Men's Ice Hockey

CCHA Players of the Week: February 10-11

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for the games of February 10-11 and four student-athletes from three different programs have been recognized. Kyle Kukkonen (Michigan Tech) and Brett Thorne (Michigan Tech) were named Forward and Defenseman of the Week, respectively, while Beni Halasz (Northern Michigan) was the Goaltender of the Week and Lleyton Roed (Bemidji State) was named Rookie of the Week. 

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CCHA Forward of the Week: Kyle Kukkonen, Fr., Michigan Tech (Maple Grove, Minn.)  
 
Kukkonen led all CCHA skaters with four goals for four points last week, helping then-No. 12 Michigan Tech lock up home ice through the semifinals of the Mason Cup Playoffs with a split against Bowling Green. Scoring twice in each game, his eight shots on goal were second-most in the league and his +2 was good for third. On Friday, he netted both Huskies’ goals in a 5-2 loss, before scoring Tech’s first and last goals in a 4-2 win on Saturday.  

 
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Brett Thorne, Jr., Michigan Tech (Halifax, N.S.) 
 
Thorne paced conference blueliners with three points on three assists last weekend, helping then-No. 12 Michigan Tech to a split with Bowling Green, including a 4-2 win on Saturday, which clinched home ice in the first two rounds of the Mason Cup Playoffs. Finishing even in the two games, he had one helper on Friday, before assisting on the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goals on Saturday. The co-captain also helped the penalty kill go 7-for-8 in the two contests.
CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Beni Halasz, Fr., Northern Michigan (Budapest, Hungary) 
 
Halasz helped Northern Michigan to a road split at St. Thomas, going 1-1-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage, which were both tops among CCHA netminders. On Friday, he made 29 saves to earn his second collegiate shutout in a 3-0 victory. He then turned away 30-of-33 shots in a 4-2 defeat on Saturday. He was a perfect 13-of-13 while the Wildcats were shorthanded, leading the penalty kill to a 10-for-10 weekend. 
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Lleyton Roed, Fr., Bemidji State (White Bear Lake, Minn.) 
 
Roed recorded a goal and an assist for two points last week, helping Bemidji State to a road split at Ferris State. His eight shots were good for eighth on the team and second among all CCHA skaters. He had three shots in a 3-2 loss on Friday, before notching a goal and an assist with a game-high five shots in a 6-2 victory on Saturday. Finishing even for the weekend, he has now collected five Rookie of the Week awards this season. 

For more information, contact: 

Perry Laskaris 
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement 
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) 
Laskaris@ccha.com 
(651) 308-1065 
 


2022-23 CCHA Weekly Awards
 
Forward:
Feb. 13, 2023: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)
Feb. 6, 2023: Luc Laylin (UST)
Jan. 30, 2023, David Silye (MSU)***
Jan. 23, 2023: Mack Byers (UST)
Jan. 16, 2023: Brendan Furry (MSU)
Jan. 9, 2023: Austen Swankler (BGSU)**
Jan. 3, 2023: Mitch Deelstra (FSU)
Dec. 19, 2022: Jakub Lewandowski (BSU)
Dec. 12, 2022: Kristof Papp (NMU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Taylor Schneider (BGSU)
Nov. 28, 2022: David Silye (MSU)**
Nov. 21, 2022: Nathan Burke (BGSU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Ryan O'Hara (BGSU)
Nov. 7, 2022: David Silye (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Louis Boudon (LSSU)
Oct. 24, 2022: AJ Vanderbeck (NMU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Sam Morton (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Mitchell Martan (BSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Austen Swankler (BGSU)

Defenseman:
Feb. 13, 2023: Brett Thorne (MTU)***
Feb. 6, 2023: Andy Carroll (MSU)**
Jan. 30, 2023: Jacob Bengtsson (LSSU)
Jan. 23, 2023: Akito Hirose (MSU)
Jan. 16, 2023: Jared Kucharek (LSSU)
Jan. 9, 2023: Jake Livingstone (MSU)***
Jan. 3, 2023: Brett Thorne (MTU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Brenden MacLaren (FSU)
Dec. 12, 2022: Matt Slick (FSU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Elias Rosen (BSU)**
Nov. 28, 2022: Elias Rosen (BSU)
Nov. 21, 2022: Brett Thorne (MTU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Will Zmolek (BSU)
Nov. 7, 2022: Andy Carroll (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Jake Livingstone (MSU)**
Oct. 24, 2022: Ethan Gauer (UST)
Oct. 17, 2022: Akito Hirose (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Jake Livingstone (MSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Aiden Gallacher (NMU)

Goaltender:
Feb. 13, 2023: Beni Halasz (NMU)
Feb. 6, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)******
Jan. 30, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)*****
Jan. 23, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)****
Jan. 16, 2023: Keenan Rancier (MSU)
Jan. 9, 2023; Blake Pietila (MTU)***
Jan. 3, 2023: Christian Stoever (BGSU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)***
Dec. 12, 2022: Alex Tracy (MSU)
Dec. 3, 2022: Noah Giesbecht (FSU)**
Nov. 28, 2022: Aaron Trotter (UST)
Nov. 21, 2022: Noah Giesbrecht (FSU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)**
Nov. 7, 2022: Christian Stoever (BGSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Blake Pietila (MTU)**
Oct. 24, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Blake Pietila (MTU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Zack Rose (BGSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Logan Stein (FSU)

Rookie:
Feb. 13, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)*****
Feb. 6, 2023: Joey Larson (NMU)***
Jan. 30, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)****
Jan. 23, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)***
Jan. 16, 2023: Aaron Trotter (UST)
Jan. 9, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)**
Jan. 3, 2023: Connor McGrath (FSU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Jake Braccini (UST)
Dec. 12, 2022: Christian Fitzgerald (MSU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Andrew Noel (FSU)
Nov. 28, 2022: Josh Eernisse (UST)
Nov. 21, 2022: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Joey Larson (NMU)**
Nov. 7, 2022: Luc Wilson (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Beni Halasz (NMU)
Oct. 24: 2022: Lleyton Roed (BSU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Alex Tracy (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Connor McGrath (FSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Joey Larson (NMU)

* = Times earned award this year