Chicago, IL – The United States Hockey League today announced the CCM Hockey player awards for the 21st week of the 2014-15 USHL regular season.
Winners include Marcel Godbout of the Chicago Steel and Brock Boeser of the Waterloo Black Hawks, named co-recipients of CCM Forward of the Week; Neal Pionk of the Sioux City Musketeers and Bobby Nardella of the Tri-City Storm, named co-recipients of CCM Defenseman of the Week; and Collin Olson of the Sioux City Musketeers, selected as CCM Goaltender of the Week.
Marcel Godbout, F, Chicago Steel: The forward collected five points over two games to help the Steel earn a weekend sweep over the Lincoln Stars. He dished out two assists in Friday’s 3-1 victory. The 18-year-old then had a USHL career high three-point game (1g, 2a) in the 5-4 win on Saturday. His goal on Saturday was the 20th of his USHL career. Godbout has now produced 12 points (4g, 8a) over 18 games since being acquired earlier this season by the Steel. The native of Center Line, Michigan played for the Belle Tire organization as a youth and came to the USHL after three seasons at Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep. He is committed to play college hockey at Michigan State University.
Brock Boeser, F, Waterloo Black Hawks: It was a big night for the forward on Saturday as he recorded four points (3g, 1a) in the 6-4 win against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. He was held off the scoresheet in Friday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Muskegon Lumberjacks, but he rebounded by tying his USHL career high on Saturday, including his second hat trick of the season. His second goal proved to be the game-winner while his third goal was the 50th point of his USHL career. The third goal also gave him 26 total for the season, tops in the League. The 17-year-old also finished the night with a game high plus-five rating. The product of Burnsville High School in Minnesota recently committed to the University of North Dakota and is a top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft.
Neal Pionk, D, Sioux City Musketeers: The defenseman recorded three points (2g, 1a) and a plus-three rating as the Musketeers earned three of four points in the standings during a two-game weekend. He had two points (1g, 1a) in Friday’s 5-0 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers, extending the win streak for Sioux City to seven games. He also equaled a game high with a plus-three rating. The 19-year-old then added another goal in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Tri-City Storm. Pionk currently ranks second among USHL defensemen with 31 points (4g, 27a) through 37 games, while ranked tied for third overall in the League with a plus-22 rating. The product of Hermantown High School in Minnesota is committed to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Bobby Nardella, D, Tri-City Storm: The 18-year-old dished out four assists to help the Storm win both of their games during the weekend. He established a USHL career high with three assists, all in the first period, during Friday’s 5-1 win against the Omaha Lancers. Nardella followed up with another assist in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout win against the Sioux City Musketeers. Three of his assists during the weekend came on the power play, and he is now third overall in the USHL with 15 power play helpers this season. He is fifth among League defensemen with 26 points (6g, 20a) through 39 games while ranking tied for 13th overall with a plus-15 rating. The native of Rosemont, Illinois is a product of the Chicago Mission youth program and will play hockey at the University of Notre Dame.
Collin Olson, G, Sioux City Musketeers: The goaltender posted a 0.96 goals-against-average and .957 save percentage over two starts during the weekend for the Musketeers. He stopped all 22 shots he faced in Friday’s 5-0 win against the Des Moines Buccaneers. It was his third shutout of the season, tying for the League lead, and was also his seventh consecutive victory. Olson followed up with 23 saves in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Tri-City Storm. He has logged the most minutes in net (1,854) of any USHL goaltender this season and leads the League with 22 victories. The 20-year-old native of Apple Valley, Minnesota is a 2012 NHL Draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes and will play college hockey next season at Western Michigan University.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates its 13th season as the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league in 2014-15. A record 35 players were chosen in the 2014 NHL Draft and more than 300 players on team rosters last season committed to NCAA Division I schools, further establishing the USHL as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent.
USHL.com
