Red Baron® WCHA

Co-Offensive Players of the Week

Mitch Bruijsten - Jr., F, Alaska Anchorage

Mark Alt - So., D, Minnesota University of Alaska Anchorage forward Mitch Bruijsten and University of Minnesota defenseman Mark Alt have been named Red Baron� WCHA co-Offensive Players of the Week for Dec. 13 as a result of their outstanding efforts last weekend. Bruijsten, a 6-4, 205-pound junior right winger from Nijmegen, Netherlands, posted his first collegiate three-goal hat trick (on just three shots) to help the Seawolves to a 6-3 WCHA road victory over No. 6-ranked Colorado College last Friday (Dec. 9) at Colorado Springs World Arena. With his team trailing 2-0, Bruijsten netted an unassisted shorthanded goal at 17:37 of the first period to close the gap to one and then tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play tally at 3:00 of the second. After CC regained the lead at 3-2, Alaska Anchorage rattled off four straight goals to secure their first win over a top 10-ranked team, with Bruijsten completing his hat trick with a man-advantage goal at 3:00 of the third period to earn No. 1 star of the game honors. Through 17 games this season, Bruijsten is tied for second in scoring among UAA players with nine points (5g, 4a). Alt, a 6-3, 202-pound defenseman from St. Paul, Minn., led all WCHA players with five points (2g, 3a) last weekend as the host Golden Gophers split with Michigan Tech. In a 3-2 (ot) setback last Friday, he scored the first goal of the game to put Minnesota up 1-0 and then assisted on Seth Helgeson's goal that sent the game into the extra session to earn No. 2 star honors. Then last Saturday, Alt recorded the first three-point game of his collegiate career with the game-winning goal and two assists, earning No. 1 star accolades as the Gophers battled back for a 6-2 triumph. A draftee of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, was also a +5 for the weekend, did not take a penalty and was on the ice for only one opponent goal (PPG). Also nominated: Jason Zucker, F, DU; Brett Olson, F, MTU; Jack Connolly, F, UMD; Zach Lehrke, F, MSU.

Red Baron® WCHA

Defensive Player of the Week

Aaron Dell - Junior, Goaltender

University of North Dakota University of North Dakota goaltender Aaron Dell, who yielded just two goals and posted a shutout victory in a two-game conference series against Nebraska Omaha last weekend, has been named the Red Baron� WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Dec. 13. A junior from Airdrie, Alberta, Dell stopped 59 of 61 shots for a .967 saves percentage in the two games and recorded five shutout periods (including one overtime) while allowing just two goals in 121:21 of action.He stopped all 26 shots on goal and was named the game's No. 1 star in North Dakota's 1-0 victory over the visiting Mavericks last Saturday (Dec. 10), a win that enabled the Sioux to enter the holiday break tied for fourth place in the WCHA. The shutout was his first of the season and eighth of his collegiate career, which ranks fourth all-time at UND. Last Friday (Dec. 9), Dell stopped 33 of 35 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss and was named the game's No. 2. Over his last three starts in nets, Dell owns a 0.99 goals-against average and a .963 saves percentage. Also nominated: Brad Hunt, D, BSU; Mike Boivin, D, CC; Daniel Sova, D, MTU.