USHL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 1
Pair of Des Moines Buccaneers, Cedar Rapids goaltender Blake Pietila earn first weekly awards of 2018-19 season.
The United States Hockey League announced the Forward, Defenseman and Goaltender of the Week for Week 1 of the 2018-19 season. A pair of Des Moines Buccaneers – forward Matt Brown and defenseman Connor Senken – and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders goaltender Blake Pietila earned the first USHL weekly awards of the season. Brown recorded seven points in two games over the weekend at the Dick’s Sporting Goods USHL Fall Classic, including a hat trick and six-point game on Friday. Senken scored a goal in each of Des Moines’ games at the Fall Classic and added an assist on Thursday. Pietila helped the RoughRiders to three of a possible four points at the Fall Classic, stopping 51 of the 55 shots he faced in two games. The USHL is America’s only Tier 1 junior hockey league, and continues to lead the world in the advancement of players to Division I college hockey.
Defenseman: Connor Senkin – Des Moines Buccaneers
2 GP: 2 goals, 1 assist, +3 rating
Senken scored a goal and added an assist in Des Moines’ Thursday win over the Madison Capitols. He then recorded his second goal of the weekend in the Buccaneers 10-5 doubling up of the Chicago Steel on Friday. The Long Island, NY native also finished with a +3 rating after his team’s pair of games at the Fall Classic, giving him a great start to his USHL career. Before his time in the nation’s only Tier 1 junior hockey league, Senken spent two seasons in the QMJHL, first with the Moncton Wildcats in 2016-17 and then with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in 2017-18. He was added to Des Moines’ roster on Sept. 16.
