CCHA announces finalists for top individual awards

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced the top three finalists for six major individual awards that will be presented at the CCHA Awards presented by RBC Financial Group on Thursday, March 17 at historic Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit.



RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Year finalists include Miami senior forward Andy Miele, Michigan senior forward Carl Hagelin and Ferris State senior goaltender Pat Nagle. Miele led the nation in scoring and had points in 29 of 34 games, including 19 multiple-point outings. The Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native was the first scoring champion in CCHA history with more assists than any other player had total points. Hagelin led the Wolverines in goals, assists and points as the Wolverines captured their 11th regular-season championship. The Sodertalje, Sweden, native tallied 17 goals on the season, six of which were game winners to tie for the league lead. Nagle owned the second-best overall goals-against average in the nation at 1.97 and the top save percentage in the CCHA at .924. The Bloomfield, Mich., native played in every game for the Bulldogs, helping the squad to its second top-five CCHA finish in as many years.



The three finalists for CCHA Coach of the Year are Red Berenson of Michigan, Jeff Blashill of Western Michigan and Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson. Berenson helped the Wolverines improve six places in the standings and capture their 11th regular-season title in the past 20 years on the final night of regular-season play. Blashill’s Broncos were picked to finish 10th in the preseason polls, yet jumped 23 points in the standings from last season’s total and earned their first top-four CCHA finish since 1995-96. Jackson sported a lineup that featured 10 freshmen most nights, but managed to double his team’s conference win total to 18 and score 41 more goals than a season ago en route to a second-place CCHA finish.



Lake Superior goaltender Kevin Kapalka, Michigan defenseman Jon Merrill and Notre Dame forward T.J. Tynan are finalists for CCHA Rookie of the Year honors. Kapalka, a native of Mississauga, Ont., posted three regular-season shutouts in his freshman campaign, good for a three-way tie atop the league leaderboards. Merrill, a New Jersey Devils’ draft pick, led all freshmen defensemen in goals, assists and points. Tynan, a native of Orland Park, Ill., led all freshmen in the league, and the nation, with 49 points on the season, while being named the CCHA’s Rookie of the Week four times, the CCHA Rookie of the Month for November and the RBC Financial Group CCHA Player of the Month in December.



Sophomore Torey Krug of Michigan State, freshman Jon Merrill of Michigan and Ferris State senior Zach Redmond are the finalists for Best Offensive Defenseman. Krug led the league in goals from a defenseman. Merrill tied for the lead in scoring from the blueline in league play with seven goals and 19 points. Redmond, an Atlanta Thrashers’ draft pick, was the only defenseman in the league to lead his team in scoring as he owned a 5-9-14 line in conference play.



CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman nominees include Notre Dame junior Sean Lorenz, Michigan freshman Jon Merrill and Miami junior Will Weber. Lorenz, a draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, played in all 36 games for the Fighting Irish and compiled a +26 overall rating to lead the league. Merrill, a Brighton, Mich., native, had a breakout rookie campaign and led all Wolverines defenseman with a 7-12-19 scoring line, while playing an integral part in Michigan’s defense that allowed a league-low 57 goals in conference play. Weber, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Columbus Blue Jackets’ draft pick, won the award last season and is nominated again after anchoring a Miami penalty-killing unit that owned the best percentage in the league at 90.5 percent.



The finalists for CCHA Best Defensive Forward, Lake Superior senior Will Acton, Michigan senior Carl Hagelin and Miami sophomore Reilly Smith, each tallied 20-plus points throughout the season, along with excelling in their defensive responsibilities. Acton finished third on the Lakers in scoring with 21 points and was in a three-way tie for most game-winning goals (2). Hagelin, a draft pick of the New York Rangers, led the Wolverines and finished tied for fourth in the conference with a + 17 rating. Smith finished the year third in scoring (24-20-44) on the RedHawks, who tallied a league-high 103 goals in conference play.



The CCHA Awards presented by RBC Financial Group kick off CCHA Championship Weekend on Thursday, March 17. The banquet, an Academy Awards-style event with music videos and highlights, is held at historic Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit. The event begins with a social hour at 6:30 p.m. The Awards Program starts at 7:30 p.m. Awards tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling the CCHA at (248) 888-0600 or at the door the day of the event.



TOP THREE AWARD FINALISTS



RBC PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Carl Hagelin, Michigan

Andy Miele, Miami

Pat Nagle, Ferris State


COACH OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Red Berenson, Michigan

Jeff Blashill, Western Michigan

Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame



ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Kevin Kapalka, Lake Superior State

Jon Merrill, Michigan

T.J. Tynan, Notre Dame


BEST OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN FINALISTS
Torey Krug, Michigan State

Jon Merrill, Michigan

Zach Redmond, Ferris State



BEST DEFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN FINALISTS
Sean Lorenz, Notre Dame

Jon Merrill, Michigan

Will Weber, Miami



BEST DEFENSIVE FORWARD FINALISTS
Will Acton, Lake Superior State

Carl Hagelin, Michigan

Reilly Smith, Miami