The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) has announced its Players of the Week for the games of March 3-4 and four student-athletes from three different programs have been recognized. Christian Fitzgerald (Minnesota State) was named the Forward of the Week, while Jed Pietila (Michigan Tech) earned Defenseman of the Week honors. Noah Giesbrecht (Ferris State) collected Goaltender of the Week honors and Kyle Kukkonen (Michigan Tech) was the Rookie of the Week. 

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CCHA Forward of the Week: Christian Fitzgerald, Fr., Minnesota State (Coquitlam, B.C.)  
 
Fitzgerald led all CCHA skaters with five points last week on two goals in three assists, helping the Mavericks to a Mason Cup Quarterfinal series sweep of Lake Superior State. The only conference player to record two multi-point games, he had a goal and two assists in a 6-1 Minnesota State victory on Friday, before recording having a hand in both tallies in a 2-1 win on Saturday. For the weekend, he had one power play tally and five shots on goal. 
 
CCHA Defenseman of the Week: Jed Pietila, Jr., Michigan Tech (Howell, Mich.) 
 
Pietila paced all league blueliners with four points on four assists last week, helping Michigan Tech to a Mason Cup Quarterfinal series sweep of St. Thomas. His four helpers were the most among all CCHA skaters and his +3 was good for second. On Friday, he was +1 with one assist, one block and four shots on goal in a 1-0 Huskies victory. In Saturday’s 5-4 win, he notched three helpers, including one on the eventual game-winning goal and was +2 with a blocked shot. 

CCHA Goaltender of the Week: Noah Giesbrecht, So., Ferris State (White Rock, B.C.) 
 
Giesbrecht went 2-0-0 with a 1.74 goals-against average and a CCHA-best .947 save percentage, leading the Bulldogs to a Mason Cup Quarterfinal series sweep at Bowling Green last weekend. Making a league-high 71 stops over the two games, which both went to overtime, he turned away 39 shots in a 4-3 Ferris State win on Friday, before stopping 32-of-33 in a 2-1 victory on Saturday. He made 12 saves on 13 shots while the Bulldogs were shorthanded on the weekend. 

CCHA Rookie of the Week: Kyle Kukkonen, Fr., Michigan Tech (Maple Grove, Minn.) 
 
Kukkonen had three points on two goals and one assist to help Michigan Tech to a Mason Cup Quarterfinal series sweep of St. Thomas over the weekend. He was +3 for the weekend, with one goal coming shorthanded and one was a game-winner. In Friday’s 1-0 Huskies victory, he assisted on the game’s only goal, before scoring twice on Saturday. For the week, he had five shots on goal. 


For more information, contact: 

Perry Laskaris 
Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement 
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) 
Laskaris@ccha.com 
(651) 308-1065 
 

2022-23 CCHA Weekly Awards
 
Forward:
Mar. 6, 2023: Christian Fitzgerald (MSU)
Feb. 27, 2023: Louis Boudon (LSSU)**
Feb. 20, 2023: Andre Ghantous (NMU)
Feb. 13, 2023: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)
Feb. 6, 2023: Luc Laylin (UST)
Jan. 30, 2023, David Silye (MSU)***
Jan. 23, 2023: Mack Byers (UST)
Jan. 16, 2023: Brendan Furry (MSU)
Jan. 9, 2023: Austen Swankler (BGSU)**
Jan. 3, 2023: Mitch Deelstra (FSU)
Dec. 19, 2022: Jakub Lewandowski (BSU)
Dec. 12, 2022: Kristof Papp (NMU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Taylor Schneider (BGSU)
Nov. 28, 2022: David Silye (MSU)**
Nov. 21, 2022: Nathan Burke (BGSU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Ryan O'Hara (BGSU)
Nov. 7, 2022: David Silye (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Louis Boudon (LSSU)
Oct. 24, 2022: AJ Vanderbeck (NMU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Sam Morton (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Mitchell Martan (BSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Austen Swankler (BGSU)

Defenseman:
Mar. 6, 2023: Jed Pietila (MTU)
Feb. 27, 2023: Elias Rosen (BSU)***
Feb. 20, 2023: Simon Kjellberg (NMU)
Feb. 13, 2023: Brett Thorne (MTU)***
Feb. 6, 2023: Andy Carroll (MSU)**
Jan. 30, 2023: Jacob Bengtsson (LSSU)
Jan. 23, 2023: Akito Hirose (MSU)
Jan. 16, 2023: Jared Kucharek (LSSU)
Jan. 9, 2023: Jake Livingstone (MSU)***
Jan. 3, 2023: Brett Thorne (MTU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Brenden MacLaren (FSU)
Dec. 12, 2022: Matt Slick (FSU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Elias Rosen (BSU)**
Nov. 28, 2022: Elias Rosen (BSU)
Nov. 21, 2022: Brett Thorne (MTU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Will Zmolek (BSU)
Nov. 7, 2022: Andy Carroll (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Jake Livingstone (MSU)**
Oct. 24, 2022: Ethan Gauer (UST)
Oct. 17, 2022: Akito Hirose (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Jake Livingstone (MSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Aiden Gallacher (NMU)

Goaltender:
Mar. 6, 2023: Noah Giesbrecht (FSU)***
Feb. 27, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)*******
Feb. 20, 2023: Aaron Trotter (UST)**
Feb. 13, 2023: Beni Halasz (NMU)
Feb. 6, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)******
Jan. 30, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)*****
Jan. 23, 2023: Blake Pietila (MTU)****
Jan. 16, 2023: Keenan Rancier (MSU)
Jan. 9, 2023; Blake Pietila (MTU)***
Jan. 3, 2023: Christian Stoever (BGSU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)***
Dec. 12, 2022: Alex Tracy (MSU)
Dec. 3, 2022: Noah Giesbecht (FSU)**
Nov. 28, 2022: Aaron Trotter (UST)
Nov. 21, 2022: Noah Giesbrecht (FSU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)**
Nov. 7, 2022: Christian Stoever (BGSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Blake Pietila (MTU)**
Oct. 24, 2022: Mattias Sholl (BSU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Blake Pietila (MTU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Zack Rose (BGSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Logan Stein (FSU)

Rookie:
Mar. 6, 2023: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)***
Feb. 27, 2023: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)**
Feb. 20, 2023: Joey Larson (NMU)****
Feb. 13, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)*****
Feb. 6, 2023: Joey Larson (NMU)***
Jan. 30, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)****
Jan. 23, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)***
Jan. 16, 2023: Aaron Trotter (UST)
Jan. 9, 2023: Lleyton Roed (BSU)**
Jan. 3, 2023: Connor McGrath (FSU)**
Dec. 19, 2022: Jake Braccini (UST)
Dec. 12, 2022: Christian Fitzgerald (MSU)
Dec. 5, 2022: Andrew Noel (FSU)
Nov. 28, 2022: Josh Eernisse (UST)
Nov. 21, 2022: Kyle Kukkonen (MTU)
Nov. 14, 2022: Joey Larson (NMU)**
Nov. 7, 2022: Luc Wilson (MSU)
Oct. 31, 2022: Beni Halasz (NMU)
Oct. 24: 2022: Lleyton Roed (BSU)
Oct. 17, 2022: Alex Tracy (MSU)
Oct. 10, 2022: Connor McGrath (FSU)
Oct. 3, 2022: Joey Larson (NMU)

* = Times earned award this year