WEST POINT, N.Y. – After posting a hat trick on Saturday in Army hockey’s 8-1 win over Holy Cross, freshman Brendan Soucie was recognized by the Atlantic Hockey Association as the Player of the Week.
This is the first time Soucie has been named the Player of the Week as he garnered Rookie of the Week honors on Nov. 1. He is the first freshman of the 2016-17 season to be given a Player of the Week nod over rookie honors, the last being awarded to Dan McLaughlin from Canisius last February.
The Cadets picked up four points with two wins over the Crusaders last weekend. The Black Knights defeated Holy Cross 4-2 on Friday and continued their momentum into Saturday’s game where they won 8-1.
The eight goals on Saturday were the most scored by Army since 2010. The stat sheet featured 14 players with at least a point. Soucie’s performance stands out to most though as he posted his first career hat trick while adding an assist in the dominating victory. He is the first Cadet since Maurice Alvarez (2013) to record a hat trick.
During Saturday’s game, three of Soucie’s five shots found the back of the net. One of those goals was on the power play, his first in an Army sweater. This season, the Needham, Mass., native totals six goals and two assists for eight points. He is now ranked 11th in the league for rookie scoring and fourth in game-winning goals with two.
Army boasts a record of 9-6-1 overall with a .594 winning percentage heading into the break. It is the first time in two decades that the Cadets have at least nine wins at the end of the first semester, and first with a full Division I schedule. In league play, the Black Knights are 9-4-0 posting a .692 success rate with the next-best team (Air Force) at .650.
The Black Knights are off until the end of December when they play in the Ledyard Classic hosted by Dartmouth.
