March 16, 2023
CHN Staff Report
The CCHA has named Michigan Tech goaltender Blake Pietila its Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year. Pietila is also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and Mike Richter Award.
Pietila has started 36 games for Michigan Tech so far this season, going 23-10-3 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. His 10 shutouts leads the nation. He has made 920 total saves in 2113:57 minutes, including 29 games with at least 20 or more stops and 12 games with 30 or more.
Minnesota State’s David Silye is the Forward of the Year. He leads the CCHA with 23 goals and has dished out 16 assists for 39 points in 37 games. The conference’s leader in power-play goals (12), hat tricks (1) and shooting percentage (.264), he is second in points and face-off wins (434). He has two game-winning goals, 87 shots on goal and is a plus-3 with 12 blocks.
Minnesota State’s Jake Livingstone is Defenseman of the Year for the second straight season. He leads all CCHA skaters with 26 assists to go along with eight goals for 34 points, which ranks fourth in the league. His 0.92 points per game are fifth and his 52 blocked shots are ninth. He leads conference defensemen in games played (37), goals, assists, power play goals (3) and game-winning goals (2).
The Coach of the Year is Michigan Tech’s Joe Shawhan. Coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance last season, the Huskies were picked fifth in the CCHA Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Instead they were second and went to the final day with a chance for first place, and are currently all but assured another NCAA Tournament bid. Shawhan won his 100th career game at Bowling Green on Nov. 4, 2022, and moved into second place in wins at Tech on March 4, 2023, in the CCHA Playoffs against St. Thomas.
Michigan Tech freshman forward Kyle Kukkonen has been named the CCHA’s Rookie of the Year. Kukkonen has played in all 38 games for No. 13 Michigan Tech so far this season and leads the team in goals (18), power-play goals (5) and game-winning goals (5). Also collecting nine assists, he is second in points (27), with two shorthanded tallies and a plus-5 rating.
2023 All-CCHA First Team
F David Silye, Minnesota State
F Austen Swankler, Bowling Green
F Ryland Mosley, Michigan Tech
D Elias Rosen, Bemidji State
D Jake Livingstone, Minnesota State
G Blake Pietila, Michigan…
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