After just one former BCHL player was honoured with a conference award last week, things have picked up again with both weekly and monthly hardware being handed out this week. A total of eight different players earned conference awards, including several players who double dipped with multiple honours and a pair of goalies who were recognized on a national level.
ECAC Player of the Month
Odeen Tufto – Senior – Quinnipiac University (Vernon Vipers)
Tufto has not shown any signs of slowing down this season, earning yet another ECAC Hockey honour after a 12-point (1G, 11A) month of February. He now ranks second in the nation in both points (40) and points per-game (1.60), having reached the 40-point mark for the third straight season. He also tied the Quinnipiac program record for assists in his final game of the month, and will have a chance to surpass that record this weekend.
The Chaska, Minn. native played the 2015-16 season in Vernon where he led the team in goals (25), assists (40) and points (65).
This is the third time this year Tufto has been named conference Player of the Month, to go along with multiple Player of the Week awards.
NCHC Player of the Month
Jasper Weatherby – Junior – University of North Dakota (Wenatchee Wild)
Weatherby continued his tear through February, scoring at least a goal in all five games he played, while totaling 10 points to lead North Dakota to a 5-0-0 record in the month and a Penrose Cup title as NCHC regular-season champions. The San Jose Sharks prospect scored a conference-best six goals in his five February games, while his 1.20 goals-per-game led the country during the month. He also dished out four assists, and his 10 points tied for the NCHC lead in February, while his 2.00 points-per-game led the conference.
The 23-year-old from Lummi Island, Wash. played two seasons with the Wild from 2016 to 2018. His second year in the league, he led the BCHL in scoring with 74 points in 58 games and was named the league MVP. That same year, Wenatchee went on to win the Fred Page Cup and Doyle Cup to earn a spot in the national championship tournament.
Hockey Commissioners Association Co-Goaltender of the Month/NCHC Goaltender of the Month
Adam Scheel – Junior – University of North Dakota (Penticton Vees)
Scheel allowed only four goals in his four starts in February, backstopping North Dakota to a 4-0-0 record in his starts and the Penrose Cup. The junior led the NCAA in February with both a .960 save percentage and a 1.01 goals-against average. He totaled 95 saves on 99 shots with one shutout. Scheel opened the month with a 24-save whitewash of rival Denver on Feb. 12. He then allowed one goal each night in a sweep of Omaha on Feb. 19-20, and made 30 saves in a 4-2 win at Omaha Feb. 26 to close his month.
The 21-year-old from Lakewood, Ohio had a 19-12-3 record in 2017-18 with Penticton and was named a Second-Team All-Star after finishing with the second-best goals-against average in the league with a mark of 2.08 and the fourth-highest save percentage at .927.
This is his second straight NCHC Goaltender of the Month award.
Hockey Commissioners Association Co-Goaltender of the Month/Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Month
Trevin Kozlowski – Senior – Army (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Kozlowski was perfect for Army during the month of February, going 7-0-0 and extending Army’s, as well as his own, unbeaten streak to 11 games. He led Atlantic Hockey in goals-against average at 1.26 and was third in save percentage with a .942 mark. Nationally, those marks ranked him second and sixth, respectively. Kozlowski was the only Atlantic Hockey goaltender and just one of three in the country to go unbeaten in February. He also ranked second nationally in total wins with his seven victories.
The 23-year-old from Santa Clarita, Calif. spent the 2016-17 season with the Silverbacks, winning nine games and earning one shutout.
WCHA Forward of the Month
Andre Ghantous – Sophomore – Northern Michigan University (Penticton Vees/Trail Smoke Eaters)
Ghantous finished second nationally in points (16), tied for the national lead in assists (11) and led the WCHA in assists per game (1.10) and points per game (1.60) in 10 February contests. The Glendale, Calif., native posted five power-play points over the month, scoring two goals and picking up another three assists on the man advantage. He also scored the team’s first short-handed goal of the season in their win over Bemidji State on Feb. 12.
The 22-year-old played three seasons in the BCHL from 2016 to 2019, the first two with Trail and his final season in Penticton. Over his three-year stint in the league, he produced 117 points in 153 regular-season games.
Hockey East Co-Player of the Month
Angus Crookshank – Junior – University of New Hampshire (Langley Rivermen)
Crookshank tied for the league lead with 11 points over six games for the month of February. He posted five goals and six assists. He had at least one point in five of the six UNH games. Crookshank was named the Hockey East Player of the Week on Feb. 8 as he had a career night with four goals and one assist for five points on Feb. 6 in a 7-6 overtime win over UMass-Lowell.
The 2018 Ottawa Senators draft pick played two full seasons in Langley from 2016 to 2018. Crookshank finished his BCHL career with 67 points in 77 regular-season games. He also played in the 2017 World Junior A Challenge for Canada West and finished second in team scoring with five points in five games en route to a gold medal.
Hockey East Rookie of the Month
Vincent Duplessis – Freshman – Boston College (Merritt Centennials)
Duplessis started his NCAA career with a bang, stopping 40 shots in a 3-1 win against arch rival Boston College in his collegiate debut. He followed up that performance with an 18-save shutout on the road at Vermont, winning the next game by stopping 16 more shots and allowing just one goal. He won his first four collegiate starts en route to a 1.66 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage, both good for eighth nationally during the month of February.
The 21-year-old played two years in Merritt, but got the majority of his action in during the 2018-19 season where he had a 9-8-1 record in 20 appearances and finished with a .906 save percentage.
ECAC Hockey Player of the Week
Odeen Tufto – Senior – Quinnipiac University (Vernon Vipers)
Tufto continued his incredible season this week, registering nine points (1G, 8A) to lead ECAC Hockey. His assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win gave him 125 for his career, tying the all-time Bobcats record. The senior now ranks second in the nation with 40 points (1.60 points per-game). His 35 assists lead the nation by a large margin, as the next closest player has recorded just 24.
This is Tufto’s second appearance on this list as he was also named conference Player of the Month.
WCHA Rookie of the Week
Lukas Sillinger – Freshman – Bemidji State University (Penticton Vees)
Sillinger shared the scoring lead among WCHA freshman last week. In two games he posted a goal and an assist as Bemidji State split a series with Minnesota State. Both of his points came in BSU’s 4-3 overtime victory Saturday. His goal came on the power play early in the second period, while his assist came on the game-winning goal 2:27 into the extra frame. Sillinger leads all BSU rookies in scoring with 11 points (5G, 6A), is tied for third on the team in goals scored and ranks fourth among all league rookies in scoring.
Sillinger, who plays alongside his brother Owen at Bemidji and also played with him in Penticton, spent three seasons with the Vees from 2017 to 2020. The Regina, Sask. native finished his BCHL career with 104 points in 146 regular-season games. Sillinger, whose dad Mike had a long career in the NHL, had his best season last year when he finished tied for 11th in league scoring with 59 points in 56 games.
Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Week
Trevin Kozlowski – Senior – Army (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
Kozlowski extended his win streak to seven games and moved his unbeaten streak to 11 games with a sweep of LIU last weekend. He stopped 40 of 43 shots faced, saving 20 in each game. He posted his first shutout of the season in Friday’s 5-0 victory then, on senior night, he stopped 20 of 23 to earn a 6-3 win.
This is his second appearance on this list and third award this week alone as he took home conference and national Goaltender of the Month awards.
