WINTHROP, Mass. – Niagara junior center Derian Plouffe was named the Travel Team USA Player of the Week by Atlantic Hockey, announced on Tuesday. Plouffe’s honor was the fifth Atlantic Hockey accolade for a Niagara player this season, and the team’s first Player of the Week honor since Hugo Turcotte on Nov. 19, 2013.
Plouffe led Niagara with three goals and four points as the team secured a pair of wins over three games last week. He also led all Atlantic Hockey skaters with a plus-6 rating. Plouffe scored at least one point in each of Niagara’s three games last week as the Purple Eagles went 2-1 in conference play.
The junior center started the week with one goal and a plus-3 rating as Niagara outlasted Mercyhurst 5-4 at Dwyer Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 15. He added two goals (one shorthanded), one assist, and a plus-3 rating over two games as the Purple Eagles split a weekend series at Sacred Heart, falling 4-3 on Friday, Nov. 18 before rallying with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, Nov. 19.
In 12 games this season, Plouffe ranks second on the Purple Eagles in scoring, tallying four goals and four assists for eight points.
Niagara (2-8-2, 2-3-1 Atlantic Hockey) looks to move up the conference standings this weekend with two games against American International (2-4-5, 2-3-4 Atlantic Hockey). The Purple Eagles and Yellow Jackets face off at the MassMutual Center at 2:05 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25 and 5:05 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26.
