Finalists announced for 2019 Mike Richter Award

Let’s Play Hockey is proud to announce the five finalists for the 2019 Mike Richter Award, which honors the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA men’s hockey. The sixth annual award will be presented on Friday, April 12 at the 2019 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y.

In alphabetical order, following are the finalists for the 2019 Mike Richter Award:

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The finalists combine for a 1.93 goals-against average, a .930 save percentage and a grade-point average of 3.32.

Joey Daccord • Arizona State • Junior

Joey Daccord backstopped the 14th-ranked Sun Devils to the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, while posting a 21-12-1 overall record, 2.36 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and seven shutouts. The native of North Andover, Mass., ranks first in the nation in shutouts, seventh in wins, 10th in save percentage and saves, and 26th in goals-against average. The junior netminder played 99 percent of Arizona State’s minutes, allowing two goals or less 20 times and posting a 6-3-1 record in one-goal games. Daccord stopped 30 or more shots in 14 games – including a 45-save 4-0 shutout win at Princeton on Dec. 7 – and posted a .930 or better save percentage in 19 games. A seventh-round selection by the Ottawa Senators in the 2015 NHL Draft, Daccord is a sports business major at Arizona State.

Jake Kielly • Clarkson • Junior

Jake Kielly is a member of the ECAC All-Conference Second Team and was a finalist for the ECAC Goaltender of the Year Award. A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., Kielly posted a 26-10-2 record and ranks first in the nation in wins, fifth in shutouts (5), sixth in minutes played (2250:00), seventh in goals-against average (1.89), eighth in save percentage (.929) and 15th in saves (931). In backstopping Clarkson to a third-place tie in the ECAC and the nation’s No. 7 ranking, Kielly posted eight games with 30 or more saves and earned a .930 or better save percentage in 21 games this season. The junior was named MVP of the Desert Hockey Classic, gained ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month honors for October and January, and earned ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week accolades three times this season. Kielly is a financial information & analysis major at Clarkson.

Cayden Primeau • Northeastern • Sophomore

An All-Hockey First Team selection, Cayden Primeau led the fifth-ranked Huskies to a tie for second place in Hockey East while leading the conference in save percentage (.936) and wins (25). A native of Voorhees, N.J., he posted a 25-9-1 overall record and ranks second in the nation in save percentage and wins, fifth in winning percentage (.729), eighth in saves (1012), 10th in goals-against average (2.00), tied for 10th in shutouts (4) and 11th in minutes played (2069:09). The sophomore netminder played over 89 percent of the Huskies’ minutes, allowing two goals or less 24 times, including the last eight games. Primeau stopped 30 or more shots in 13 games, including a career-high 45 in two games this season. The four-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week, and one-time Player of the Week and Goaltender of the Month posted a .930 or better save percentage in 19 games. A seventh-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft, Primeau is a criminal justice & psychology major at Northeastern.

Hunter Shepard • Minnesota Duluth • Junior

Hunter Shepard backstopped the second-ranked Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the NCHC and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament while earning NCHC Goaltender of the Year and All-NCHC First Team honors. The junior from Cohasset, Minn., owns a 25-11-2 record and ranks tied for second in the nation in wins, tied for third in shutouts (6), fourth in minutes played (2304:41), sixth in goals-against average (1.87), 10th in winning percentage (.684) and 23rd in save percentage (.918). A three-time NCHC Goalie of the Week honoree, Shepard has played over 98 percent of the Bulldogs’ minutes this season. The NCHC Player of the Year finalist and 2018 Mike Richter Award semifinalist has allowed two goals or less 28 times and has posted a .930 or better save percentage in 19 games. Shepard is a business major at Minnesota Duluth.

Andrew Shortridge • Quinnipiac • Junior

Andrew Shortridge leads the nation in goals-against average (1.51) and save percentage (.941) for the eighth-ranked Bobcats. The ECAC Goalie of the Year and an All-ECAC First Team selection led Quinnipiac to a share of the ECAC regular season championship, posting a 17-6-2 overall record. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, he ranks seventh in the nation in winning percentage (.720), tied for 10th in shutouts (4) and 15th in wins. Shortridge began the season splitting time with sophomore netminder Keith Petruzzelli, but assumed the starting job in late-December. The junior goalie stopped 30 or more shots in five games this season, and posted a .930 or better save percentage in 19 games. Shortridge’s goals-against average and save percentage are on pace to break the single-season Quinnipiac records. Shortridge is a mechanical engineering major at Quinnipiac.

The 2019 Mike Richter Award will be announced at 5 p.m. ET on Friday, April 12 from the KeyBank Rink at The Rinks at Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y., during the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four. The announcement, held prior to the Hobey Baker Award presentation, will be streamed live at www.hobeybaker.com.

Candidates for the Mike Richter Award were determined by nominations from all 60 NCAA Division I men’s hockey head coaches. The finalists and winner are selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Past winners: 2018 Cale Morris (Notre Dame), 2017 Tanner Jaillet (Denver), 2016 Thatcher Demko (Boston College), 2015 Zane McIntyre (North Dakota), 2014 Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell)

NOTES: All five semifinalists are Americans • The finalists represent four different U.S. states – Minnesota (2), Alaska (1), Massachusetts (1), New Jersey (1) • Conference breakdown – ECAC 2, Hockey East 1, NCHC 1, Independent 1 • The finalists include four juniors and one freshman • Three of the finalists played in the USHL prior to college, followed by one each in the BCHL and NAHL.

