Monday, November 28, 2011

USHL Honors - Week Nine

Press Release

The United States Hockey League today announced the weekly award winners for the ninth week of the 2011-12 USHL regular season.

Award winners include forward Taylor Cammarata of the Waterloo Black Hawks, named CCM Offensive Player of the Week; defensemen Ralfs Freibergs of the Lincoln Stars and Andrew Welinski of the Green Bay Gamblers, selected as co-recipients of CCM Defensive Player of the Week; and Jason Kasdorf of the Des Moines Buccaneers who earned honors as the Reebok USHL Goaltender of the Week.

Cammarata scored six points (3g, 3a) over three games for the Black Hawks. He tallied three points (2g, 1a) and a plus-two rating in the 8-4 win against Team USA on Tuesday. The rookie USHL forward then added two points (1g, 1a) in the 8-4 win over Cedar Rapids on Thanksgiving. Cammarata closed the week by extending his point streak to six games with an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Cedar Rapids. The 16-year-old from Plymouth, Minnesota is currently third overall in USHL scoring with 22 points (11g, 11a) in 17 games this season.

Freibergs scored three of the eight goals for the Stars over a three-game span and helped the team kill off 13-of-14 power plays by the opposition. He scored both goals in the 3-2 overtime loss to Tri-City on Wednesday and then scored the first goal of the game in the 2-1 victory against Sioux Falls on Friday. He posted a game high plus-two rating in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Tri-City. The 20-year-old from Riga, Latvia is third among USHL defensemen in scoring with 12 points (4g, 8a) in 18 games while also being second on the Stars with a plus-nine rating.

Welinski collected three points (1g, 2a) and posted a plus-six rating to help the Gamblers earn five of a possible six points in the standings during the week. He dished out two assists, including one on the game-winning goal, during Friday’s 6-2 win vs. Muskegon. The 18-year-old then scored his sixth goal of the season in Saturday’s 5-0 shutout of Omaha. Welinski is a native of Duluth, Minnesota and is tied for the scoring lead among USHL defensemen with 13 points (6g, 7a) in 14 games while also leading the entire League with a plus-15 mark.

Kasdorf posted a 1.01 goals-against-average, .973 save percentage, and two shutouts over three games for the Buccaneers. He stopped all 46 shots he faced in the 6-0 win vs. Omaha on Wednesday, which was the most saves made by a goaltender in a USHL game this season. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native stopped 26 shots in the 4-2 loss to Chicago on Friday before earning his second shutout of the week with a 36-save performance in the 4-0 win vs. Dubuque on Saturday. Kasdorf, 19, has posted shutouts in three of his six victories this season and leads USHL goalies in shutouts.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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