The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for the games of February 17-18 and four student-athletes from two different programs have been recognized. Andre Ghantous (Northern Michigan) was named Forward of the Week, while Simon Kjellberg (Northern Michigan) earned Defenseman of the Week honors. Aaron Trotter (St. Thomas) was the Goaltender of the Week and Joe Larson (Northern Michigan) collected Rookie of the Week. 

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CCHA Forward of the Week: Andre Ghantous, Sr., Northern Michigan (Glendale, Calif.)  
 
Ghantous paced all CCHA skaters with five points on three goals and two assists last weekend, leading the Wildcats to a sweep of Ferris State. On Friday, he recorded a goal and an assist on four shots in a 9-2 victory over the Bulldogs, before potting two goals and one helper in an 8-3 triumph on Saturday. For the week, he had three power play tallies and six shots on goal.  
 
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Simon Kjellberg, Jr., Northern Michigan (Stockholm, Sweden) 
 
Kjellberg led all conference blueliners with three points on two goals and one assist in a sweep of Ferris State last weekend. He post a +4 with one game-winning goal, one power play tally, five shots and five blocks at the defensive end of the ice. On Friday, he had a goal and an assist in a 9-2 Wildcats win, before netting the game-winner in an 8-3 victory on Saturday night. 

 
CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Aaron Trotter, Fr., St. Thomas (Victoria, B.C.) 
 
Trotter posted a two-start, CCHA-best .946 save percentage last week, going 1-1-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average in a road split with Lake Superior State. Making league-high 53 saves on 56 shots, he turned away 23 in a 2-1 loss to the Lakers on Friday, before stopping 30-of-31 shots in a 2-1 Tommies victory on Saturday night. He made 11 saves on 13 shots while St. Thomas was shorthanded, including 9-of-10 on Saturday. 

 
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Joey Larson, Fr., Northern Michigan (Brighton, Mich.) 
 
Larson led all CCHA rookies with four points last week, scoring two goals with two assists in a home sweep of Ferris State. Second among all league skaters with nine shots on goal, he recorded his first-career two-goal game on Friday, helping the Wildcats to a 9-2 victory, before dishing out a pair of helpers in an 8-3 win on Saturday. For the week, he was a +4 with one block defensively. 


For more information, contact: 

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

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2022-23 CCHA Weekly Awards
 
Forward:
Feb. 20, 2023: Andre Ghantous (NMU)
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. 20, 2023: Simon Kjellberg (NMU)
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. 20, 2023: Aaron Trotter (UST)**
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. 20, 2023: Joey Larson (NMU)****
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