MIAMI ICE HOCKEY SWEEPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
10/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Oct. 22, 2007
OXFORD - Miami University's ice hockey quartet of Alec Martinez, Justin Mercier, Tommy Wingels andJEFF ZATKOFF made Central Collegiate Hockey Association history Monday by sweeping all four of the league's Player of the Week categories. It was the first time in the three years that a single school has swept all four categories in the CCHA's weekly honor.
Miami's Martinez (Jr., Rochester, MI) won the league's Defensive Player of the Week honor. He had two assists in Friday's 5-1 road win at Ohio State and scored his second goal of the season in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Buckeyes.
Mercier (Erie, PA), a junior forward, was named the CCHA's Offensive Player of the Week. He scored twice against OSU on Friday night, including the game winner, and added a goal and an assist in Sunday's victory. Mercier has scored at least one goal in three straight games.
Wingels (Wilmette, IL), a freshman forward, earned the league's Rookie Player of the Week award. He had a goal and an assist in Friday's win, then earned first-star honors on Sunday by scoring two more goals. Like Mercier, Wingels has scored at least one goal in three consecutive games for the RedHawks.
For the second straight week, Zatkoff (Jr., Chesterfield, MI) won the CCHA's Goalie of the Week honor. For the third and fourth consecutive times this season, he limited Ohio State to just one goal per game. Zatkoff blocked 57-of 59 shots (.966 saves percentage).
In addition to the individual honors, Miami's team continues to hold down the No. 2 spot in both the weekly national rankings. Coach Enrico Blasi's RedHawks, now 4-0, narrowed top-ranked North Dakota's lead in both the USCHO.com/CSTV poll (42 first-place votes for North Dakota, seven for Miami) and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll (24 first-place votes for the Sioux, nine for the RedHawks). The third-through-fifth-ranked teams are the same in both polls: 3. Michigan, 4. Colorado College and 5. Boston College.
