Rookie of the Month

Jake Guentzel (Woodbury, Minn.) tied for the NCHC lead in points among rookies with seven during November, notching a goal and adding six assists. His six assists also tied for the NCHC lead among rookies during the month and tied for sixth nationally. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect tallied a point in five of the eight games he played in November, averaging 0.88 points per game for the month, which tied for second among NCHC rookies. His play contributed to the Mavericks strong November, in which they went 6-2-0 and vaulted to the top of the NCHC standings.

Guentzel opened November with a four-point series in a sweep at Denver, notching a pair of points in each game. On Nov. 1, he scored the Mavs first goal and had the primary assist on the game-winner in overtime for his first career multi-point game. The next night he handed out two assists, again assisting on the overtime game-winner, as he was named NCHC Rookie of the Week for his efforts. The following weekend he helped UNO split with North Dakota, assisting on a power play goal Nov. 10. The 160-pound winger dished out another power play assist Nov. 16 as part of a split with No. 2 Michigan and capped November with an assist in a second straight game Nov. 22 against Miami as UNO swept the RedHawks. Guentzel finished the month with a +3 rating and also blocked three shots.

Guentzel is now a nominee for Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Rookie of the Month, which will be announced Friday. The other nominees for November NCHC Rookie of the Month were Minnesota Duluth freshman forward Alex Iafallo and Denver freshman forward Trevor Moore.