Week of Feb. 22, 2024
Games of Feb. 14-20, 2024
Summaries by Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com
Forward: Hunter Hayes, Pueblo Bulls
Hayes (‘04/Lodi, Calif.) put up three goals and added four assists as the Bulls swept the Rock Springs Grizzlies and pulled to within a point of the fourth-place Idaho Falls Spud Kings. This drew him into a tie for the team lead in scoring with 49 points in 43 games with William Johnson. Hayes also was gold in the faceoff circle on the weekend, taking possession off 33 draws out of 52 attempts (for a 62 percent success rate).
Defense: Matteo Mitrovic, Utah Outliers
Mitrovic (‘03/Graz, Austria) was a key part of the Outliers winning two in a row last weekend and standing on a three-game W streak. He registered four assists in the two games versus Provo and Idaho Falls. He completed 93 accurate passes on 96 attempts, as he has become one of the NCDC’s best passers. Mitrovic now has a combined 32 points in 43 games.
Goaltender: Tucker Inabinet, Idaho Falls Spud Kings
Three weeks straight, Inabinet has been the go-to goaltender in the Mountain Division. In going 1-1 this past weekend, the ‘03 from Phoenix, Ariz., stopped 57 of 60 shots and went 1-1. He broke what had been a five-game winning streak, but has improved to 12 wins and a .926 save percentage for the season.
Rookie*: Daniil Chuparnov, Utah Outliers
Chuparnov (‘04/St. Petersburg, Russia) has had a great run recently, putting up four goals and adding one assist for five points in his last two games. He pulled up his season total to 33 points in 34 games this season, and he also led the Outliers in plus-minus (+3) for the past weekend.
* = ’04 or younger with 10 or fewer prior season Tier II games
