Players from Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan claimed three of the CCHA’s first weekly awards of the 2026-27 season on Monday, Oct. 5. Michigan Tech sophomore Matthew Van Blaricom was named Forward of the Week, while Northern Michigan sophomore goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton earned Goalie of the Week and freshman Coster Dunn was named Rookie of the Week.
Van Blaricom powers Tech’s sweep of Minnesota
Van Blaricom had three goals and an assist as Michigan Tech swept No. 14 Minnesota at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. He scored twice, including the third-period winner, and set up Tech’s other goal in a 3-2 win on Saturday, Oct. 3, then sealed a 3-1 win on Sunday with an empty-net goal. He finished the weekend plus-5. It was Tech’s first sweep of the Gophers since January 2005.
Goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz stopped 58 of 61 shots in the series. The Huskies (2-0) jumped from No. 19 to No. 12 in the USCHO poll and sit No. 16 in the USA Hockey poll. They visit St. Cloud State on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. Eastern and Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Tech has not won in St. Cloud since March 2013.
Wildcats’ newcomers shine in opener
Northern Michigan opened its 50th season by splitting a home series with Miami. Auyeung-Ashton made 30 saves in a 3-0 shutout on Friday, Oct. 2, the second shutout of his career and the only one by a CCHA goaltender that weekend. He added 28 saves on Saturday, finishing the weekend with a .966 save percentage and a 1.02 goals-against average.
Dunn, a center from Edmonton, Alberta, who came to Marquette from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, scored the first goal of the season for the Wildcats, a short-handed tally that stood as Friday’s game-winner. He won 20 faceoffs over the weekend and averaged more than 20 minutes of ice time, the most of any CCHA freshman.
Northern Michigan visits No. 3 Michigan State on Friday, Oct. 9, and Sunday, Oct. 11, at Munn Ice Arena.
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