Two Denver freshmen receive weekly WCHA awards

Joey LaLeggia, a freshman defenseman, had a goal and four assists as Denver swept Bemidji State 6-3 and 3-2. For his efforts, he has been named the WCHA's defensive player of the week.

He was a plus-2 for the weekend, had six hits and two blocked shots.

LaLeggia, a 5-10, 180-pound rookie from Burnaby, British Columbia, had the go-ahead goal in Friday's game and one assist. He had three assists the second night.

He has nine goals and 15 assists now to lead all Division I rookie blue-liners in points with 24. He also has a six-game points streak.

Colorado College defenseman Gabe Guentzel also was nominated for this award.

DU forward Ty Loney was named co-rookie of the week. The 6-3, 195-pound Loney of Valencia, Pa., had two goals in the Pioneers' first game last weekend and an assist on the game-winning goal the second night.

He now has four goals and five assists for nine points.

Wisconsin goalie Joel Rumpel was the other co-rookie of the week. He shut out Minnesota State 4-0 on Friday on 36 saves for his first college shutout, then stopped 29 of 31 shots in a the Badgers' 3-0 loss to the Mavericks the next night.

He had a .956 save percentage for the series.

Junior Jordan Baker of Michigan Tech is the offensive player of the week. Baker, of Chestermere, Alberta, had a hat trick and an asist as the Huskes beat Alaska Anchorage 6-4 on Saturday. He also had an assist as Tech won the first game of the series 6-3.

Baker was a plus-3 for the series and had six shots on goals. He has seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points, the second most on the Huskies this season.

Forward Andrew Krushelnyski of CC also was nominated for the same award.

Wisconsin forward Carolyne Prevost was named the offensive player of the week in the WCHA in women's hockey. St. Cloud State goalie Julie Friend was selected the defensive player of the week and UMD forward Jenna McParland the rookie of the week..

A brief look at the accomplishments:

* Prevost had a goal and three assists as the Badgers beat North Dakota 8-2 in the first game and then had a hat trick as Wisconsin tied UND 4-4.

* Friend, a freshman from Minnetonka, had 39 saves as SCSU beat Minnesota 4-2, and 28 more in a 3-1 win for a sweep.