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STALOCK, CONNOLLY EARN WCHA PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Alex Stalock is the WCHA's first three-time Defensive Player of the Week recipient for 2008-09

Alex Stalock and Jack Connolly, who both played instrumental roles in the University of Minnesota Duluth's recent weekend sweep of Minnesota State University-Mankato, were each bestowed with Player of the Week honors by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for their spirited performances.

Stalock, a junior goaltender from South St. Paul, Minn., didn't allow an even-strength goal in the two-game series with the visiting Mavericks en route to being named the Red Baron/WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in 2008-09. He turned aside all 39 Maverick shots in a 4-0 shutout win Friday night then made 27 saves the next night as UMD completed the sweep by upending MSU, 7-4. For the weekend, Stalock stopped 66 of 70 shots for a .943 saves percentage and blanked the Mavericks in four of six periods. Stalock, who now has six shutouts to his collegiate credit, currently tops the WCHA in both overall (2.24) and league goals against average (2.34) as well as saves percentage (.921 and .920).

Connolly received a share of the league's Co-Rookie of the Week award (with Michigan Tech University's Brett Olson) after collecting five points over the weekend. The Duluth, Minn. native had a pair of goals, including the game winner, in the Bulldogs' 4-0 triumph Friday before scoring once and assisting on two other tallies in the series rematch. Connolly, the WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year who now ranks fourth among Bulldogs in scoring (20 points on six goals and 14 assists), also put nine shots on goal and was a plus-5 in the two-game series.

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