Red Baron® WCHA
Offensive Player of the Week
Jaden Schwartz - Fr., Forward
Colorado College

Colorado College left winger Jaden Schwartz, who topped all league players over the weekend with seven scoring points while leading the Tigers to a two-game road sweep at Michigan Tech, has been named the Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Dec. 7, 2010.

A 5-10, 182-pound freshman from Wilcox, Sask., Schwartz had seven points (2g, 5a), fired 10 shots on goal and earned a +5 plus/minus series rating in the Dec. 3-4 match ups. He had four assists in Colorado College's 7-3 victory over the Huskies last Friday and then came back with two goals and another assist for three points in a 5-0 triumph last Saturday. One of his two goals, coming at 9:18 of the second period, was his second game-winner of the season.

A draftee of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues, Schwartz has moved into the league scoring lead both overall with 25 points (11g, 14a) in 16 games and in WCHA play with 8-9=17 in 10 games. He has produced 16 points (4g,12a) in the Tigers' last seven games despite being shut out vs Alaska Anchorage the week before last. He's also been involved in four game-winning goals, scoring two and assisting on two others.

Also nominated this week: Ian Lowe, F, BSU; Justin Fontaine, F, UMD; Matt Frattin, F, UND.

Red Baron® WCHA
Co-Defensive Players of the Week
Dan Bakala - Jr., Goaltender, BSU
Phil Cook - So., Goaltender, MSU

A pair of stingy goaltenders who backstopped their respective teams to conference sweeps last weekend – Dan Bakala of Bemidji State University and Phil Cook of Minnesota State University – have been honored as Red Baron® co-Defensive Players of the Week for Dec. 7, 2010.

Bakala, a 5-11, 185-pound junior from Calgary, Alberta, was the backbone of a defense that held a high-powered Nebraska Omaha offensive attack to a single goal as Bemidji State posted its first WCHA series sweep with 3-0 and 3-1 victories on Dec. 3-4. Bakala, the No. 2 star in game one and the No. 3 star in game two, finished the weekend with 64 saves on 65 shots for a .985 save percentage, had five shutout periods and a 0.50 goals-against average, and held the No. 4-ranked Mavericks scoreless on all nine of their power-play chances. He had 26 saves last Friday for his second consecutive and fifth career shutout before making a career-best 39 saves Saturday. Saturday's first period goal by UNO snapped a 134:09 shutout streak by Bakala.

Cook, a 6-3, 195-pound sophomore from Wheaton, Ill., stopped 82 of 85 shots on goal for a .965 save percentage as Minnesota State swept a WCHA series vs No. 17-ranked Minnesota in Mankato last weekend. He had 33 saves in Friday's 3-2 win, including 12 on power-play chances as MSU blanked UM scoreless on five power-play chances. Cook then had a career-high 49 saves in last Saturday's 2-1 victory to earn No. 1 star of the game honors. Five of his saves again came on power-plays as the Mavericks again held UM scoreless (0-of-5) with the extra man. The 49 saves by Cook are the most by a MSU netminder in WCHA regular-season action and are the most since Des Christopher had 54 saves on 57 shots in a 3-1 loss to Colorado College Dec. 12, 1997 (Minnesota State became a member of the WCHA in 1999-2000). Cook has started 11 of the last 12 games.

Also nominated this week: Joe Marciano, D, CC; Kenny Reiter, G, UMD; Aaron Dell, G, UND.

Red Baron® WCHA
Rookie of the Week
Jason Zucker - Fr., Forward
University of Denver

University of Denver left winger Jason Zucker is the WCHA Rookie of the Week for Dec. 7, 2010 as a result of his outstanding efforts in a two-game road series at Minnesota Duluth last weekend.

A 5-10, 175-pound freshman from Las Vegas, Nev., Zucker helped No. 10 Denver to a two-game split at then No. 1-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 3-4. He netted his first collegiate three-goal hat trick and four-point effort, including an assist on the game-winning goal, to help boost the Pioneers to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Bulldogs last Friday. He also added a team-leading nine shots on goal in the series, eight hits, three blocked shots and had +2 plus/minus rating.

A draftee of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, Zucker ranks first in goal scoring in league play with 12 in 12 games and is third in scoring overall among league rookies with 18 points (12g, 6a) in 18 games.

Also nominated this week: Josh Thorimbert, G, CC.