Nov. 2, 2015 Junior University of Denver blueliner Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.) has been named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Defenseman of the Week for the week ending Nov. 1 the conference office announced this afternoon. This is the first time this season that Butcher has earned the honor and the second time in his collegiate career (Nov. 17-23, 2014).
Butcher, 20, tallied four points for DU this past weekend (Oct. 30 at BC & Oct. 31 at BU) on two goals and two assists while also registering a +2 plus/minus rating and six shots on goal. The Colorado Avalanche prospect scored once on the power play and also assisted on a shorthanded goal by Quentin Shore (Denver, Colo.) to finish the weekend with two special teams points.
Currently leading the Pios in scoring with 2G-4A-6P (6GP) on the season, Butcher is tied for eighth place in the nation in points by a defenseman (T-2nd, NCHC) and ranks third among all NCHC rearguards in SOG/game, averaging 2.83 (17/6). A product of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, Butcher has represented his country at numerous international tournaments including the 2015 and 2014 IIHF World U20 Championships as well as the 2013 (Silver) and 2012 (Gold) IIHF World U18 Championships.
The [9/12] Pioneers (3-3-0) will face the Colorado College Tigers (0-8-0) in a home-and-home series this coming weekend with Game 1 of the 2015-16 edition of the Battle for the Gold Pan set to be staged at Magness Arena on Friday night (puck drop - 7:36pm). Denver and CC will meet again on Saturday (7:07pm) at the Broadmoor World Arena. Tickets to all 2015-16 DU home games are currently available for purchase at DenverPioneers.com/Tickets. Tickets to the 'Battle on Blake', an outdoor game pitting the Pioneers against the Tigers and set to be staged on February 20 at Coors Field in downtown Denver, are also currently available for purchase at Rockies.com/Hockey.
