Aurora University’s Keyes and Trine University’s Kozma
Pick Up Final Men’s Hockey Weekly Awards
Aurora University senior Adam Keyes (F - London, Ontario) is the NCHA Men’s Offensive Players of the Week and Trine University freshman Kyle Kozma (G - Vaughan, Ontario) is the NCHA Men’s Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday.
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Keyes picks up his second NCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors of the season after compiling five huge points (2G/3A) in a weekend series sweep of MSOE, helping Aurora pick up a 4-1 road win and an improbable 7-6 come-from-behind victory to secure the No. 2 seed in the Harris Cup playoffs. In the opener at MSOE on Friday, Keyes had one assist but that set up a huge game on Saturday. Keyes fueled an enormous come from behind win with AU trailing 5-2 heading into the third period before storming back and winning 7-6. He had two goals and two assists with the two goals coming in the third period and one of the helpers coming on the game-winning goal - capping a stretch of three unanswered to give Aurora a 13-3-2 ledger in NCHA regular-season action.
Kozma is the NCHA Defensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week, continuing the hot streak he has been on in net. He helped the Thunder run their winning streak to five games in a row overall by anchoring the defensive effort, helping the program secure the fourth seed in the upcoming Harris Cup Playoffs with a sweep of visiting Lawrence University. On Friday, he finished the day with his third shutout of the season and 22 saves as the team won 3-0. Then on Saturday, he recorded another 20-save outing, allowing just one goal as the team secured a 3-1 victory. For the weekend, he finished with a 0.50 GAA, a .977 save percentage, and held the Vikings to an 0-for-6 showing on the power play.
2022-23 NCHA WEEKLY TOP PERFORMERS
Aaron Brunn, Marian
Brunn helped Marian clinch the No. 6 seed for the NCHA Harris Cup Playoffs with his second win of the season in the opener against Lake Forest. Brunn stopped 29 shots and recorded an .879 save percentage as Marian earned a one-goal road victory.
Colby Entz, St. Norbert
Entz led St. Norbert to a big 6-1 win over No. 3-ranked Adrian on Saturday. Entz fashioned 26 saves between the pipes while facing 27 shots on goal for the Green Knights, who handed the Bulldogs their worst loss to a Division III opponent since January 25, 2019.
Daunte Fortner, Marian
Fortner continued his strong play of late with a three-point weekend against Lake Forest. He opened the series with his fifth multi-point game of the season in the opener. Most notably, he scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation to secure a 5-4 win. He then opened the scoring for the finale of the series with a power-play score. Fortner has recorded at least one point in eight of his last nine games.
Bobby Price, Trine
Price led the way offensively for the Thunder as they swept visiting Lawrence University and secured the four-seed in the upcoming Harris Cup Playoffs. On Friday, he helped get the game going assisting on the first goal before scoring the team’s third as they went on to a 3-0 victory. Then on Saturday he opened the scoring tallying a goal in the 12th minute of the game. He then helped ice the game with a great pass to get the puck out of the defensive zone and set up the empty-netter. He finished the weekend with four points on two goals and two assists.
Gabe Rosek, Concordia Wisconsin
Rosek picked up the shootout victory in the net to clinch the final spot in the Harris Cup Playoffs for the Falcons. He finished the weekend with 55 saves.
Brian Tallieu, Lawrence
Tallieu did everything he could to keep Lawrence in both of its road games at Trine. Tallieu came on in relief in the opening game of the series and stopped all 27 shots he faced over two-plus periods in a 3-0 loss. The following day Tallieu made a season-best 41 saves and allowed two goals in a 3-1 loss to the Thunder. For the weekend, Tallieu posted a 1.28 GAA and a .971 save percentage.
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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*March 2022:
Adrian goes 31-1 to win NCAA National Championship in 2021-22. Adam Krug was named the winner of the Edward Jeremiah Award for the 2021-22 ACHA
Division II-III Men’s Coach of the Year.
*March 2012:
The MCHA had four players earn All-American honors for the first time ever, led by two players who became the first two-time All-Americans in league history in MSOE’s Connor Toomey and Adrian College’s Chris Stansik. The Bulldogs Zach Graham was also named to the first-team and MSOE’s Jordan Keizer was named to the second-team.
*March 2008:
Adrian College ends its first season in the league with a 26-3 record, with Adam Krug earning All-American honors after he led all NCAA hockey players regardless of division in scoring (77 points) and assists (47). Krug was also tied for third for the most goals in Division III hockey with 30.