Aurora University’s Keyes and St. Norbert College’s Roberts
Selected for Men’s Hockey Weekly Awards

Aurora University senior Adam Keyes (F - London, Ontario) is the NCHA Men’s Offensive Player of the Week and St. Norbert College junior Johnny Roberts (G - Landsale, Pa.) is the NCHA Men’s Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.

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Keyes becomes the third different Aurora player to be named NCHA Offensive Player of the Week this season, coming up big as the Spartans swept Concordia University Wisconsin to remain unbeaten in league play and in first place at 10-0-2 (31 points). On Friday night his goal marked the 100th point for his career, becoming the first AU hockey player to surpass the 100-point plateau as the team held on for the 6-5 victory over the Falcons after skating out to a big lead. In the 6-1 win on Saturday at CUW, he collected three more points with a goal and two assists. The goal was his 36th career goal and moved him ahead of teammate Jack Jaunich for first place on the AU all-time scoring list.

Roberts gets selected as the NCHA Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and the third time in his career. Roberts had a very solid weekend in the pipes for St. Norbert, which swept Lake Forest in a series that saw the Green Knights shorthanded due to the World University Games. Roberts made 25 saves in Friday’s 3-1 win, which was 1-1 until the Green Knights scored twice in the final three minutes. He then posted 27 stops in Saturday’s 5-2 victory, which was 2-2 after two periods. For the weekend, he went a perfect 2-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average, 52 total saves, and a .945 save percentage.

2022-23 NCHA WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS

Jaymes Knee, Marian
Knee had a three-point weekend as Marian earned four points against Lawrence. Knee scored the overtime game-winner in the opener of the series. He then had his fifth multi-point game of the season recording a pair of assists in the finale.

Colby Muise, Marian
Muise helped lead Marian to four points against Lawrence making 56 saves with a .933 save percentage in the series. He opened the series with his first shutout of the season making 23 saves in an overtime win. He then made 33 saves in the finale where he allowed four goals but one came on a power play and another was with an extra attacker on the ice.

Ryan Pitoscia, Adrian
Pitoscia finished the weekend with a pair of goals and a pair of assists against Finlandia. One of his goals was a game winning goal. He totaled 5 shots and went +3 on the weekend

Michael Spethmann, St. Norbert
Spethmann came up big in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Lake Forest, scoring two goals and one assist for three points in a game that saw St. Norbert dress just 17 skaters. Spethmann snapped a 2-2 tie at the 2:55 mark of the third period, and then scored the game-clinching empty-net goal with just over two minutes remaining. He assisted on the first goal of the game.

Nic Tallarico, Adrian
Tallarico got the start in goal on Friday night against Finlandia. The Bulldogs won 6-0 giving Tallarico his first shutout of his career. He faced on 7 shots with 0 coming in the third period.

Twenty-five years of NCHA men’s hockey.
It captures so many emotions that it’s difficult to wrap your head around.

All the moments … the National Championships, the standout players, the dramatic finishes, the thrilling upsets, the league championships, the Harris Cup highlights, the leaders ...

During this historic 25th season, the NCHA will celebrate everything that has made the conference special. Players are now wearing commemorative jersey patches. In addition, the weekly release will include a section highlighting historical events from 1998 to the most recent action.

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*February 2002:
Ryan Moren, a defensemen for MSOE From 1998-2002, becomes the first player to earn MCHA All-Conference honors in all four seasons.

*January 9, 2004
Marian University claims the league’s first-ever defeat of a nationally-ranked opponent, topping No. 5 River Falls by a final score of 4-2.

*March 2018:
The NCHA sends three teams to the
NCAA Tournament for the first time in league history in March of 2018, with St. Norbert College (27-4-1/AQ), Adrian College (24-6-0/at-large), and Marian University (20-8-1/at-large) all earning a spot in the championship field.