The WCHA news release, slightly edited:
WCHA Offensive Players of the Week:
Zach Harrison, Sr., F, Minnesota State
Derek Stepan, So., F, Wisconsin
Harrison, a 5-11, 190-pound senior from Flint, Mich., racked up two goals and three assists for five points in Minnesota State's sweep over visiting Michigan Tech. He had a goal and three assists and earned First Star of the Game honors in a 5-2 victory over the Huskies last Friday. His goal was the game-winner. The four-point night was the second of his MSU career.
Harrison then added another goal in a 3-2 win over the Huskies Saturday; it put the Mavericks up 2-0 in the opening period.
Through 14 games played this season, Harrison shares the MSU scoring lead with 12 points (4g, 8a).
Harrison and the Mavericks play the Gophers in a home and home series this weekend.
Stepan, a 6-0, 180-pound sophomore and draftee of the NHL's New York Rangers, posted a six-point weekend (2g, 4a) for Wisconsin, including a career-high five-point game in a 7-3 victory at No. 7-ranked Michigan State Friday. Stepan, who had a hand in five of the Badgers' seven goals with a goal and four assists, was the Second Star of the Game. One of his assists came on the game-winning goal in the second period.
On Saturday at Michigan, Stepan of Hastings scored the UW's second goal, at 14:23 of the third period to bring the Badgers to within one in a 3-2 loss. Stepan's five-point game was a career high and the most points for a Badger in a game since Blake Geoffrion had 1-4=5 vs Robert Morris on Oct. 20, 2007. Stepan now ranks second on the Badgers with five goals, 10 assists and 15 points in 14 games played.
Defensive Player of the Week: Brendan Smith, Jr., D, Wisconsin
A 6-2, 190-pound junior from Mimico, Ontario and a draftee of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, Smith totaled four points in games at Michigan State and Michigan during the 17th annual College Hockey Showcase and helped the Badgers limit their opponents defensively to just two even-strength goals in the two games.
He opened the weekend Friday by scoring the first two goals at Michigan State in a 7-3 Wisconsin victory and was named the First Star of the Game. He gave the Badgers a 1-0 lead at 9:23 of the first period, before making it 2-0 with a power-play tally at 12:25. The game's first star added the lone assist on Wisconsin's sixth goal that halted an MSU comeback bid. Smith also led all shooters in the game with seven shots, finished +1, and blocked three shots.
Last Saturday at Michigan, Smith collected an assist on Wisconsin's first goal of the game by Blake Geoffrion, which made it 1-1 at the time in the second period. He took two shots, blocked one shot and was even for the contest in the 3-2 loss to Michigan.
Smith, Wisconsin's leading scorer this season, also leads the nation's defenseman with 17 points (5-12=17) and a 1.31 points-per-game scoring average.
Among those also nominated for this award were sophomore goalie Kent Patterson of the Gophers and Mavericks defenseman Ben Youds. Patterson got his first college victory as the Gophers edged Michigan State 2-1 on Saturday; he made 37 saves, a college career high.
Rookie of the Week: Danny Kristo, Fr., F, North Dakota
A 5-11, 180-pound freshman right winger from Eden Prairie, and a draftee of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, Kristo earned most valuable player honors at UND's Subway Holiday Classic, lifting the Sioux to a 4-1 win over Ohio State on Friday and a 5-5 overtime tie with top-ranked Miami on Saturday.
Kristo racked up four points on the weekend, including a two-goal, one-assist performance against No. 1 Miami. He also scored a key third period goal against Ohio State to put the Sioux up 3-1.
Against Miami, Kristo assisted on UND's first goal to tie the game 1-1, scored its second goal to make it 2-2, then scored again in the third period to give the Sioux a 5-3 lead.
Kristo's four-point weekend enabled him to move into the team scoring lead with 13 points (5g, 8a) and into a tie for the WCHA rookie scoring lead. He also was nominated for Offensive Player of the Week.
Among those nominated for Rookie of the Week was goalie Austin Lee of Minnesota State Mankato.
