Time for another look at some of the best performances of the week in D1 Men's Ice Hockey – the nominees for HERO of the Week!
The only way to vote is the poll at the bottom of the page. Once you've made your voice heard, be sure to share with friends so they can vote as well! Vote up to once per hour until polls close Friday at 10 AM Pacific.
Who will you choose this week? Check out the nominees below.
[divider]SKATERS[divider]
Ryan Kuffner, Princeton
In the first round of the ECAC Hockey Best of Three series, the Tigers skated to pair of decisive wins over Brown. Kuffner led the charge, finding the back of the net twice and dishing out two helpers in Friday's 8-2 victory before lighting the lamp and contributing two more assists in Saturday's 7-1 triumph.
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[credit]Thom Kendall/University of Massachusetts Athletics[/credit]
John Leonard, Massachusetts
Leonard and the Minutemen eked out a well-fought series victory over Vermont in the opening round of the Hockey East Tournament. In Thursday's 3-2 overtime win, Leonard scored his team's first goal and assisted on the game-winner with just seconds remaining in extra time. After going pointless in Friday's narrow 4-3 loss in overtime, Leonard lit the lamp once and contributed a helper in Saturday's series-clinching 5-1 triumph.
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Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State
The Huskies closed out their regular season with a win and a tie against North Dakota, led by Poehling, who tallied a pair of goals, including the overtime game-winner, in Friday's 4-3 win before lighting the lamp once more in Saturday's 2-2 draw.
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Troy Loggins, Northern Michigan
Against Alabama Huntsville, the Wildcats played well enough to earn a trip to the second round of the WCHA tournament. Loggins contributed a goal and an assist in Friday's 7-1 win, another goal in Saturday's 3-2 setback, and then finished the series with two lamplighters and an assist in Sunday's series-clinching, 5-2 triumph.
VOTE: D1 Men’s Ice Hockey Skating HERO of the Week (20)
[divider]GOALTENDERS[divider]
[credit]Nina Lindberg/Colgate University Athletics[/credit]
Colton Point, Colgate
Point backstopped the Raiders to a first-round series win against Rensselaer in the ECAC Hockey tournament. With 26 stops in Friday's opening 3-1 victory, Point turned aside 25 more shots in Saturday's 1-0 setback before clinching a trip to the second round with a 23-save performance in Sunday's 2-0 shutout.
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Craig Pantano, Merrimack
Merrimack earned a pair of wins over Massachusetts Lowell thanks in large part to Pantano, who totaled 62 saves in back-to-back overtime games. In Friday's narrow 2-1 victory, Pantano turned aside 32 shots before putting up a 30-save performance in Saturday's 3-2 overtime triumph.
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Evan Weninger, Omaha
In Friday's 4-1 win over Minnesota Duluth, Weninger posted his second-highest save total of the season with a 41-save performance before making 35 stops in Saturday's 4-1 setback.
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Ryan Bednard, Bowling Green
Bednard had one of the best weekends of his career so far as he backstopped Bowling Green to a pair of wins over Ferris State. In Friday's 2-1 overtime victory, Bednard posted a career-high with 34 saves before turning aside 33 more shots in Saturday's 5-2 triumph.