The NCHC has announced that a pair of Denver teammates and San Diego-born brothers have earned weekly awards.

Pioneers junior Shai Buium is the NCHC Defenseman of the Week, while freshman defenseman Zeev Buium is the NCHC Rookie of the Week.

Shai Buium had an impact at both ends of the ice in Denver’s series with then-No. 2 North Dakota last weekend. Offensively, he tied a career high with three points on Friday, scoring DU’s first goal of the game to tie the contest at 1-1, while adding two assists in the 7-5 defeat. Defensively, the Detroit Red Wings draft pick blocked three shots in the series and posted a plus-2 plus/minus, helping DU win the series finale in overtime, 3-2.

On the season, Buium now has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 15 games, while compiling a plus-14 plus/minus.

Zeev Buium won his second straight NCHC weekly honor after a three-point weekend from the blue line. He handed out an assist in Friday’s loss to then-No. 2 North Dakota, before racking up two big points in a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday. First, the draft-eligible prospect scored the game-tying goal in the third period. Then he set up the overtime game-winner from Carter King for his second assist of the weekend.

With a goal and two assists in the series, Buium stretched his point streak to 10 games, the longest by a Pioneer this season. He has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) during that 10-game streak and leads all NCHC defensemen with 21 points on the season. His five goals this year are also tops among NCHC blueliners.

The reigning National Co-Player of the Month was selected to the 2024 U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster on Monday as well.

Back home, the brothers played for the SDIA Oilers and Los Angeles Jr. Kings.

(December 5, 2023)