UND's VandeVelde, UM'S Ness, UW'S Stepan Named Red Baron® WCHA Players of the Week
UND's Chris VandeVelde is the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week |
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Jan. 6, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MADISON, Wis. - The Western Collegiate Hockey Association today announced the latest group of Red Baron® WCHA Players of the Week, this time for the holiday period, Dec. 27-Jan. 4. They are University of North Dakota forward Chris VandeVelde on offense, University of Minnesota blueliner Aaron Ness on defense, and University of Wisconsin forward Derek Stepan as rookie of the week.
WCHA Offensive Player of the Week • Chris VandeVelde, Jr., F, North Dakota
University of North Dakota center Chris VandeVelde, who scored three goals and totalled four scoring points while leading his team to a two-game, non-conference sweep over Bemidji State last weekend, is the Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for the period Dec. 27-Jan. 4.
A 6-2, 204-pound junior from Moorhead, Minn., VandeVelde scored the game-opening goal, drew an assist on a tying goal in the first period and earned a +2 plus/minus rating last Friday (Jan. 2) night as visiting North Dakota posted a 4-3 victory over the Beavers in Bemidji, Minn. VandeVelde then came back last Saturday (Jan. 3) evening in Grand Forks to score two more goals as the host Fighting Sioux overcame a 2-0 deficit to forge a 4-3 overtime victory over Bemidji State. With his team trailing by two scores, VandeVelde scored on the power-play at 6:54 of the first to cut the gap to 2-1 and then evened the score at 2-2 with his second goal of the game at 14:28 of the second period. He also won 17 of 21 face-offs that night.
A draftee of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, VandeVelde has five points (3g,2a) in his last three games and currently ranks third on the North Dakota team in scoring this winter with 16 points (7g,9a) in 22 games.
Also nominated were: Jordan Baker, F, MTU; Patrick White, F, UM.
WCHA Defensive Player of the Week • Aaron Ness, Fr., D, Minnesota
University of Minnesota freshman blueliner Aaron Ness, who earned Most Valuable Player honors while helping the Golden Gophers to the championship of the annual Dodge Holiday Classic at Mariucci Arena last weekend, has been named Red Baron® WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Dec. 27-Jan. 4.
A 5-10, 170-pound rookie from Roseau, Minn., Ness totalled a goal and two assists and led a strong Minnesota defensive effort while becoming only the second defenseman to earn MVP honors in the 18-year history of UM's holiday tournament, joining alum and current NHL'er Alex Goligoski. Ness had one assist, four shots on goal and earned a +1 plus/minus rating in the Gophers' 6-2 victory over Brown last Friday (Jan. 2). In the championship game last Saturday (Jan. 3), Ness scored a tying goal in the third period, his first goal as a collegian, drew an assist in the first period, fired three more shots on goal and earned second star of the game honors as Minnesota won 3-2 in overtime over Northeastern to claim the title.
On the 2008-09 season, the New York Islanders (NHL) draftee is the second highest scoring rookie on the No. 3-ranked Minnesota team, showing one goal, eight assists and nine points while playing in all 18 games.
Also nominated were: Rob Nolan, G, MTU; Chay Genoway, D, UND.
WCHA Rookie of the Week • Derek Stepan, Fr., F, Wisconsin
Derek Stepan, a freshman forward at the University of Wisconsin, is the Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week for Dec. 27-Jan. 4 after producing five scoring points in a four-game holiday period.
A 6-0, 176-pound center from Hastings, Minn., Stepan scored two goals and set up three others for five points in the four games and fired 12 shots on goal. He had one assist and seven shots on goal as Wisconsin captured their own Badger Hockey Showdown tournament championship with a 5-0 win over Alabama-Huntsville on Dec. 27 and a shootout victory, after a 1-1 tie in overtime, against Lake Superior in the title game on Dec. 28. Then last weekend (Jan. 2-3) in a non-conference series against Northern Michigan, Stepan led the Badgers' offensively with two goals and two assists and five shots on goal. One of his goals was a highlight-reel shorthander on Friday that tied the game at 2-2 (eventual 3-2 loss) while his third period goal last Saturday gave the Badgers a 5-2 lead in an eventual 6-5 overtime setback.
A NHL draftee of the New York Rangers, Stepan is the Badgers' top scoring first-year player and ranks third among WCHA rookies with five goals, 12 assists and 17 points while playing in all 22 games this season.
Also nominated this week: Aaron Ness, D, UM; Brett Hextall, F, UND.
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