COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Three teams are represented among the KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Jan. 13-19, 2025, including a pair of Western Michigan Broncos. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC honors for Week 14 are:
- Forward – Alex Bump, Western Michigan, So.
- Defenseman – Dylan Gratton, Omaha, Jr.
- Goaltender – Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr.
- Rookie – Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, forward
Three of the four recipients are repeat winners from earlier this season, with Gratton landing his first career NCHC weekly honor. Bump earned his second Forward of the Week nod this season and the third NCHC weekly honor of his career, also earning Rookie of the Week once last year. Rowe gloved his third NCHC Goalie of the Week award in 2024-25 and 11th of his career, while Plante picked up his second Rookie of the Week honor this season.
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Alex Bump, Western Michigan
Sophomore Forward
Prior Lake, Minn.
Bump was a force to be reckoned with in Western Michigan’s sweep of then-No. 14 North Dakota, tying for the NCHC weekend lead with five points and leading all NCHC players with four goals. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick recorded multiple goals in both wins, including the final two goals in Friday’s 3-2, comeback win in overtime. Bump tied the game early in the third period, then scored the game-winner only 14 seconds into the extra session. The next night, Bump notched a season-high three points, assisting on WMU’s second goal, which ended up as the game-winner, before scoring the game’s final two goals to seal the 5-1 victory. The sophomore was tabbed First Star of the Game both nights at UND.
Bump finished the series with four goals, including two power play goals and a game-winner, and an assist. He fired an NCHC-high 18 shots on goal, double that of any other NCHC player on the weekend, with 10 shots on goal Friday and eight more on Saturday. He was +2 on the weekend.
Bump is now riding a four-game point streak, including three straight multi-point outings, and has at least a point in eight of his last 10 games. In 20 games this season, he leads the Broncos with 20 points, which ties for eighth in the NCHC, and is tied for second on the team with nine goals.
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Dylan Gratton, Omaha
Junior Defenseman
Pottstown, Pa.
Gratton had his best weekend of the season offensively and also played a key role on the blue line, helping limit the RedHawks to only two goals in Omaha’s sweep at Miami. The Penn State transfer scored his first two goals of the season in Oxford, Ohio, with one each night, marking his first career games with back-to-back goals. On Friday, Gratton scored his first goal of the year mid-way through the third period to seal a 4-1 win. The next night, he scored the game-winning goal, breaking a 1-1 tie with less than a second remaining in the first period in an eventual 3-1 victory. Gratton was named First Star of the Game Saturday and Third Star on Friday.
Gratton was the lone NCHC defenseman to tally two goals on the weekend, while he also blocked three shots in the sweep and fired four shots on goal, including three on Saturday. He finished with a +2 plus/minus, going +1 each night, and helped UNO’s penalty kill end the weekend a perfect 4-for-4.
In 22 games this season, Gratton now has nine points (2g/7a), which is second on Omaha’s team among defensemen. He played in his 90th career collegiate game on Friday night.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan
Graduate Student Goaltender
Wilmette, Ill.
Rowe was rock solid in his lone appearance of the weekend, backstopping Western Michigan to an overtime win at then-No. 14 North Dakota on Friday. The Broncos needed all 29 saves Rowe made in the series opener, including 11 in the middle stanza and 10 in the final frame, before WMU won, 3-2, in the extra session. He stopped both shots he faced on UND’s two power plays as well, as the Broncos went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in the victory. Rowe was named Second Star of the Game on Friday.
Rowe finished Friday’s game with a .935 save percentage with 29 saves on 31 shots faced, while posting a 1.99 goals-against average. With the win, Rowe improved to 11-1-0 in 12 starts this season. He ranks third in the NCHC with a 1.83 GAA on the year and is fourth in the conference with a .931 save percentage.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Hermantown, Minn.
Plante continued his strong run of play since his return from injury, tallying three points in a split at then-No. 18 Colorado College. In Friday’s opener, the Detroit Red Wings draft pick dished out the lone assist on a short-handed goal and was +1 in a 7-2 loss. The next night, Plante powered UMD to a 4-1 win, scoring the game’s opening goal on the power play and handing out the primary assist on another power play tally. He was named Second Star of the Game in Saturday’s win.
Plante stretched his point streak to six games, including three multi-point games in that span after Saturday’s two-point outing. He finished the series with a goal and two assists, giving him a goal in five of his last six games. Plante fired four shots on goal at CC, blocked two shots and was +1 on the weekend.
Despite only playing in nine games so far this season, Plante is tied for fifth on the team with 12 points (5g/7a). His 1.33 points per game this season rank second in the NCHC among all skaters.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Forward of the Week
Ryan Kirwan, Arizona State
Noah Laba, Colorado College
Defenseman of the Week
Noah Beck, Arizona State
Max Burkholder, Colorado College
Samuel Sjolund, Western Michigan
Goaltender of the Week
Gibson Homer, Arizona State
Rookie of the Week
Owen Beckner, Colorado College
John Emmons, Miami
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Liam Watkins, Omaha
