NAHL Alumni Update
Current Western Michigan defenseman and NAHL, NAPHL alum Zak Galambos was named the NCHC Defenseman of the Week.
Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week: Connor Hasley, Bentley (Odessa Jackalopes) - Bentley’s Connor Hasley backstopped the Falcons to a 5-1 win over Maine on Saturday to earn his first career victory. The North Tonawanda, N.Y., native stopped 33-of-34 shots faced and made 15 saves in the third period to close out the win. Hasley also came off the bench on Thursday to stop eight-of-nine shots in 29 minutes of action at Union on Thursday. This is Hasley’s first Atlantic Hockey weekly honor of the season.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Alex Tracy, G, Minnesota State (Johnstown Tomahawks) - Tracy stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced in helping the fifth-ranked Mavericks to a weekend sweep of fourth-ranked Minnesota Duluth. On Friday, he earned his first career win and shutout, saving 16 in a 6-0 victory over the Bulldogs. He then made 15 stops in a 2-1 triumph on Saturday night.
ECAC Defenseman of the Week: Lauri Sertti, RPI (Amarillo Bulls) - Lauri Sertti (Jr., Rensselaer) made a big impact on the ice for the Engineers this weekend, finishing with a goal and two assists in the team’s two wins. On Friday, Sertti scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Long Island, an unassisted tally halfway through the third period. He also assisted on two of the Engineers’ seven goals and blocked one shot in the team’s defeat of Army on Saturday.
ECAC Goaltender of the Week: Emil Zetterquist, St. Lawrence (Coulee Region Chill) - Emil Zetterquist (Gr., St. Lawrence) secured his second and third wins of the season this weekend when the Saints took on Colorado College in Canton. Zetterquist finished the weekend with two wins and 49 saves against the Tigers, and successfully defended against six minor and one major penalty.
ECAC Rookie of the Week: John Prokop, D, Union (Janesville Jets) - Defender John Prokop (Fr., Union) registered five assists this weekend in Union’s weekend split against Bentley and RIT. On Thursday, Prokop assisted on three of the Dutchmen’s five goals, including helping the team convert on all three power play opportunities. Prokop registered an assist on Union’s opening and final goals on Friday, though the team ultimately fell to the Tigers in Rochester.
Hockey East Player of the Week: Luke Pavicich, G, UMass (Kenai River Brown Bears) - Luke Pavicich (So., G; Clarence Center, N.Y.) posted a pair of wins and stopped 75 of 77 shots against #1 Denver, backstopping the Minutemen to a weekend sweep of the Pioneers. He had 45 saves in Friday’s 4-2 win, as both goals scored came with an extra Denver attacker, including a 6-on-4 opportunity. The sophomore followed up with a 30-save shutout, his first of his career, as UMass completed the weekend sweep of Denver with a 3-0 win. He posted a 1.00 goals against average and a .974 save percentage over 119:53 in net.
NCHC Forward of the Week: Max Sasson, Western Michigan (Brookings Blizzard) - Sasson played a big role in helping lead Western Michigan to a home-and-home sweep of Bowling Green, racking up five points in the series. In Thursday’s 4-1 win in Kalamazoo, he had a hand in three of the goals for a season-high three points. Sasson set up the opening goal that gave WMU an early 1-0 lead. He then scored midway through the third period to push the lead to 3-1 on a give-and-go, before assisting on the Broncos’ final tally. The next night in Bowling Green, Sasson scored the game-winning goal and tacked on WMU’s final goal in an 8-2 rout. Sasson finished the series with three goals and two primary assists. One of his goals came on the power play, while he finished with a +3 plus/minus. He also fired seven shots on goal in the sweep and went 16-for-29 (.552) in the faceoff circle. On the season, Sasson is now second on the team with six points (3g/3a).
NCHC Defenseman of the Week: Zak Galambos, Western Michigan (Johnstown/Janesville) - Galambos was a force at both ends of the ice in the Broncos’ sweep of Bowling Green. He chipped in three points offensively, while playing on a penalty kill that finished 7-for-8 in the series and limited the Falcons to three goals all weekend. In Thursday’s series opener, the AIC transfer tallied an assist and led a penalty kill unit that was a perfect 5-for-5 in a 4-1 victory. A night later in Bowling Green, Galambos scored two goals for his second collegiate multi-goal game (first with WMU). He scored the game’s first goal only 1:14 into the contest and added WMU’s seventh goal in an 8-2 victory. Galambos finished the weekend with a +7 plus/minus, including a career-high +6 Friday as he was on the ice for every even-strength goal the Broncos scored. Along with his two goals and assist in the series, he also fired six shots on goal and blocked two shots. On the season, Galambos now has three goals and four points in five games, with his three goals tying for the team lead.
NCHC Goalie of the Week: Jake Kucharski, Omaha (Austin Bruins) - Kucharski came up clutch for Omaha, backstopping the Mavericks to a win and a tie on the road at Lake Superior State. In Friday’s opener, the AIC transfer compiled 20 saves and allowed only a power play goal to help Omaha earn its first win of the season with a 4-1 victory. The next night, Kurcharski entered in relief midway through the first period with the Mavericks already down 4-0. He didn’t allow a goal the rest of the game in more than 51 minutes of action, stopping all nine shots he saw to allow Omaha to rally for a 4-4 overtime tie. Kucharski ended the weekend with a 1-0-1 record and a .967 save percentage, stopping 29 of 30 shots in the two games. He also compiled a 0.54 goals-against average against the Lakers, not allowing a single even-strength goal all weekend. Kurcharski improved to 1-1-1 on the season, while upping his season save percentage to .896 and lowering his season GAA to 1.77.
