The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced the Finalists for Defenseman of the Year, Goaltender of the Year and Forward of the Year and nine student-athletes from five different programs have been recognized. The winners of each award will be announced on Thursday.
Notable Links:
CCHA Defenseman of the Year Finalist: Kyle Looft, 5th, Bemidji State (Mankato, Minn.)
The Beavers’ captain, Looft led all CCHA skaters in plus-minus in league action at +16 and paced conference blueliners in assists (14) and points (18), despite playing in only 20 games. Scoring four goals, including one on the power play, he was fifth among all skaters and first among defensemen in multi-point games (5). He blocked 28 shots at the defensive end and earned CCHA Scholar-Athlete Team recognition.
CCHA Defenseman of the Year Finalist: Evan Murr, Fr., Minnesota State (Stillwater, Minn.)
Murr led all CCHA defensemen with 18 points during conference play this season, finishing fifth among all skaters with 13 assists and five multi-point games. Adding five goals, including one game-winner, he totaled eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) while the Mavericks were on the power play and blocked 16 shots at the defensive end. His 50 shots on goal were good for fifth on Minnesota State and he ended conference play with an even plus-minus. He began his CCHA career with points in four consecutive league games.
CCHA Defenseman of the Year Finalist: Eric Pohlkamp, Fr., Bemidji State (Brainerd, Minn.)
Pohlkamp led all CCHA blueliners with six goals and 68 shots during conference play and was third with 16 points. Two of his tallies were game-winners and he recorded five points (3 goals, 2 assists) on the man-advantage. Playing in 20 of a possible 24 league contests, he recorded at least one point in every conference series that he appeared in, finishing with a plus-minus of +8. He helped the Beavers lift their second MacNaughton Cup as regular season champions and first since 2017.
CCHA Goaltender of the Year Finalist: Blake Pietila, Sr., Michigan Tech (Howell, Mich.)
Pietila went 12-9-2 with a 2.05 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage, leading the league in conference wins, games played (23), shutouts (3) and total saves (578). He finished third in goals-against average and save percentage, helping the Huskies to three shootout victories and a place in the Mason Cup Semifinals. Twice named CCHA Goaltender of the Month (December & February), he was the league Student-Athlete of the Year and has three Goaltender of the Week awards this season.
CCHA Goaltender of the Year Finalist: Mattias Sholl, Jr., Bemidji State (Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
Sholl led conference netminders in goals-against average (2.03) and winning percentage (.786), going 10-2-2 with a .924 save percentage in 14 games for the Beavers. Posting one shutout in conference play, he had 342 saves, including a season-high 46 in a 2-2 tie with Michigan Tech. Allowing two goals or fewer in 11 of his 14 starts, he made 25 or more saves in seven league contests.
CCHA Goaltender of the Year Finalist: Jake Sibell, Jr., St. Thomas (Isanti, Minn.)
Sibell went 6-5-0 with a 2.04 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage, which were good for second and first, respectively, among CCHA netminders during conference action. Making 290 total saves, he allowed a single goal in six of his 14 appearances and turned away at least 25 shots in eight games.
CCHA Forward of the Year Finalist: Sam Morton, Sr., Minnesota State (Lafayette, Colo.)
Morton paced all CCHA skaters in goals (15), goals per game (0.63), power-play goals (8), shots (102), face-off wins (292) and face-off wins per game (12.2). Adding six assists, he was fourth in points (21) and face-off percentage (56.3%). The CCHA Forward of the Month in January after totaling six goals and three assists for nine points, he had four multi-point games, including three points on three different occasions. He opened the Mavericks’ CCHA schedule with a five-game point streak (six goals, 4 assists) and added a six-game streak in January (4 goals, 2 assists).
CCHA Forward of the Year Finalist: Lleyton Roed, So., Bemidji State (White Bear Lake, Minn.)
Roed finished fourth in the CCHA in points (21), recording 10 goals and 11 assists in 24 games for the Beavers. Posting a +3 plus-minus, three of his tallies came on the power play, one was shorthanded and two were game-winners. He was second in the league in multi-point games (7) and recorded 61 shots on goal, with 18 blocks defensively. On December 15, he scored a goal and dished out a pair of assists in a 5-2 victory over Bowling Green. The one-time CCHA Forward of the Week has helped the Beavers reach the Mason Cup Semifinals.
CCHA Forward of the Year Finalist: Jared Westcott, Sr., Lake Superior State (Imperial, Mo.)
Westcott was second in the CCHA in conference scoring, totaling 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists in 24 games for the Lakers. Posting a +3 plus-minus, he led the league in multi-point games (8), scoring once on the power play, while one of his markers was a game-winner. Registering a team-high 68 shots on goal, he blocked six at the defensive end. The two-time CCHA Forward of the Month (October & November) produced four three-point games, which all came in November, helping him earn National Player of the Month honors.
Voting for the 2023-24 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The league's year-end award announcements continue tomorrow with the Best Defensive Forward (10am ET), Best Defensive Defenseman (12pm ET) and Rookie of the Year (2pm ET).
The 2024 Mason Cup Playoffs resume this Saturday, with fourth-seeded Minnesota State traveling to third-seeded Michigan Tech (5:07pm ET) and top-seeded Bemidji State hosting seventh-seeded Lake Superior State (7:07pm CT) in the conference Semifinals.
Both games can be seen on FloHockey.tv! For complete bracket, links and news, visit ccha.com/masoncup.
For more information, contact:
Perry Laskaris
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
Laskaris@ccha.com
(651) 308-1065