. He then made 33 saves to preserve a 1-1 tie through 65 minutes of play on Saturday before the Gophers eventually scored in the 3-on-3 overtime. He earns his eighth career weekly award and fourth this season.

 

Kaczperski was nothing short of dominant in Yale’s weekend sweep of RPI and Union, sending aside 62 of the 63 shots he faced over the weekend. He made a career-high 36 saves in Friday’s 4-1 win over RPI, before stopping all 26 shots he faced against Union for his first shutout of the season.

 

Bemidji State's Aaron Miller led the Beavers, was first among all WCHA players and tied for second among NCAA skaters with five points as the Beavers split a WCHA series with Alaska Dec. 6-7. The junior recorded a pair of assists in BSU's 3-1 victory to open the series on Friday and recorded his fifth multi-point night of the season Saturday with two goals, including a power-play tally, and an assist. In all, the Superior, Wis., native had a hand in five of the Beavers' six goals on the weekend. He finished the weekend with a BSU-best +3 plus/minus rating. This is Miller's first career WCHA Player of the Week honor.

 

Minnesota State sophomore Dryden McKay stopped 41-of-42 shots in backstopping the No. 1-ranked Mavericks to two home WCHA wins over Lake Superior State last weekend. The Downers Grove, Ill., native made 20 saves on 21 shots in Friday's 5-1 victory and 21 saves on 21 shots in Saturday's 2-0 triumph. The shutout Saturday was his fourth this year and the eighth of his two-year college career. He stands 13-1-1 with an NCAA-leading 1.06 goals against average and a .957 save percentage, which is also tops in the nation. McKay's four shutouts also lead the nation while his 13 wins ranks second in the country. This is his fifth WCHA Goaltender of the Week award this season – and third in a row – and his 11th career weekly honor (2- Rookie, 9- Goaltender).

 

Forward Nathan Smith registered two points on two assists as top-ranked Minnesota State claimed two home WCHA victories over Lake Superior State last weekend. The Hudson, Fla., native tallied one helper in Friday's 5-1 win before adding a second assist to his totals in Saturday's 2-0 victory over the Lakers. Smith ranks second in scoring in the WCHA and is tied for fourth in the nation in freshmen scoring with 15 points on four goals and 11 assists in 14 games played. This is his third Rookie of the Week honor this season.