COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Following a six-point weekend in a sweep over Miami that helped power UND to its first 4-0-0 start in conference play since 2015-16, sophomore defenseman
Jake Sanderson was named the NCHC's Defenseman of the Week by the league office on Monday afternoon. Joining Sanderson as weekly winners are Denver sophomore Carter Savoie for Forward of the Week, Minnesota Duluth junior Ryan Fanti for Goaltender of the Week and DU forward Carter Mazur for Rookie of the Week.
Sanderson was nearly unstoppable at both ends of the ice, powering North Dakota to a road sweep of Miami last weekend. He led all NCHC skaters on the weekend with six points in the series, tallying a career-high three each night. The Ottawa Senators first round draft pick notched his first collegiate multi-goal game in Friday's 4-1 victory over Miami, while also assisting on UND's opening goal on the power play. He scored UND's second goal Friday and sealed the win with an empty-net goal from behind his own goal line. The next night, the sophomore had a hand in UND's final three goals in a 5-4 victory, scoring a goal in the first period, then handing out the primary assist on the fourth goal and dishing out another primary helper on the game-winner in the third period.
The Whitefish, Mont., native ended the series with three goals, three assists, seven shots on goal and a +5 plus/minus. He also blocked one shot each night for two in the series, while playing on a penalty kill that went 4-for-7 against Miami. On the season, he leads UND with 15 points, which are tops among NCHC blue liners, as are his six goals.
This is Sanderson's second career NCHC Defenseman of the Week nod, also earning it for week 2 of this season.
OTHER NOMINEES:
Forward of the Week
Ashton Calder, Jr., UND
Noah Cates, Sr., UMD
Veeti Miettinen, So., SCSU
Defenseman of the Week
Sean Behrens, Fr., Denver
Ondrej Trejbal, Jr., SCSU
Goaltender of the Week
Magnus Chrona, Jr., Denver
Austin Roden, Jr., Omaha
Matt Vernon, Jr., CC
Rookie of the Week
Matteo Costantini, F, UND
Josh Luedtke, D, SCSU
