Photo credit: Russ Hons/UND Athletics (Scheel), CA Hill Photo (Risteau)
The college hockey season is underway across the NCAA and BCHL alums are already being recognized for their play early in the season as five former players from the league were named Players of the Week in their conference.
ECAC Hockey Player of the Week
Zach Risteau – Sophomore – St. Lawrence University Saints (Merritt Centennials)
2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Risteau recorded two points in each game over the weekend to help St. Lawrence earn a split with Mercyhurst. His third-period goal on Saturday was the game-winner, as the Saints picked up their first win of the young season by a final score of 3-2. He finished the weekend tied for the league-lead with four points (2G, 2A).
The 21-year-old played two seasons in Merritt from 2016 to 2018, notching 34 goals and 36 assists for 70 points in 74 career regular-season games.
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week
Andrew Dumaresque – Sophomore – The College of the Holy Cross Crusaders (Langley Rivermen)
1GP – 1G – 1A – 2PTS
Dumaresque missed all of last season with an injury but returned to the ice with a bang on Friday. He had a career-high two points in Holy Cross’ road upset of No. 6 Providence. Dumaresque assisted on the first goal of the night, then scored the equalizer with 22 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
The Hammonds Plains, N.S. native played the 2016-17 season with the Rivermen where he had 39 points in 58 games.
NCHC Goalie of the Week
Adam Scheel – Sophomore – University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks (Penticton Vees)
2GP – 2W – SO – .957SV% – 0.50GAA
Scheel was rock solid in net for North Dakota in their season-opening sweep of Canisius, allowing only one goal in the two wins. In Friday’s season opener, Scheel turned aside all 11 shots he faced for his second career shutout in a 5-0 victory. The next night, he stopped 11 more shots in an 8-1 beatdown. He finished the series with a 0.50 goals-against average, lowering his career GAA to 1.95, while totaling 22 saves for a .957 save percentage, with both the GAA and save percentage tops among NCHC goaltenders with more than one game played. The two wins gave him 15 victories in his UND career.
In 2017-18, the 21-year-old from Lakewood, Ohio was a Second-Team All-Star with the Vees in his lone BCHL season. He finished the year with a 29-12-3 record, a .927 save percentage and a 2.08 goals-against average with three shutouts.
WCHA Defenceman of the Week
Chris Jandric – Sophomore – University of Alaska Nanooks (Vernon Vipers)
2GP – 2G – 2PTS
Jandric scored two game-winning goals in the Nanooks’ weekend sweep at Michigan Tech, scoring their third goal in Friday’s 3-2 win and their second goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory. The wins helped Alaska snap their 16-game losing streak to the Huskies and propel the team to its first series win against Michigan Tech since 2014.
The Prince George, B.C. native played two full seasons with the Vipers, finishing his stint with 51 points in 106 career games.
WCHA Rookie of the Week
Lucas Sowder – Freshman – Minnesota State University Mavericks (Wenatchee Wild)
Sowder helped lead the No. 3 Mavericks to a home non-conference sweep of Arizona State. He led all WCHA freshman on the weekend with three points on one goal and two assists. The Trinity, Fla., native had two assists in Friday’s 4-1 win, including one on a shorthanded goal by Marc Michaelis. Sowder scored his first career goal in Saturday’s 5-0 victory.
The former Wenatchee captain played three seasons with the Wild, finishing his career with 128 points in 132 regular-season games and another 47 points in 40 playoff games. He won the Fred Page Cup and Doyle Cup in 2018.
