Clutch Goals and Crease Dominance Headline This Week's Top Performers
Sometimes the standings don’t tell the whole story. Even in losses, it’s individual performances that can define a series, and this past weekend was loaded with them.
A forward lit the lamp three times in a single night and nearly willed his team to an overtime win. A defenseman helped snap a six-game skid with one of the best weekends of his young career. Out West, a goaltender turned aside more than 70 shots to power a road sweep, while another was virtually flawless between the pipes to keep his nine-game winning streak alive.
Whether it was late-game heroics, career-high save totals, or breakout performances from underclassmen, the country’s top talent rose to the occasion. Here is a look at the national players of the week and the standout efforts that made them impossible to ignore.
Forward of the Week: Evan Werner, Jr., Notre Dame
Werner posted five points on four goals and one assist in a pair of one-game losses for Notre Dame at No. 13 Wisconsin. In game one, Werner scored four points on three goals and an assist, The hat-trick goal came with just over a minute remaining in the third period, forcing overtime.
On Saturday, he scored once in a 5-4 loss, extending his point streak to six games, and over the weekend he took over the team lead in scoring. The former Wolverine has 28 points on 15 goals and 13 assists in his first season at Notre Dame.
Defenseman of the Week: Luke Osburn, Fr., Wisconsin
Osburn had four points on two goals and two assists in a road sweep of Notre Dame. Osburn's efforts helped the Badgers end a six-game skid dating back to Jan. 15. On Friday, Osburn scored two goals and one assist in a 6-5 overtime victory.
In game two, he added an assist to extend his point streak to four in a 5-4 triumph. Osburn has 19 points on the season, which ranks second nationally among first-year defensemen.
Goaltender of the Week: Patriks Berzins, So., St. Cloud State
Berzins led St. Cloud State to a sweep at Arizona, totaling 73 saves on 77 shots. He earned more than 30 saves in each game, making 33 in a 4-1 victory in game one. The following night, the sophomore opped a career-high 40 shots in a 4-3 win.
On the weekend, he racked up a total of nine short-handed saves, leading the Huskies to going 5 of 6 on the penalty kill. Berzins posted a .948 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average in the series. On the season, he improved to 9-6-0, while increasing his save percentage to .916 and lowering his goals against average to 2.68.
Rookie of the Week: Jack Parsons, Fr., Providence
Parsons posted a 2-0-0 record with wins over New Hampshire and Vermont. He allowed just two goals on the weekend. In game one, he stopped 22 of 23 shots in a 6-1 road victory. The following evening, he stopped 29 of 30 shots in a 6-1 blowout.
Parsons garnered a 1.00 goals against average and a save percentage of .962. Parsons and the Friars haven’t lost since Jan. 3, winning nine in a row.
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Zach Richardson is a graduate of Augustana University, where he double-majored in journalism and media studies. He's a five-year member of the football team and an active contributor to the university’s student newspapers. He's covered a wide range of sports, including hockey, basketball, softball, and baseball. "I know how to break down the game, ask the right questions, and tell compelling stories on and off the field. ... I’ve spent just as much time in locker rooms as I have in newsrooms, and I understand both the athlete and the fan."
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