Summaries By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com
Forward: David Utkin, Utah Outliers
Utkin (‘05/Murmansk, Russia) had a fantastic December as he registered seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points to remain a threat every time, to the point he is second in league scoring at 43 points. He scored his points in nine straight games, with a 1-3-4 mark coming against the Pueblo Bulls on Dec. 29. His 19:59 led Outliers in ice time. He also drew nine opponent penalties, while only sitting for eight minutes himself.
Forward: Makar Klochkov, Utah Outliers
The player that The Dan K Show nicknamed “Clutch-kov” due to his penchant for game-changing goals exactly equaled his teammate Utkin’s output with seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points. This included a pair of 2-2-4 games, one of which included the GWG in the NCDC Frozen Futures Showcase against the host Idaho Falls Spud Kings in front of a packed house. Having joined in October, he put up 28 points in 23 games. His 52 takeaways led all forwards, as did his 83 faceoff wins in the circle.
Forward: Ryan Roethke, Provo Predators
Roethke was a big reason why the Predators went 6-3 during the month of December including 2-1 at the inaugural NCDC Frozen Futures Showcase, where Roethke put up a 3-2-5 line for a healthy portion of his 7-4-11 line. He was also a +5, second among Provo forwards last month. He now has 14 points in 11 games, making December a huge breakout month for the ‘04 newcomer.
Defense: Jean-Sebastien Pack, Utah Outliers
Pack (‘04/Rancho Palos Verdes) was a standout two-way threat for the Outliers for their strong December run as they tied for first in the league. He put up a goal and six assists for seven points and his 20:02 of ice time led the team. He was also second on the Outliers in blocked shots with 16 in December. He has 11 points in 29 games this season.
Defense: Ethan Hall, Ogden Mustangs
Hall (‘05/Carver, Minn.) put together a 1-5-6 line during December and helped Ogden go 7-3 during their last 10 games overall. During December, Hall – a former Captain with Holy Family Catholic in his home state – led the Mustangs with a +4 and he tied for the most blocked shots on the team with 14. Hall currently has 18 points in 28 games.
Goaltender: Philip Rondina, Utah Outliers
Rondina (‘03/Pierrefonds, Que.) went 7-1 throughout December as the Outliers pushed towards their eventual tie for first in the Mountain Division. Rondina played 481 minutes and put up 242 saves on 257 shots, good for a .942 save percentage. Rondina has now pulled into a tie with the P.A.L. Jr. Islanders’ Nicholas Bevilacqua for the lead in save percentage with .951 apiece. He won seven in a row in December, including 40 saves on 41 shots against the Idaho Falls Spud Kings on Dec. 9.
Selection Process: The league media office sends top candidates to divisional coaches for review and coaches either approve or challenge the nominations.
