CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – Two members of the Union College men’s hockey team earned ECAC Hockey accolades for their performances at Maine as announced by the conference.
Junior Connor Murphy was named the Goalie of the Week while first-year Caden Villegas earned Rookie of the Week honors.
Murphy was stellar in net for the Dutchmen against a high-shooting Maine squad. The junior stopped 51 shots in Friday’s 1-1 tie, which places him ninth all time in Dutchmen history for single game saves. Murphy went on to stop 38 shots on Saturday, including 21 in the first period, for a total of 89 saves on the weekend.
Murphy was previously recognized with goalie of the week honors after backstopping the Dutchmen to a 1-0-1 weekend over Colorado College in October. The junior is the first Union goaltender to be recognized multiple times in a season since Darion Hanson earned the honor four times in the 2018-2019 season.
Villegas exploded offensively on Saturday, scoring his first collegiate goal and assist on the way to a three-point night (1-2-3). The first-year was instrumental in all three Union goals, picking up an assist in the first period, before finding the back of the net 1:38 into the third period, and adding the primary assist on Union’s third goal.
Villegas is the first Union rookie to put together a three-point game since January 3, 2020 when Gabriel Seger registered three assists in Union’s overtime win against St. Lawrence.
The Dutchmen will be back in action on Friday, December 31 against Massachusetts. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Messa Rink.
