CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – ECAC Hockey witnessed an exhilarating weekend filled with close contests and gripping comebacks, and we take great pride in introducing the deserving men's weekly award winners: Collin Graf (Quinnipiac), Tyler Rubin (Princeton), Cooper Black (Dartmouth), and Nikita Nikora (Dartmouth).
Forward of the Week, presented by Bluebird by Lark Hotels
Collin Graf (Jr., Quinnipiac) clinched the coveted title of Forward of the Week, presented by Bluebird by Lark Hotels, thanks to his stellar six-point performance that propelled the Bobcats to a resounding weekend sweep, securing commanding 5-1 and 5-2 victories over Brown and Yale. In Friday's display, Graf notched one goal and two assists, followed by another outstanding three-point performance the next night, contributing three assists in the five-goal spectacle for the Bobcats. The junior forward finished with five shots on goal and concluded the weekend with an admirable plus-minus rating of four.
Defender of the Week
Tyler Rubin (So., Princeton) is rightfully acknowledged as Defender of the Week for his commendable performance on the Tiger's blueline. The sophomore defenseman made significant contributions, tallying an assist on Nick Carabin's goal in Friday's thrilling 5-4 overtime victory against Yale. Rubin continued his impactful display the following night, achieving his first multi-point game of the season with an assist on the game-tying goal in the third period and netting the game-winning goal in overtime, securing a 3-2 triumph over Brown. Rubin rounded off the weekend with three blocked shots and an impressive plus-minus rating of four.
MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week
Cooper Black (So., Dartmouth) is honored with the distinguished title of MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week, thanks to his outstanding performance during the Big Green's first road series in league play. Facing nationally-ranked Cornell, Black played a pivotal role in securing a two-goal tie by making an impressive 31 saves through regulation and overtime. The following night, the sophomore netminder exhibited his talent on the backstop with 36 saves, allowing only two goals in Dartmouth's 3-2 victory at Colgate, concluding the weekend with a commendable 1-0-1 record. Black posted an impressive .944 save percentage and accumulated a total of 67 saves across the two games.
Rookie of the Week
Nikita Nikora (Fr., Dartmouth) garners the esteemed title of Rookie of the Week following a standout performance over the weekend, which included his first career goal—doubling as the overtime game-winning goal in Saturday's thrilling triumph over Colgate. In Friday's tie against nationally-ranked Cornell, Nikora further showcased his skills by contributing an assist on John Fusco's goal. The first-year forward currently leads the team in points scored with six, comprising one goal and five assists, through six games played.
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