CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – Following an action-packed weekend that marked the commencement of league play, ECAC Hockey takes great pride in introducing our weekly award winners for the week ending on November 5, 2023: Gabriel Seger (Cornell), CJ Foley (Dartmouth), Ian Shane (Cornell), and Jeremie Payant (Rensselaer).
Forward of the Week, presented by Bluebird by Lark Hotels
Gabriel Seger (Sr., Cornell) secures the prestigious Forward of the Week title, presented by Bluebird by Lark Hotels, for the second consecutive week, underlining his exceptional contributions. In their inaugural weekend of league play, the Big Red clinched two significant victories. In Friday's commanding 3-1 triumph against Yale, Seger marked his first goal of the weekend, setting the tone. The following day, he delivered a remarkable three-point performance during the 7-1 victory against Brown. The senior forward played a pivotal role by netting two goals, including the game-winner, and adding an assist in the high-scoring contest. Seger's stats for the weekend included four shots on goal, and he maintained an impressive plus-minus rating of four.
Defender of the Week
CJ Foley (Fr., Dartmouth) is hailed as the Defender of the Week, acknowledging his outstanding performance that propelled his team to a 2-0 weekend. In a Friday night showdown against the nationally-ranked Bobcats, the Big Green showcased resilience by securing a thrilling shootout victory for the extra point. Foley continued to excel the following night against Princeton, by notching his first career goal just two minutes into the first period, thereby putting Dartmouth on the scoreboard first. The first-year defender's remarkable performance didn't stop there, as he also contributed an assist on Braiden Dorfman's power-play goal and then sealed the deal by scoring the game-winning goal with just 54 seconds remaining in regulation, securing a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Tigers.
MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week
Ian Shane (Jr., Cornell) is recognized as the MAC Goaltending Goaltender of the Week for the second consecutive week, thanks to his exemplary performance that extended his unbeaten streak to 4-0-0 following the Big Red's weekend sweep. The junior netminder demonstrated his skill by allowing only two goals and making a total of 34 crucial saves during his weekend appearances, which culminated in two victories against Yale and Brown, with scores of 3-1 and 7-1, respectively. Shane concluded the weekend with an impressive 1.00 goals-against average and a remarkable .944 save percentage.
Rookie of the Week
Jeremie Payant (Fr., Rensselaer) garners the well-deserved distinction of Rookie of the Week for his remarkable performance during the rivalry series for the Engineers. Payant exhibited his offensive skill by tallying two goals and contributing two pivotal assists in Friday's thrilling 8-6 victory over Union. His four-point showcase included his first career goal and a standout multi-point performance. Following this exceptional display, Payant now stands third on the team in points scored and concluded the weekend with an admirable plus-minus rating of three.
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