Hockey POW for CCHA and NCHC

CCHA Forward of the Week: Tristan Lemyre, Sr., Minnesota State (Mirabel, Que.) 

Lemyre led the Mavericks to a road sweep of Northern Michigan last week, scoring two goals with one assist for three points. Posting a +1 rating, he had five shots on goal with one power-play tally and one block defensively, while playing 18:28 minutes per contest. On Friday, he scored a goal in Minnesota State’s 4-0 shutout of the Wildcats. He then had a goal before assisting on the eventual-game winner in a 3-2 win on Saturday.

CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Nick Williams, Jr., St. Thomas (Edina, Minn.) 

Williams led conference blueliners with two points on a goal and an assist in St. Thomas’ five-point road sweep of Michigan Tech last week. Recording a nation-leading 15 blocked shots over the two contests, he was even with six shots on goal and averaged 21:05 minutes per game. No men’s Division I skater has recorded more than his nine blocks on Saturday night since February 19, 2022, when Colgate’s Pierson Brandon had 10 against St. Lawrence. 

CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Alex Tracy, Sr., Minnesota State (Chicago, Ill.) 

Tracy continued his stalwart play this week, leading CCHA netminders in wins (2), goals-against average (1.00), save percentage (.971), total saves (66) and shutouts (1). He was tops in country in save percentage and shutouts and his save total was second-highest. On Friday, he turned away all 35 shots he faced for his second shutout of the year. He then stopped 31-of-33 Wildcats attempts in a 3-2 victory on Saturday.

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CCHA Rookie of the Week: Lucas Van Vliet, Fr., St. Thomas (Livonia, Mich.) 

Van Vliet earned his second straight Rookie of the Week honor after pacing conference freshmen in goals (3), points (3), plus-minus (+3), shots (13), penalty minutes (4), shorthanded goals (1) and game-winning goals (1). No rookie in the nation had more goals or shots last week, as the Tommies took 5-of-6 points from a road series against Michigan Tech. On Friday, he scored twice, including the game-tying goal with 1.2 seconds left, before burying the shootout-winner in a 3-3 tie. He then netted a shorthanded goal that stood as the game-winner in a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Three teams are once again represented among the KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 17-23, 2025, including a pair of Western Michigan Broncos following their series sweep. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC honors for Week 8 are:

• Forward – Zaccharya Wisdom, Western Michigan, Jr.
• Defenseman – Eric Pohlkamp, Denver, Jr.
• Goaltender – Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, So.
• Rookie – David Deputy, Miami, F

This is Wisdom’s second career NCHC Forward of the Week honor and first since earning it as a freshman at Colorado College in February of 2024.

Pohlkamp is the Defenseman of the Week for the third time this season and second time in three weeks, with a Pioneer blueliner winning the award each of the last three weeks (also Boston Buckberger). This is Pohlkamp’s sixth career NCHC Defenseman of the Week nod.

Slukynsky gloved his second Goalie of the Week honor this season, while he was a three-time Rookie of the Week last year en route to Second-Team All-NCHC honors.

Deputy claimed his first career NCHC honor on Tuesday. He’s the fourth different Miami freshman to earn a weekly award this season.

FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Zaccharya Wisdom, Western Michigan
Junior Forward
Toronto, Ont.

Wisdom helped lead No. 7 Western Michigan to a sweep at Omaha last weekend, totaling four points with multiple points both nights. In Friday’s opener, the Seattle Kraken draft pick recorded his first multi-goal game as a Bronco, scoring in the second and third periods to help WMU pull away for a 7-2 victory. He was named Third Star of the Game on Friday. The next night, Wisdom scored WMU’s second goal in a 4-2 win, while assisting on the Broncos’ final goal to seal the victory. He was tabbed Second Star on Saturday. The games marked the second and third multi-point outings of the season for the Colorado College transfer.

Wisdom finished the weekend with three goals and an assist, with the three goals tying for first in the NCHC on the weekend. He also posted a +4 plus/minus in the series, which tied for the best in the NCHC, and fired eight shots on goal, with four each night. He blocked two shots on Saturday, as well. In 14 games this season, Wisdom now has 10 points and six goals.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK

Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Junior Defenseman
Baxter, Minn.

Pohlkamp continued his stellar season over the weekend, helping No. 4 Denver to a regulation win and four points at Arizona State. In Friday’s opener, the San Jose Sharks draft pick recorded his second three-point game of the season and sixth of his career. He scored two goals in Friday’s 7-1 win – his second multi-goal game of the season — tallying the first goal of the game and DU’s fourth on the power play. Pohlkamp also added a primary assist on the third goal and was tabbed Second Star of the Game. In the series finale Saturday, Pohlkamp was held off the scoresheet but fired seven shots on goal in an overtime loss.

Pohlkamp completed the series with two goals, an assist, a +1 plus/minus, 11 shots on goal and three blocked shots. He was the only NCHC defenseman with two goals over the weekend, while the three points tied for first among NCHC blueliners. On the season, Pohlkamp is second among NCHC defensemen with 16 points in 14 games, while his 10 goals lead all NCAA blueliners and rank third among all NCHC skaters. He was a Third-Team All-NCHC selection last year and was tabbed Preseason All-NCHC this year.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Sophomore Goaltender
Warroad, Minn.

Slukynsky backstopped the No. 7 Broncos to a sweep at Omaha last weekend, the only NCHC goalie to earn two wins during the past week, while stretching his win streak to four. In Friday’s opener, the Los Angeles Kings draft pick racked up 21 saves in a 7-2 victory, including 10 saves in the second period. The next night, Slukynsky totaled 27 saves in a 4-2 win, holding Omaha scoreless in the first frame with 14 stops. He also picked up an assist on Saturday, his first of the season, on the empty-net goal that sealed the win.

Slukynsky finished the series 2-0-0, while totaling 48 saves on 52 shots faced for a .923 save percentage. His 2.00 goals-against average was second in the NCHC on the weekend. He also helped WMU go 2-for-3 on the penalty kill in the series, stopping 7-of-8 short-handed shots faced. Slukynsky improved to 9-5-0 in 14 starts this year, lowering his season GAA to 2.81 and upping his season save percentage to .888. Like Pohlkamp, he was a Preseason All-NCHC selection.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

David Deputy, Miami
Freshman Forward
Gurnee, Ill.

Deputy had a breakout weekend for Miami in a split with St. Cloud State, totaling four points in the series while tripling his season points total. He scored the first two goals of his career, with one each night, while also adding an assist each game. In Friday’s opener, Deputy tallied his first career goal, breaking a 3-3 tie in an eventual 6-5 overtime win for the RedHawks. He also handed out the lone assist on MU’s third goal Friday for his first career multi-point game.

Deputy repeated the feat on Saturday, as he had a hand in both Miami goals in a 4-2 loss. First, he dished out the primary assist on a power play goal, then scored his second goal of the weekend to bring Miami within one at 3-2. Deputy was tabbed Second Star of the Game both nights against the Huskies.

Deputy totaled two goals and two assists in the series, leading NCHC freshmen in goals and points on the weekend. He also fired 13 shots on goal against SCSU, including a career-high eight on Saturday, which led all NCHC skaters on the weekend. Deputy finished with a +2 plus/minus in the series. On the season, the freshman now has six points (2g/4a) in seven games after missing time due to an injury.