Michigan State University Athletics
Yanakeff Named CCHA Goalie of the Week
1/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Jan. 17, 2011
East Lansing, Mich. - Freshman Will Yanakeff (Jerome, Mich.) has earned the CCHA's Goaltender of the Week honor, as announced by the CCHA office on Monday, January 18. The netminder helped MSU to a win and tie on the road at Lake Superior State last weekend by stopping 58 of the 60 shots he faced. It is the first honor of the first-year player's career.
Yanakeff, who played in both games, made 24 saves on Friday in a 4-0 shutout, the first of his career. On Saturday, he turned aside 34 shots in a 2-2 tie, and made one save in a four-round, 2-1 shootout loss. Yanakeff (0.96 GAA, .967 Sv%) helped the Spartans to a four-point weekend.
Yanakeff is unbeaten in four straight starts, dating back to the Great Lakes Invitational consolation game. Each game in this stretch has been a "first" - the win over Michigan Tech was his first collegiate victory, an overtime win over Michigan on Jan. 7 was his first overtime game and his first victory at Munn Ice Arena, Friday's 24-save performance was his first career shutout, and Saturday's tie was his first collegiate shootout.
In Saturday's 2-2 stalemate, Yanakeff made18 second-period saves, his best this season in a single period.
The freshman is the fourth MSU player who has received weekly honors from the CCHA this season. Junior defenseman Brock Shelgren was named the CCHA Defenseman of the Week after the Maine series. It was the first CCHA weekly honor in his career. Drew Palmisano earned CCHA Goaltender of the Week honors for his performance in the Alaska series (Oct. 22-23), and Derek Grant was named the CCHA Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 15 after a five-point weekend against Ohio State.
The Spartans return to Munn Ice Arena for a series with No. 11/12 Miami on Friday (7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (7 p.m.)
