DANNY IRMEN OF MINNESOTA NAMED NATIONAL COLLEGE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Feb. 3, 2006
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Madison, Wis.-- University of Minnesota forward Danny Irmen, who recorded points in seven of eight games while helping the Golden Gophers to a 7-1-0 record, is the CSTV: College Sports Television/Hockey Commissioners' Association National Division I Player of the Month for January.
The 21-year old from Fargo, N.D., fired seven goals and added seven assists to average 1.75 points-per game during the month while posting a +5 ranking. His 12-14-26 chart ranks him third on his team in scoring despite missing nine games earlier in the season because of a broken finger.
The 6-foot, 193-pound forward opened the month with two goals and an assist in a series sweep of Niagara of the CHA on Jan. 6-7 before matching his career high for points in a game with a goal and three assists in a 6-1 victory over North Dakota on Jan.13. Irmen, a third-round selection by the Minnesota Wild in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, produced a goal and an assist on a game-winning goal in a pair of conference wins over visiting Colorado College on Jan. 20-21. The Minnesota captain finished the month with a hat trick in a 5-4 victory at Wisconsin on Jan. 27 before setting up two more goals, including the winner, in a 3-1 victory the following night to earn a share of WCHA offensive player of the week honors.
Irmen, who played junior hockey for Lincoln of the USHL, was an All-WCHA Third Team selection last season and co-winner of his team's John Mariucci MVP award when he produced 24 goals and 19 assists in 44 games. He carries a four-game point streak, in which he's produced 4-3-7, into February.
Michigan State netminder Jeff Lerg has been named the CSTV/HCA National Division I Rookie of the Month. The 5-foot-6, 155-pound freshman from Livonia, Mich., backstopped the Spartans to a 6-2-2 record while blocking 270-of-287 shots for a .941 save percentage and 1.67 goals-against average with two shutouts.
Lerg, who captured USA Hockey's Goalie of the Year and Player of the Year awards in 2005 as a member of Omaha of the USHL, allowed one goal or less in six of his 10 starts in January while making 25 saves or more in seven of those 10 games.
He earned his first conference victory and career shutout on Jan. 13 with 31 stops in a 4-0 home-ice win over Alaska Fairbanks, beat the Nanooks again the next night, 2-1, and returned three nights later with another 31-save shutout performance in a 2-0 victory over archrival Michigan. The 19-year old then made a team season-high 41 saves as the Spartans won their sixth straight game, 4-3 in overtime at Nebraska-Omaha on Jan. 20.
Lerg, named the CCHA goaltender of the week on Jan. 23, owns a 7-4-5 record with a goals-against average of 2.04 and save percentage of .926 that ranks fi fth-best among conference netminders. The 2.04 GAA also puts him among the Top 10 nationally in that category.
HCA Commissioners' Choice Awards
January 2006
National Player of the Month
Danny Irmen, F, Minnesota, WCHA
National Rookie of the Month
Jeff Lerg, G, Michigan State, CCHA
Honorable Mention Player of the Month
Tyler Burton, F, Colgate, ECACHL
Chris Collins, F, Boston College, HEA
Andy Greene, D, Miami, CCHA
Scott Munroe, G, Alabama-Huntsville, CHA
Brad Roberts, G, Army, AHA
Honorable Mention Rookie of the Month
Ted Cook, F, Niagara, CHA
Tim Manthey, D, Army, AHA
Alec Richards, G, Yale, ECACHL
Michael-Lee Teslak, G, Michign Tech, WCHA
Brandon Yip, F, Boston University, HEA
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