IT was quite the week for Thunder Bay’s Ryan Fanti while manning the nets for University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
On Thursday the junior netminder was named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference goaltender of the year and two days later he backstopped UMD to a NCHC Frozen Faceoff playoff title, in impressive fashion.
The junior netminder with the Bulldogs was unbeatable at the conference championship tournament held in St. Paul, Minn.
Taking on the highest-scoring team, on a goal-per-game basis, in semifinal action, Fanti stopped all 30 shots he faced Friday to shutout the University of Denver Pioneers 2-0.
Then on Saturday night he was flawless once more, posting a 25-save shutout as UMD blanked the Western Michigan Broncos 3-0 to claim NCHC crown.
For his efforts, the Thunder Bay Kings alumnus, was named the tournament’s most outstanding player award recipient.
Meanwhile, in earning NCHC top goalie honours, he led all conference netminders, who saw action in 10, or more, games, in both goals-against average and save percentage at 1.99 and .921 respectively.
The business major at Duluth has a stingy 1.87 average against all competition so far on the campaign, along with an equally stellar save mark of .926, to go along with six shutouts and a career single-season best 19 victories.
Fanti was earlier named a semifinalist for the 2022 Mike Richter Award, which goes annually to the top goaltender in NCAA Division I men’s hockey.
Having made nine straight starts for the Bulldogs, he’ll enter the NCAA West Regional riding a shutout streak of 145 minutes and 21 seconds.
At the regional, UMD will meet long-time rival, the Michigan Tech Huskies, Thursday afternoon in Loveland, Colo.
Over the course of the past 10 NCAA men’s hockey championships, the Bulldogs have three national titles to their credit, the most of any competing D-I school.
OTHER WINNERS: Over the years, a fair number of other local standouts, who like Fanti, competed in the NCAA hockey ranks and also claimed conference accolades.
The most notable was undoubtedly 35 years ago when Thunder Bay’s Tony Hrkac was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s most valuable player for his on-ice efforts at the University of North Dakota in 1986-87.
That was the same year Hrkac set a NCAA D-I record for most points in season with 116, which has yet to be matched or surpassed to this day.
He also claimed the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in all of U.S. college hockey while leading North Dakota to a national championship.
There were other local connections to other past WCHA trophy recipients.
You had Brad Williamson earning WCHA defensive player of the year laurels while skating in Grand Forks, N.D., in 1998-99 while Terrace Bay’s Aaron MacKenzie did likewise at Denver in 2002-03.
Then there was George Gwozdecky earning WCHA coach of the year honours on four separate occasions.
The long-time, highly successful, bench boss collected this award in 1994-95; 2001-02; 2004-05 and 2009-10.
Meanwhile, back in 1972, Vic Venasky claimed the conference scoring champion title as a member of the DU Pioneers, with Hrkac matching that feat 15 years later.
There was also Moe Trewin collecting the league goaltending champion award for lowest goals-against average as he posted a 2.55 GAA in 1971.
A plethora of Lakehead products also earned All-American status during their respective days in the WCHA.
They include: Chris Hynnes (Colorado College); Vic Venasky (Denver); Henry Akervall (Michigan Tech) twice; Moe Trewin (Michigan Tech); Ron Busniuk (UMD); Norm Maciver (UMD) twice; Dave Merrifield (North Dakota); Bob Munro (North Dakota) twice; Marc Chorney (North Dakota); Tony Hrkac (North Dakota); Greg Johnson (North Dakota) three times; David Hoogsteen (North Dakota); Brad Williamson (North Dakota) and Taylor Chorney (North Dakota).