California natives Newell, Cooley garner weekly NCHC player awards
Two of the four Bauer NCHC Players of the Week for the week ending Oct. 14 come from the state of California in Thousand Oaks native Patrick Newell and Los Gatos product Devin Cooley.
This is the first career NCHC weekly honor for both players.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Patrick Newell, St. Cloud State
Senior Forward
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Newell had one of the best weekends of his career to start the season, totaling five points to lead SCSU to a sweep at Alaska.
In Friday’s 3-2 victory, he had a hand in all three tallies, dishing out the primary helper on the Huskies’ first goal to tie the game. He then scored both SCSU goals in the second stanza to put the Huskies up for good, including his second goal serving as the game-winner on the power play. The two goals and three points both tied career highs. The next night, Newell chipped in two more points, again setting up SCSU’s first goal with the primary assist, while also again scoring the game-winner in the second period to break a 2-2 tie.
The senior fired three shots on goal in each game, giving him six for the weekend, while he posted a +3 plus/minus, three goals and two assists in the series.
** UPDATE ** Newell was also tabbed the NCAA Second Star of the Week for his weekend performance.
As a youth player, Newell skated for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Devin Cooley, Denver
Sophomore Goaltender
Los Gatos, Calif.
In his first collegiate starts, Cooley was as cool as could be, allowing only one goal while backstopping DU to a pair of wins.
On Friday, he made 22 saves at Air Force, including 12 in the second stanza, while allowing only one goal, which came on the power play, in a 4-1 victory – his first collegiate win in net. The next night, Cooley made his first start at home and recorded his first career shutout, turning aside all 16 shots he faced, with 10 coming in the third period, in a 6-0 whitewash of Alabama Huntsville.
Cooley finished the weekend with 38 saves on 39 shots, a 0.50 goals-against average and a .974 save percentage with no even-strength goals allowed.
During his youth career, Cooley played for the San Jose Jr. Sharks.
Photos: Newell/St. Cloud State Athletic Communications; Cooley/Maddie MacFarlane
(Oct. 15, 2018)
