ITHACA, N.Y. — Two of the hottest players on the nation’s hottest men’s hockey team have been honored by ECAC Hockey, with junior Anthony Angello named the Player of the Week and freshman goaltender Matthew Galajda tabbed Rookie of the Week.
Angello led the league and was tied for the national lead with four goals last week. It started off with his first collegiate hat trick Friday at Harvard, powering the Big Red to a 3-0 victory over its arch rival on enemy ice. He picked up where he left off the next night at Dartmouth, scoring the winning goal with the teams skating four-on-four in the second period. It gives Angello seven goals over the last five games – four of which have been game-winners. This is Angello’s first career ECAC Hockey Player of the Week honor. He was twice named the league’s rookie of the week during his freshman campaign in 2015-16.
This is Galajda’s first ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week accolade, though he has also been named the league’s top weekly goaltender twice – including last week on the merits of consecutive shutouts against Colgate. He followed that up this week by tying a career high with 35 saves at Harvard for a third consecutive shutout. His shutout streak topped out at 227 minutes, 11 seconds, which is second-longest in Big Red program history and 13th all-time on the NCAA Division I list. He also broke the Cornell record for shutouts by a freshman goalie, with his six clean sheets now tied for the national lead. Galajda led ECAC Hockey in goals against average (0.50) and save percentage (.984) last week.
Having ascended to the No. 1 ranking in both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls for the first time since March 28, 2003, Cornell (18-2-1, 12-1-1 ECAC Hockey) takes its 10-game unbeaten streak into a game at 7 p.m. Friday against Union at Lynah Rink. The Big Red then hosts Rensselaer at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets for both games are available at www.cornellbigredtickets.com.
