Nov. 6, 2006
FAIRBANKS, AK - Two Alaska Nanooks hockey players were recognized by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Monday, earning player of the week honors for their contributions in the team's three-point weekend against the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.
Junior assistant captain Kyle Greentree (Victoria, BC) was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore defenseman Tyler Eckford (Langley, BC) was named the Defensive Player of the Week.
Greentree, a 6-3 215-pound left wing, had a career weekend against the Mavericks scoring his first collegiate hat trick in an 11 minute span of the first period Friday night. He also and added an assist to earn his first four-point game. Saturday he scored a short-handed marker while the Nanooks were facing a two-goal deficit, assisted on Braden Walls' (Calgary, AB) short-handed game-tying goal and then set up Eckford for the game-winning goal. He was plus three through the two-game series against UNO.
It was Greentree's second CCHA weekly honor as he was the CCHA's Rookie of the Week on Oct. 14, 2004.
Eckford, a New Jersey Devils' seventh round draft pick (2004), contributed five points over the weekend. He set Greentree up for two of his three goals in Friday's 5-5 overtime tie, and then added two more assists and the game-winning goal in Saturday's rematch against the Mavericks. He was plus two on the weekend. It was Eckford's first weekly conference honor.
Alaska, which was ranked no. 15 in this week's USCHO.com Division I college hockey poll, continues its CCHA schedule in Marquette, MI, this weekend to close out a two-week road trip. The Nanooks meet the Northern Michigan Wildcats at the Barry Events Center at 3:35 p.m. AST Friday and Saturday nights. Both games will be broadcast on KYSC 96.9 FM and KSUA 91.5 FM, with live stats provided on the internet via Gametracker at www.alaskananooks.com.
