OUTSTANDING play has earned Haley Irwin a nomination for a top collegiate honour.
The junior forward at Minnesota-Duluth is among the list of nominees for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which goes annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey.
Irwin was among 26 players tabbed in the opening group of selections that were announced last week.
From there each of the head coaches among the women’s hockey programs will select the top 10 finalists from that initial group.
After hat the top 10 while be whittled down three with the overall recipient to be announced March 19 during the NCAA women’s Frozen Four event in Erie, Penn.
On the ice, Irwin was solid yet again in helping her Bulldogs sweep Minnesota State Mankato in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs.
She racked up five assists as UMD skated to wins by scores of 3-0 and 5-0.
The Bulldogs will now move on to face arch-rival Minnesota in WCHA semi final action Friday in Minneapolis.
WEEKLY HONOURS: Recent on-ice efforts saw recognition go to Justin Gvora of Thunder Bay.
The third-year forward at the University of Guelph was named the school’s male athlete of the week as he helped the Gryphons dispose of Brock in opening round postseason play in the OUA.
He racked up seven points in the series vs. the Badgers including firing a hat-trick and dishing out a pair of assists in the series-clinching victory.
This marked the second time in three weeks he was recognized by the school for the same award.
Gvora was hoping the magic continued as Guelph met Greg Puhalski’s Laurier Golden Hawks in the third and deciding game of their OUA quarterfinal series Sunday evening in Waterloo.
SILVER LINING: It was silver lining for the two Lakehead participants in the women’s portion of the Canada Winter Games hockey competition that wrapped up over the weekend in Nova Scotia.
Goaltender Amanda Makela and forward Brittany Zuback were on the Team Ontario side that were edged 3-2 Saturday evening by a strong Alberta squad that went unbeaten in seven games to claim the gold medal.
ALL-STAR: Just a few weeks after committing to attend Bemidji State University on scholarship in time for the 2012-13 season, Graeme McCormack has received additional accolades to be proud about.
The 19-year-old Thunder Bay product was recently named the Nanaimo Clippers top defenceman award recipient and just this past Friday he was selected to the British Columbia Jr. Hockey League’s Coastal Conference all-star team on defence.
McCormack’s 56-game regular season saw him lead the Clippers in scoring among blueliners with 41 points, which was also the fourth highest overall total on the club.
NCAA ROUND-UP: U.S. college action Saturday saw Thunder Bay’s Drew Strandberg make 31 saves leading his Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjackets to a 4-2 triumph over Wisconsin-Steven’s Point in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association semi final action.
UWS will now meet No. 1 seed St. Norbert in the NCHA championship game on Saturday. The winner there will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Div. III tournament.
That night saw another local product in senior forward Luke Cain score a goal helping his Union College Dutchmen capture their first-ever ECAC regular season title in the 66-year history of the program as they blanked Princeton 5-0 on home ice.