There is just one alumni to highlight this week in the NCAA Roundup, but this player double dipped with both a national monthly award, as well as a weekly award in the Big Ten conference.
Hockey Commissioner’s Association Goaltender of the Month (November)
Jack LaFontaine – Senior – University of Minnesota (Penticton Vees)
LaFontaine earns the national honour after guiding Minnesota to a perfect 4-0-0 record in November, while leading the nation in wins (4), save percentage (.961), shutouts (1) and goals-against average (1.00) among NCAA goalies with more than one appearance at the end of the month.
The alternate captain picked up his first career shutout in Minnesota’s game against Ohio State on Nov. 24 and won six straight for the Gophers dating back to last year. He had started 12 straight games by the end of the month and had allowed two goals or fewer in each of his last nine starts.
Big Ten 3rd Star of the Week
Jack LaFontaine – Senior – University of Minnesota (Penticton Vees)
The 22-year-old backstopped the Gophers to their third series sweep of the season, picking up a pair of wins at Michigan State and extending his personal winning streak to eight games. LaFonatine made 24 saves on 25 shots in Thursday’s victory, before finishing the series with a 31-save performance on Friday to improve to 6-0-0 on the year, allowing two goals or fewer in each of his last 11 appearances. The Carolina Hurricanes 2016 draft pick leads the nation in save percentage (.956) and goals-against average (1.17) among goalies with more than two starts this year.
LaFontaine played one season with Penticton in 2018-19 during his transfer year when he transferred from the University of Michigan to Minnesota. That season, he finished second in the BCHL in both save percentage (.923) and goals-against average (2.19) and was named the league’s Top Goaltender.
