FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Alaska Nanooks' sophomore forward
Cody Kunyk was selected to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's All-Conference Second Team as announced Wednesday but the Michigan-based league office.
Kunyk led the Blue and Gold throughout the 2011-12 campaign with 15 goals and 17 assists good for 32 points in 36 games. He also led the team offensively in league play with 13-12—25 in 28 CCHA contests, good for sixth-best among conference scoring. He was one of just two sophomores and one of three underclassmen in the top-ten for conference points.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound center had the third highest point total on the Second Team with 23 and two first place votes. Overall, he was two points better than his rookie season, when he had 12 goals and 18 assists in 38 games, and five points better in CCHA games with eight goals and 12 assists in 28 contests.
A 2011 CCHA All-Rookie Team Honorable Mention after leading the team in scoring as a freshman a year ago, Kunyk also garnered honorable mention to the league's Preseason All-Conference Team in mid-September.
Joining Kunyk on the second team were Western Michigan junior defenseman Matt Tennyson and sophomore defenseman Dan DeKeyser, who combined for a +21 rating in league play. NMU senior forward Justin Florek joined them, notching 27 conference points while providing a strong defensive presence. FSU senior forward Jordie Johnston was second only to Billins in team scoring with 24 points in league play and was also selected for the Second Team. Michigan senior goalie Shawn Hunwick was the final Second-Team selection after posting a 1.93 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage.
Both Miami junior forward Reilly Smith and Michigan State junior defenseman Torey Krug were selected to the All-Conference First Team for the second straight season as unanimous selections to the First Team, receiving all first-place votes.
Smith led the league in goal-scoring with 18 goals in conference play and overall (26). Krug tied for the league lead in points with 29. Ferris State senior defenseman Chad Billins earned nine first-place votes after finishing second in conference scoring among defensemen with 25 points and leading the Bulldogs to a CCHA regular-season title.
Northern Michigan forward Tyler Gron received seven first-place votes after a stellar senior campaign that saw him finish third in overall scoring with 36 points and fourth in league scoring with 27 points. Billins' teammate and fellow senior, goaltender Taylor Nelson, received six first-place votes on his way to a First-Team selection. Nelson posted a 2.08 goals-against average and .927 save percentage for the CCHA regular-season champions. Notre Dame forward T.J. Tynan rounded out the First Team after tying for the lead in points (29) in league action with Krug and leading the conference in overall scoring with 41 points.
Alaska's top-scoring defenseman and senior
Aaron Gens was listed among others recieveing votes with four. He was fifth among CCHA blueliners this season with two goals and 14 assists in 28 games. He had 2-18---20 overall in 36 games, fifth-best among his Nanook teammates.
The teams were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches and are based on performance in conference games. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
2011-12 CCHA All-Conference Teams
First Team
Forward, Reilly Smith, JR, Miami, 50 pts (10 - 1
st place votes)
Forward, Tyler Gron, SR, Northern Michigan, 42 (7)
Forward, T.J. Tynan, SO, Notre Dame, 40 (5)
Defense, Torey Krug, JR, Michigan State, 50 (10)
Defense, Chad Billins, SR, Ferris State, 48 (9)
Goaltender, Taylor Nelson, SR, Ferris State, 34 (6)
Second Team
Forward, Justin Florek, SR, Northern Michigan, 34 (4)
Forward, Cody Kunyk, SO, Alaska, 23 (2)
Forward, Jordie Johnston, SR, Ferris State, 22 (3)
Defense, Dan DeKeyser, SO, Western Michigan, 20 (2)
Defense, Matt Tennyson, JR, Western Michigan, 20
Goaltender, Shawn Hunwick, SR, Michigan, 24 (2)
Vote Values: 1st place = 5, 2nd place = 3, 3rd place = 1
Honorable Mention (next six point totals, regardless of position with first team-votes in parentheses): Connor Knapp, SR, G, Miami, (1) 23; Lee Moffie, JR, D, Michigan, (1) 17; Chris Brown, JR, F, Michigan, (1) 15; Kevin Kapalka, SO, G, Lake Superior, (2) 13; Anders Lee, SO, F, Notre Dame, (1) 10; Kyle Follmer, JR, D, Northern Michigan, 10.
Others receiving votes: Forwards — Alex Guptill, FR, Michigan, 9; David Wohlberg, SR, Michigan, 9; Chase Balisy, SO, WMU, 8; Chris Wideman, SR, Miami, 8; Kyle Haines, SR, LSSU, 6; Zach Trotman, JR, LSSU, 6; Matt Kirzinger, JR, FSU, 5; Domenic Monardo, JR, LSSU, 5; Greg Pateryn, SR, Michigan, 5; Kyle Bonis, JR, FSU, 4; Shane Berschbach, SO, WMU, 4; Lee Reimer, SO, MSU, 4; Riley Sheahan, JR, ND, 4;
Aaron Gens, SR, Alaska, 4; Austin Czarnik, FR, Miami, 3; Dane Walters, JR, WMU, 3; Brock Shelgren, SR, MSU, 3; Jared Coreau, SO, NMU, 3; Kyle Jean, SO, LSSU, 2; Brett Perlini, SR, MSU, 1; Scott Czarnowczan, SO, FSU; Andrew Hammond, JR, BG, 1; Cal Heeter, SR, OSU, 1.
