It’s a hat trick of BCHL alumni in this week’s NCAA Roundup, presented by Johnston Meier Insurance. Three former BCHLers won weekly conference awards in the NCAA this week and we recap it all below.
ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week
Yaniv Perets – Junior – Quinnipiac University (Penticton Vees)
Perets helped the Bobcats to a weekend sweep of Princeton. On Friday, he made 22 saves on 23 shots and served as the final line of defence during five successful penalty kills. He made 31 saves on 32 shots on Saturday, finishing the weekend with 53 saves, just two goals allowed and a save percentage of .963.
The 22-year-old played the 2019-20 season with the Penticton Vees, posting the third-best goals-against average in the league at 2.19, the second most shutouts with five and a .918 save percentage.
ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week
Sean Donaldson (F) – Freshman – Cornell University (Trail Smoke Eaters, Prince George Spruce Kings, Nanaimo Clippers)
Donaldson registered the first assists of his collegiate career last weekend. On Friday, he assisted on two goals, one at even strength and one on the power play, to power the Big Red to a 5-2 defeat of Yale. He repeated the performance on Saturday with two more assists during the second period, including another helper on the power play, to help Cornell beat Brown.
Donaldson played three seasons in the BCHL over a four-year stretch. He started his rookie campaign with the Trail Smoke Eaters, then joined the Prince George Spruce Kings midway through the year and went on to win a Fred Page Cup championship. The following year, he joined the Nanaimo Clippers, then after a year in the USHL, he returned to Nanaimo and had the best season of his junior career, finishing seventh in league scoring with 70 points in 47 games, fourth in goals with 36 and led the Clippers to the Fred Page Cup Finals.
Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Week
Max Itagaki (F) – Freshman – Army West Point (Nanaimo Clippers)
Itagaki registered three assists in Army’s weekend home sweep of Bentley. All three of the Glenview, Ill. native’s helpers came on the power play. Itagaki extended his point streak to eight games with the weekend performance and ranks third in Atlantic Hockey with 11 assists, which also leads the Black Knights.
The 2002-born forward played the 2021-22 campaign with the Nanaimo Clippers, finishing second on the team with 61 points in 54 games and ending up top-10 in league scoring.
