Adam Berkhoel of Denver Named National College Hockey Player Of The Month
Denver goaltender Adam Berkhoel is the National College Hockey Player of the Month |
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April 16, 2004
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DENVER, Colo. - University of Denver goaltender Adam Berkhoel, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 NCAA Frozen Four, has been selected as the CSTV: College Sports Television/Hockey Commissioners' Association National Division I Player of the Month for March/April.
Berkhoel, a 5-11, 190-pound senior from Woodbury, Minn., led the Pioneers to their first NCAA title since 1969 by making 24 saves in a 1-0 win over Maine of Hockey East in the championship game. He also blocked 26 shots in a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Minnesota-Duluth in the national semifinals.
A 22-year old whose NHL rights belong to Chicago, Berkhoel posted a 6-2-0 record during March/April while compiling a 2.06 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA West Regional in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he made 33 saves in a 1-0 victory over No. 1-seed North Dakota, the first blanking of the Fighting Sioux in over three years. He also blocked 21 shots in a 3-2 win over Miami University of the CCHA in the opening round of the West Regional.
Berkhoel wound up tied for first in the nation with seven shutouts, which also equals Denver's single-season record. He completed his collegiate career with a 55-26-10 record, a 2.47 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage to rank among Denver's all-time leaders in save percentage (2nd), shutouts (2nd), goals-against average (4th) and wins (7th).
Mike Hamilton, the CSTV/HCA National Division I Rookie of the Month, is a 6-0, 200-pound freshman from Victoria, B.C., whose offensive production was essential in helping Maine win the Hockey East championship and get to the Frozen Four final. The Black Bears scored just 12 goals over the final six games of the season, but Hamilton had three of them and assisted on another two.
The 20-year old Hamilton, who was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week for four consecutive weeks, scored the game's lone goal in Maine's 1-0 win over Boston University in the Hockey East semifinal. He ignited a Black Bears' comeback in the East Regional semifinal at Albany, N.Y., with the first of four unanswered third-period goals in a 5-4 win over Harvard of the ECAC. He followed up with the overtime winner in a 2-1 Maine victory over Wisconsin to be named to the All-Tournament team.
Hamilton assisted on both Maine goals in a 2-1 win over Boston College in their Frozen Four semifinal at the Fleet Center in Boston. He finished NCAA tournament play with two goals and two assists in four games played while having a hand in the final three goals of the season scored by his team.
National Player of the Month
Adam Berkhoel, G, Denver, WCHA
National Rookie of the Month
Mike Hamilton, F, Maine, HEA
Honorable Mention Player of the Month
Brendan Bernakevitch, F, Harvard, ECAC
Paul Caponigri, F, Ohio State, CCHA
Jim Howard, G, Maine, HEA
Greg Kealey, F, Holy Cross, AHA
Jeff VanNynatten, G, Niagara, CHA
Honorable Mention Rookie of the Month
Matt Beaudoin, F, Ohio State, CCHA
Aaron Clarke, F, Niagara, CHA
Jamie McKinven, D, Clarkson, ECAC
Brady Murray, F, North Dakota, WCHA
Pierre-Luc O'Brien, F, Sacred Heart, AHA
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