Two Minnesotans among WCHA weekly award winners

Eric Olimb, a 6-foot, 203-pound senior defenseman for Nebraska-Omaha was named the WCHA's Defensive Player of the Week.

Olimb, of Warroad, had four assists and was a plus-4 for the Mavericks as they swept the Gophers 5-4 and 4-2. He blocked five shots and had four shots on goal. He has six assists in four games this season, at least one in each game.

Senior defenseman Kevin Wehrs of the Gophers was among six other players, all defensemen, nominated for this award. Wehrs had a goal and an assist on Saturday.

VIKING'S SON TOP ROOKIE

The Rookie of the Week was freshman forward J.T. Brown of Minnesota-Duluth. Brown, 5-10, 170 is from Burnsville. he had two goals and three assists as the Bullodgs swept Providence 5-3 and 7-1. He was a plus-5 for the series.

His four points in the second game on Saturday were the most by a Bulldogs rookie since Tim Stapleton of UMD had a goal and three assists against Michigan Tech on Feb. 15, 2003.

Brown, the son of ex-Vikings running back Ted Brown, has two goals and four assists in his first four games.

Haula had a goal and an assist against UNO. White had two goals for UNO.

* North Dakota winger Matt Frattin is the WCHA's Offensive Player of the Week. he had four goals, including a hat trick on Friday, as the Sioux swept Bemidji State 5-2, 5-2.

Frattin has 15 goals in his last 17 games since Feb. 13.

Among the other six forwards nominated for the award were Jay Barriball of the Gophers and Rich Purslow of UNO.

Barriball had a goal and an assist last weekend, Purslow had two goals and two assists.

Gophers coach Don Lucia hinted at making some line changes on Monday during his radio show on 'CCO. He said freshman center Nick Bjugstad's head was swimming a bit, and freshman wing Nate Condon was noticeable on the ice against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend.

So, it was not too surprising both those players were on different lines during Tuesday's practice.

Bjugstad, the second line center, was on the third line with wings Max Gardiner and Jake Hansen. Bjugsatd is 6-4, 204. Gardiner, a freshman winger who has played in only one of four games so far, is 6-2, 187 and Hansen, a junior, is 6-2, 191. That's a pretty big line.

Condon was back at his natural position, center, on the second line between Jacob Cepis and Zach Budish.

On the fourth line were Taylor Matson, Patrick White and Nico Sacchetti. The fifth line had Jared Larson, Joey Miller and Tom Serratore, who wore a white jersey with a big red cross. That means nobody should hit him in practice' he probably has a minor injury. ... Missed which line Nick Larson was with. Thought I had everybody.