Freshman defenseman Aaron Ness of the Gophers was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday.

Ness was the MVP of the Dodge Holiday Classic last weekend at Mariucci.

In a 6-2 thrashing of Brown on Friday, Ness had one assists, four shots on goal, and a plus-1 rating.

Then, in the Gophers’ 3-2 overtime victory over Northeastern on Saturday, Ness tied the score 2-2 in the third period on his first goal of the season. He also had an assist on Minnesota’s first goal.

He had three shots on goal that game.

The 5-10, 170-pound Ness is only the second defenseman in the 18-year history of the tournament to be named MVP. The other was former Gopher Alex Goligoski, now playing for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ness, a New York Islanders draftee, had one goal and eight assists this season i 18 games.

Among other nominated for this award was defenseman Chay Genoway of North Dakota, the Gophers’ next opponent.

First line center Chris VandeVelde of the Fighting Sioux was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week. He had three goals and one assists as North Dakota swept Bemidji State in a home and home series. The scores in both games was 4-3.

VandeVelde, a 6-2, 204-pound junior from Moorhead, Minn., had the a goal and an assist in the opening period of the first game in Bemidji.

Then, the next night at the Ralph, he had two goals as the Sioux rallied from an early 2-0 deficit. He also won 17 of 21 faceoffs.

VandeVelde, a Edmonton draft pick, had seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 22 games. 

Sophomore center Patrick White of the Gophers was also nominated for this award. He scored the game-winner in Minnesota’s 3-2 overtime win over Northeastern.

The third weekly WCHA award-winner also has Minnesota connections. Wisconsin forward Derek Stepan, a freshman from Hastings, was named the Rookie of the Week. He had five points in four holiday games.

He has five five goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 22 games.

Also nominated for this award were Ness and forward Brett Hextall of North Dakota.

DUNCAN ASKS FOR WHITEOUTS

North Dakota senior forward Ryan Dunan, the Hobey Baker Award winner two years ago, has asked Sioux fans to wear white to each game of the Gopehrs series.

Jayson Hajdu, UND’s media relations director for hockey, said special white shirts have been produced for this series with logos of both teams on it.

No word on how they have been selling.

UND students are still on holiday break, but sellout crowds are expected for both games and Haydu expects some of the fans will be students because the opponent is Minnesota.

Single-game men’s hockey tickets are $25 for most series, but the price goes up to $30 for Denver and Wisconsin and $40 for Minnesota.

Minnesota tickets have been selling on the internet for $70 to $100.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 7th, 2009 at 12:49 am and is filed under Gophers men's hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.