HCA Selects November National Player and Rookie Accolades

December 5, 2003

YANN DANIS OF BROWN UNIVERSITY NAMED NATIONAL COLLEGE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Colorado College’s Matt Zaba Garners CSTV/Commissioners' Choice Rookie of the Month Honors

Click Here for Full PDF Release

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Yann Danis, a senior goaltender at Brown University, has been selected as the College Sports Television (CSTV)/Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Division I Player of the Month for November.

Danis, a native of Saint Jerome, Quebec, enjoyed a sensational month by registering a 6-1-1 record, .975 save percentage, 0.74 goals-against average, and recording three shutouts in eight games. His efforts earned a wealth of honors, including ECAC Goaltender-of-the-Week Nov. 3, USCHO.com Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 4 and Dec. 2, INCH.com Player of the Week on Nov. 17 and ECAC Player of the Week on Dec. 1.

Honorable mention for Player of the Month: Paul Caponigri, F, Ohio State, CCHA; Jeff Dams, F, Holy Cross, Atlantic Hockey; Gabe Gauthier, F, Denver, WCHA; Grady Hunt, G, Alabama-Huntsville, CHA; Thomas Pöck, D, Massachusetts, Hockey East.

Matt Zaba, the CSTV/HCA National Division I Rookie of the Month, is a 6-1, 170-pound goalie from Yorkton, Sask., who made the most of his opportunity when Colorado College All-American Curtis McElhinney was sidelined with mononucleosis.

He stopped 111-of-118 shots on goal during the month of November for a .941 save percentage and is currently the No. 1-ranked goaltender overall in the WCHA with a 4-0-2 record and a 1.46 goals against average. He ranks second overall in save percentage at .938.

Zaba has twice been named the WCHA Rookie of the Week already this season, including on Nov. 24 when he backstopped the Tigers to a pair of 2-2 overtime road ties against conference-rival University of Wisconsin. In that series, he stopped 48-of-52 shots on goal for .923 save percentage, recorded five shutout periods in 130:00 of action, and blanked the host Badgers on all eight of their weekend power-play opportunities.

Among Zaba’s other noteworthy accomplishments during November were a 26- save effort in a 4-1 victory at WCHA-rival University of Denver, when he also blanked the Pioneers on all six power-play chances, and a a 21-save performance when he recorded his first collegiate shutout in a 4-0 victory over Findlay on Nov. 29.

Honorable Mention Rookie of the Month: Luciano Aquino, F, Maine, Hockey East; Matt Christie, F, Miami, CCHA; Jeremy Hall, F, Niagara, CHA; Brian Ihnacak, F, Brown, ECAC; James Sixsmith, F, Holy Cross, Atlantic Hockey.