DENVER – Sophomore
Boston Buckberger of the University of Denver hockey team was named on Monday the NCHC Defenseman of the Week by the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
Buckberger earned his first Defenseman of the Week award of the season and second of his career. He has been named to the NCHC weekly honors now three times in his career, as the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, native was recognized as D-man of the Week on Oct. 23, 2023 and Rookie of the Week on Oct. 30, 2023 during his freshman campaign.
The defenseman totaled two assists, five blocked shots and a plus-4 rating in Denver's two wins at Miami last weekend. He had an assist and tied a career high with three blocked shots on Friday in the Pioneers' 5-1 win before adding another helper and blocking two shots in the 5-2 victory on Saturday. He finished each game with a plus-2 rating and leads all players on the squad with a plus-24 rating this season.
Buckberger has recorded nine points (3g/6a) in his last eight games, which included matching a personal best with three points (1g/2a) on Feb. 14 vs. North Dakota. Overall, he is tied for fifth in assists (16) and is seventh in points on the Pioneers this season, ranking third respectively among blueliners on the squad.
He is the third different Denver rear guard to be named Defenseman of the Week, joining
Zeev Buium (Nov. 18, Jan. 13, Feb. 3) and
Eric Pohlkamp (Oct. 21, Nov. 4).
Kyle Smolen of Arizona State was recognized as Forward of the Week, while North Dakota's T.J. Semptimphelter was selected as Goaltender of the Week and Sacha Boisvert was chosen as Rookie of the Week. Denver's
Jack Devine was a finalist for Forward of the Week honors, while
Jake Fisher was also up for this week's top rookie award.
UP NEXT: No. 6 Denver begins a three-game homestand this weekend as the Pioneers host St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday at Magness Arena. DU takes on rival Colorado College at home on March 7 before closing the home-and-home set in Colorado Springs against the Tigers on March 8 in the regular-season finale.
TICKETS: Limited tickets for Denver hockey's 75th anniversary in 2024-25 are still available. Click
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