The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for the games on February 23-24 and four student-athletes from two different programs have been recognized. Jack Works (Michigan Tech) was the conference’s Forward of the Week, while Kyle Looft (Bemidji State) earned Defenseman of the Week honors for the fourth time in 2023-24. Blake Pietila (Michigan Tech) picked up his third Goaltender of the Week of the year and Rhys Chiddenton (Bemidji State) was the Rookie of the Week.
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CCHA Forward of the Week: Jack Works, Jr., Michigan Tech (Yellowknife, N.W.T.)
Work paced all CCHA skaters with four points last week, dishing out four assists in Michigan Tech’s road sweep of Bowling Green. Posting a +2 on the weekend, he totaled seven shots on goal in the two contests. On Friday, he had a game-high three points, assisting on three goals in a 7-0 win over the Falcons. He then set up the final Huskies tally in a 3-1 victory on Saturday night.
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Kyle Looft, 5th, Bemidji State (Mankato, Minn.)
Looft led all conference blueliners with three points last week, scoring a goal and assisting on two more, as Bemidji State took 5-of-6 points at St. Thomas to grow their lead in the standings. On Friday, he recorded two assists, including one on the overtime-winning goal and notched a game-high four blocked shots in a 6-5 victory. He then scored the opening goal in the Beavers’ 3-1 win on Saturday. For the weekend, he totaled seven shots on goal.
CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Blake Pietila, Sr., Michigan Tech (Howell, Mich.)
Pietila went 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .979 save percentage last week, leading the Huskies to a road sweep of Bowling Green. Stopping 47-of-48 shots, he opened the weekend by recording his 22nd career shutout with a 28-save outing which Tech won, 7-0. He then turned away 19-of-20 attempts on goal in a 3-1 victory on Saturday night.
CCHA Rookie of the Week: Rhys Chiddenton, Fr., Bemidji State (Campbellville, Ont.)
Chiddenton led all league rookies with three points last week, helping Bemidji State take 5-of-6 points from their road series at St. Thomas, in a battle for first place in the CCHA. He opened the weekend with his first collegiate two-helper game in a 6-5 overtime win on Friday night. On Saturday, he earned the primary assist the Beavers’ third goal of the contest, en route to a 3-1 victory. For the weekend, he was a +2 with two shots on goal and two blocks at the defensive end of the ice.
Perry Laskaris
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
Laskaris@ccha.com
(651) 308-1065
2023-24 CCHA Weekly Awards
Forward:
Feb. 26, 2024: Jack Works (MTU)**
Feb. 19, 2024: Jere Vaisanen (BSU)
Feb. 12, 2024: Adam Flammang (BSU)
Feb. 5, 2024: Quinn Emerson (BGSU)
Jan. 29, 2024: Stepan Pokorny (FSU)
Jan. 22, 2024: Lucas Sowder (MSU)
Jan. 15, 2024: Josh Groll (MSU)
Jan. 8, 2024: Lleyton Roed (BSU)
Jan. 2, 2024: Jack Works (MTU)
Dec. 18, 2023: Tim Bakos (LSSU)
Dec. 11, 2023: Carter Jones (BSU)
Dec. 4, 2023: Ryan O'Neill (UST)
Nov. 27, 2023: Ryland Mosley (MTU)
Nov. 20, 2023: Jared Westcott (LSSU)**
Nov. 13, 2023: Artem Shlaine (NMU)
Nov. 6, 2023: Lucas Wahlin (UST)
Oct. 30, 2023: Jared Westcott (LSSU)
Oct. 23, 2023: Liam Malmquist (UST)
Oct. 16, 2023: Tanner Latsch (NMU)
Oct. 9, 2023: Luke Manning (UST)
Defenseman:
Feb. 26, 2024: Kyle Looft (BSU)****
Feb. 19, 2024: Jack Blanchett (LSSU)
Feb. 12, 2024: Eric Pohlkamp (BSU)
Feb. 5, 2024: Michael Bevilacqua (BGSU)
Jan. 29, 2024: Evan Murr (MSU)**
Jan. 22, 2024: Travis Shoudy (FSU)**
Jan. 15, 2024: Evan Bushy (LSSU)
Jan. 8, 2024: Evan Murr (MSU)
Jan. 2, 2024: Chase Pietila (MTU)**
Dec. 18, 2023: Vince Corcoran (BSU)
Dec. 11, 2023: Travis Shoudy (FSU)**
Dec. 4, 2023: Mason Wheeler (MSU)
Nov. 27, 2023: Matthew Campbell (MTU)
Nov. 20, 2023: Kyle Looft (BSU)***
Nov. 13, 2023: Kyle Looft (BSU)**
Nov. 6, 2023: Chase Pietila (MTU)
Oct. 30, 2023: Josh Zinger (NMU)**
Oct. 23, 2023: Kyle Looft (BSU)
Oct. 16, 2023: Josh Zinger (NMU)
Oct. 9, 2023: Travis Shoudy (FSU)
Goaltender:
Feb. 26, 2024: Blake Pietila (MTU)***
Feb. 19, 2024: Cole Moore (BGSU)***
Feb. 12, 2024: Cole Moore (BGSU)**
Feb. 5, 2024: Aaron Trotter (UST)**
Jan. 29, 2024: Easton Hesse (LSSU)
Jan. 22, 2024: Mattias Sholl (BSU)
Jan. 15, 2024: Jake Sibell (UST)**
Jan. 8, 2024: Keenan Rancier (MSU)
Jan. 2, 2024: Blake Pietila (MTU)**
Dec. 18, 2023: Mattias Sholl (BSU)
Dec. 11, 2023: Cole Moore (BGSU)
Dec. 4, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)
Nov. 27: 2023: Beni Halasz (NMU)**
Nov. 20, 2023: Charlie Glockner (NMU)
Nov. 13, 2023: Aaron Trotter (UST)
Nov. 6, 2023: Ethan Langenegger (LSSU)
Oct. 30, 2023: Beni Halasz (NMU)
Oct. 23, 2023: Jake Sibell (UST)
Oct. 16, 2023: Alex Tracy (MSU)
Oct. 9, 2023: Christian Stoever (BGSU)
Rookie:
Feb. 26, 2024: Rhys Chiddenton (BSU)
Feb. 19, 2024: Ben Doran (BGSU)
Feb. 12, 2024: Eric Pohlkamp (BSU)**
Feb. 5, 2024: Kevin Marx Noren (NMU)
Jan. 29, 2024: Isaac Gordon (MTU)***
Jan. 22, 2024: Isaac Gordon (MTU)**
Jan. 15, 2024: Evan Bushy (LSSU)
Jan. 8, 2024: Luigi Benincasa (FSU)***
Jan. 2, 2024: Chase Pietila (MTU)
Dec. 18, 2023: Cam Kungle (LSSU)
Dec. 11, 2023: John Herrington (LSSU)**
Dec. 4, 2023: Luigi Benincasa (FSU)**
Nov. 27: 2023: Brody Waters (BGSU)
Nov. 20, 2023: Luigi Benincasa (FSU)
Nov. 13, 2023: Evan Murr (MSU)
Nov. 6, 2023: Isaac Gordon (MTU)
Oct. 30, 2023: Eric Pohlkamp (BSU)
Oct. 23, 2023: Tanner Latsch (NMU)**
Oct. 16, 2023: Tanner Latsch (NMU)
Oct. 9, 2023: John Herrington (LSSU)
* = Times earned award this year