By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net and College Hockey
Looking at the top 20 this season, the top teams are winning and have not faced conference competition. The Big Ten has six of their seven teams in the Top 20 with MSU leading the way at number four.
Others receiving votes: Augustana 51, UMass Lowell 41, Penn State 33, Northeastern 31, Harvard 29, Michigan Tech 18, New Hampshire 15, Minnesota Duluth 7, Dartmouth 6, Arizona State 5, Connecticut 4, RIT 4, Clarkson 3, Sacred Heart 3, St. Thomas 3, Bemidji State 2, Holy Cross 2, Union 2, Bowling Green 1, Brown 1, Robert Morris 1, St. Lawrence 1
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for October 17-19 and four student-athletes from four different programs have been recognized. Josh Groll (Minnesota State) earned Forward of the Week honors, while Tynan Ewart (Northern Michigan) was the Defenseman of the Week. Josh Kotai (Augustana) collected the first weekly award in Vikings program history, being named Goaltender of the Week and William Ahlrik (Lake Superior State) was the Rookie of the Week.
CCHA Forward of the Week: Josh Groll, Gr., Minnesota State (San Diego, Calif.)
Groll paced all CCHA skaters with three goals last week, helping then-No. 20 Minnesota State to a split with then-No. 5 North Dakota. For the week, he was a +4 with six shots on goal and one block at the defensive end of the ice. Scoring twice on Friday in a 3-2 defeat, he added his third tally on Saturday night in a 3-0 shutout win for the Mavericks.
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Tynan Ewart, So., Northern Michigan (Duncan, B.C.)
Ewart led CCHA blueliners with two points on the weekend, including a goal and an assist. Posting a +2 rating, he helped Northern Michigan to a split with Alaska Anchorage, totaling three shots on goal and seven blocks, which was good for second-most among all conference skaters. He set up the Wildcats’ first goal in a 2-1 win on Friday night, before scoring his first of the year on Saturday in a 5-3 loss.
CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Josh Kotai, So., Augustana (Abbotsford, B.C.)
Kotai went 2-0-0 with league-bests in goals-against average (0.50) and save percentage (.985) last week, leading the Vikings to a sweep of then-No. 12 Omaha. He totaled 67 stops on the weekend, including all nine while Augustana was shorthanded to help the penalty kill go 7-for-7. On Friday, he made 34 saves in a 2-1 victory, before posting his second career shutout in a 4-0 win on Saturday, turning away 33.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: William Ahlrik, Fr., Lake Superior State (Tidaholm, Sweden)
Ahlrik scored two goals, including a game-winner, to help Lake Superior State to a split with Stonehill last week. Posting a +2 rating on the week, he notched five shots on goal and won 62.5% of his face-offs. His weekend was highlighted by scoring twice on Saturday in a 3-0 Lakers victory, winning 8-of-12 draws. He opened the scoring in the later stages of the opening period and added an insurance tally late in the sec
Big Ten Hockey Players-of-the-Week
Minnesota and Ohio State Claim Three Stars Awards– Gophers’ Clark, Buckeyes’ Montes and Terness receive weekly honors
First Star
Max Montes, Ohio State
So. – F – Hartland, Wis. — Dubuque (USHL)
- Scored game-winning goals both nights as Ohio State swept No. 16/15 Wisconsin in Madison in the first Big Ten series of the season
- Found the back of the net twice in the series opener, providing the decisive goal with 17 seconds left in overtime
- Scored a third period goal Saturday and leads the Buckeyes with five goals on the season
- Earns his first Big Ten Star award
- Last Ohio State First Star: Logan Terness (Oct. 31, 2023)
Second Star
Jimmy Clark, Minnesota
So. – F – Edina, Minn. – Green Bay (USHL)
- Garnered a team-best five points (goal, four assists) in Minnesota’s road sweep of Minnesota Duluth, a team which received votes in the national polls
- Produced a career-high three assists (all in the first period) on Friday as No. 6/6 Minnesota rolled to a 7-5 win
- Recorded a goal, an assist and won 10 faceoffs in a 5-1 victory on Saturday
- The Minnesota Wild draft pick collects his first Big Ten weekly honor
- Last Minnesota Star recipient: Connor Kurth (Second Star, Oct. 15, 2024)
Third Star
Logan Terness, Ohio State
Sr. – G – North Vancouver, B.C. – UConn
- Turned away 37 of 38 shots in Ohio State’s 2-1 overtime win over No. 16/15 Wisconsin Friday at the Kohl Center
- Lone goal allowed was on the power play early in the first period — kept the Badgers off the board the final 61:08 of the game
- Made 17 saves in the second period, 13 saves in the third and three saves in overtime
- Receives his second career Star award, having been named First Star on Oct. 31, 2023
- Last Ohio State Star selection: Scooter Brickey (Second Star, Feb. 20, 2024)