Here come the honors
It was only a matter of making it official for the Tigers' freshman goaltender as Richard Bachman won the INCH player of the week award for his beyond-human performance against Duluth last weekend. Bachman also landed the Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week alongside teammate Andreas Vlassopoulos who won the Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week. Full reviews from WCHA and INCH below for your gloating pleasure.
INCH Player of the Week
RICHARD BACHMAN
Colorado College
His Statistics: 2 GP, 2-0-0, 60 saves, 0 GA, 2 shutouts
His Impact: While Bachman's feats on the ice against Minnesota Duluth last weekend — becoming the first goalie in Colorado College history to shut out an opponent in both ends of a road series — were certainly remarkable, the fact that he was even in the lineup was no small feat.
The freshman goaltender missed practice Wednesday and Thursday to attend his grandmother's funeral in Salt Lake City and didn't join his teammates in Duluth until the wee hours Friday morning. Showing no ill effects from the demanding week, Bachman stopped 31 shots in the Tigers' 3-0 win Friday, then made 29 saves in a 4-0 win Saturday.
The consecutive whitewashes give Colorado College a four-point lead over second-place North Dakota in the race for the WCHA regular-season title with four games remaining. They also propelled Bachman to the national lead in both goals against average (1.71) and save percentage (.935). He also ranks third among Division I goaltenders behind Michigan's Billy Sauer and Miami's Jeff Zatkoff with 21 wins.
WCHA Players of the WeekCC's Vlassopoulos, & Bachman Named Red Baron® WCHA Players of the Week
Feb. 26, 2008
Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week
Andreas Vlassopoulos
Sr., F, Colorado College
MADISON, Wisc. - Colorado College centerman Andreas Vlassopoulos, who produced four scoring points while helping the league-leading Tigers to a two-game conference road sweep at Minnesota Duluth last weekend, has been named Red Baron® WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Feb. 26-March 3.
A 5-11, 180-pound sophomore from Los Angeles, Calif., Vlassopoulos scored two goals and set up two others in the back-to-back shutouts, fired four shots on goal, and earned a +3 plus-minus rating as Colorado College opened a four-point lead in the race for the WCHA's regular season championship and MacNaughton Cup.
Last Friday (Feb. 22) night, he scored two goals, including the eventual game-winner, as the Tigers defeated host UMD by a 3-0 count. Then last Saturday evening, Vlassopoulos came back to set up two of Colorado College's four goals in a 4-0 victory over the Bulldogs. In addition to his four points, hd won 19 of his 36 face-offs.
On the 2007-08 season now, Vlassopoulos is tied for third in scoring overall among his CC teammates, showing 26 points in 32 games played with seven goals and 19 assists. Over his 57 games as a Tiger, he has 42 career points (12g, 30a).
No. 4-ranked Colorado College (23-8-1) is home this weekend to take on WCHA-rival Minnesota State in Friday and Saturday games at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
Also nominated this week were: Rhett Rakhshani, F, DU.
Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week Richard Bachman
Fr., G, Colorado College
MADISON, Wisc. - Colorado College goaltender Richard Bachman, who recorded back-to-back shutouts in a two-game road series against league-rival Minnesota Duluth last weekend, has been named Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week for Feb. 26-March 3. Bachman previously earned the weekly rookie honor on Nov. 13 (vs UM) and Nov. 27 (vs DU).
A 5-10, 172-pound freshman from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Bachman stopped all 60 shots on goal in the series for a perfect 1.000 saves percentage while becoming the first Colorado College goaltender in 70 years of Tiger Hockey to post back-to-back shutouts in a two-game road series.
Last Friday (Feb. 22) night at the DECC in Duluth, Minn., he recorded 31 saves and blanked the host Bulldogs on all seven of their power-play chances as CC skated to a 3-0 victory.
Then last Saturday (Feb. 23) evening, Bachman registered a total of 29 saves in a 4-0 Colorado College victory over UMD, including 14 in the third period, and again blanked the Bulldogs on both of their man-advantage opportunities.
On the 2007-08 season, Bachman leads the nation (men's Div. 1) in goals-against average at 1.71 and in saves percentage at .935. He also ranks second nationally in winning percentage at .796 on a 21-5-1 record, and has four shutouts in this his rookie season. He has given up one or fewer goals in 13 of his 22 WCHA starts and has allowed two or less in 20 of his 27 assignments overall.
Also nominated for the award this week were: Tyler Bozak, F, DU; and Patrick White, F, UM.
