Smith Tabbed INCH National Player of the Week
1/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Hockey
Jan. 24, 2012
OXFORD, Ohio - For the second time in three weeks, a member of the Miami hockey team has been named National Player of the Week by Inside College Hockey (INCH), as junior forward Reilly Smith earned the honor after a strong showing last weekend, INCH announced Tuesday. To read the complete release, click here.
Senior goalie Connor Knapp was named INCH National Player of the Week Jan. 10 after posting a 0.49 GAA and a .981 save percentage while allowing just one goal in a sweep at Michigan State. Smith also earned CCHA Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in leading the RedHawks to a sweep of then-No. 8 Western Michigan.
Smith (Mimico, Ont.) scored four goals, including both game-winning goals against the Broncos, while posting a +4 rating on the weekend. Friday, he recorded his second hat trick of the season and third of his career as he scored all three of Miami's goals in a 3-1 win. The game-winner came short-handed in the second period, his first short-handed goal of the year. It was his fourth multi-goal game this year and 13th of his career. He was +3 for the game.
On Saturday, Smith scored Miami's first goal in the first period, which was also the game-winner in a 4-0 win over WMU. He now leads the CCHA with 18 goals on the year, which ties for third in the country. Smith has seven game-winning goals this year which leads the NCAA by himself. The seven game-winners also tie for second in Miami single-season history, one shy of tying the record. With goals in both games, he is now riding a season-long five-game point streak.
On the year, Smith leads Miami and ties for fourth in the CCHA with 25 points as he's dished out seven assists in addition to his 18 goals. He has seven multi-point games this year, including last Friday against WMU. He sits on 99 career points, needing one more to become the 47th player in program history to join the 100-point club.
Smith looks to hit the century mark this weekend when the 17th-ranked RedHawks host No. 19 Northern Michigan Friday and Saturday at Steve Cady Arena. Puck drop Friday is at 7:35 p.m. while Saturday's game is at 7:05 p.m.
--MURedHawks.com--
