After Sweep of Bemidji State, Dufour and Nell Named WCHA Players of the Week

Original Release

EDINA, Minn. – After a weekend sweep of Bemidji State in the semifinal series of the WCHA Playoffs, Bowling Green hockey's Kevin Dufour has been named Offensive Player of the Week, while junior goaltender Chris Nell was honored as Defensive Player of the Week as announced by the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Monday afternoon.

Senior forward Kevin Dufour earned his second hat trick in a three week span as he net the overtime game-winner on Friday night against No. 1-seeded Bemidji State. A native of Quebec City, Quebec, Dufour opened the scoring with his 15th of the season 9:08 into the game on a second effort rebound shot.

Although Bemidji State regained the lead by a 3-2 margin later in the game, Dufour was at the crease ready to tip in a shot taken from the left point to tie the game back up at 3-3. Dufour's second of the night came with just 6:30 remaining in regulation, ultimately forcing the overtime action.

It was with just 2:37 remaining in the overtime play that Dufour was able to decide the first game of the semifinals. Dufour was quick to pick up a rebound that bounced off the back boards, and was able to tuck the puck in the back door to seal his hat trick performance.

The game marked his fourth multi-goal night of the season, and after the hat trick performance on Friday, Dufour answered for the Bowling Green squad by evening the score to 1-1 with a game-tying goal just 1:35 into the second period of play. The goal marked Dufour's 18th of the season and fourth of the weekend.

In the semifinal series sweep of the Beavers, Dufour marked four goals for four points, seven shots, a +2 rating, and two blocked shots, while the award is Dufour's third WCHA weekly honor of the year.

Defensively, when Bemidji State saw its first lead of the weekend with a 2-1 lead in the second period of Friday night's game, junior goaltender Chris Nell held strong for the Falcons to keep it a one-goal game. In quick succession, Nell made major back-to-back saves to keep the score 2-1 midway through the period, and the Falcons pushed back to dominate the offensive zone time throughout the final minutes of the period. Nell finished the night with a career-high of 45 saves, including a game-high of 15 in the third period of action.

On Saturday, Nell faced numerous shots in the final minutes, and was crucial in keeping the Falcons ahead with the 2-1 score, and ultimately closed out the night with 25 saves and just one goal against. On the weekend, Nell accumulated 70 saves, just one shy of his season-high for a series, and four goals against for a .946 save percentage, while the honor is Nell's second WCHA Weekly award of the season.

Up next, the Bowling Green hockey program will travel to Houghton, Mich. to face the No. 2-seeded Michigan Tech Huskies in the WCHA Championship on Saturday, March 18 in a 7:07 p.m. start.

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