WCHA Players of the Week - 11/13

St. Cloud State forward Ryan Lasch, Denver goalie Peter Mannino, and Denver forward Tyler Bozak have been named the WCHA Players of the Week.

From the press release:

For the second straight week, St. Cloud State University right winger Ryan Lasch is the Red Baron WCHA Offensive Player of the Week, this time for his efforts in a two-game conference road sweep over league-leading Michigan Tech.

A 5-7, 175-pound sophomore from Lake Forest, Calif., Lasch led all league players with three goals over the Nov. 9-10 weekend, and also added one assist and five shots on goal. In the process, Lasch extended his goal scoring streak to five games and his point scoring streak to six games.

In a 5-2 St. Cloud State victory over the host Huskies last Friday night, Lasch scored the game-opening goal in the first period and then netted the eventual game-winner at 6:53 of the second. Then in a 4-1 SCSU triumph last Saturday, Lasch added another goal and an assist on the game-opening goal.

Lasch, who was a member of the All-WCHA Rookie Team as a freshman in 2006-07, currently shares the scoring lead overall among WCHA players, and is also first among all Division 1 players, with 17 points (8g, 9a) in 10 games played.

Also nominated this week were: Andreas Vlassopoulos, F, CC; and Ben Gordon, F, UM.

University of Wisconsin goaltender Shane Connelly, who stopped 74 of 77 shots on goal and recorded his fifth collegiate shutout in a conference series split against visiting North Dakota last weekend, been named Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Nov. 13-19.

A 5-9, 177-pound junior from Cheltenham, Pa., Connelly posted a .961 saves percentage in the two games, posted four shutout periods and allowed just two even-strength goals.

He had a 43-save shutout - including 25 stops in the third period - in Wisconsin's 4-0 victory over the Fighting Sioux last Friday (Nov. 9) night at the Kohl Center, the second most saves for a UW goaltender in a shutout behind the 50 stops made by Dick Perkins at Michigan State on Feb. 25, 1972 in a 5-0 win.

Then last Saturday (Nov. 10), Connelly came back with 31 saves in a 3-1 setback to UND, including double digit stop totals in all three periods.

In addition to his 74 saves in the series, Connelly also helped hold North Dakota to one power-play goal in nine opportunities.

Also nominated this week were: Jake Gannon, D, CC; and Jase Weslosky, G, SCSU.

Colorado College freshman goaltender Richard Bachman, who backstopped the Tigers into first place in the WCHA with a pair of victories over visiting Minnesota Duluth last weekend, has been named Red Baron WCHA Rookie of the Week for Nov. 13-19. Bachman earned the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week award back on Oct. 23 for his play against Minnesota.

A 5-10, 172-pounder from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Bachman earned his first collegiate shutout, stopped 58 of 61 shots on goal in the series for a .951 saves percentage, and blanked the Bulldogs on all six of their weekend power-play chances. He had double digit save totals in five of the six periods.

Bachman stopped all 34 Minnesota Duluth shots on goal last Saturday (Nov. 10) evening at the Colorado Springs World Arena to notch his first career shutout as the host Tigers logged a 3-0 victory. Last Friday (Nov. 9), he made 24 saves in a 5-3 CC victory.

On the season, Bachman ranks first among WCHA goalies overall in both winning percentage (5-1-0, .833) and saves percentage (.950), and is second in goals-against average at 1.49.

Also nominated this week were: Cade Fairchild, D, UM; and Garrett Roe, F, SCSU.