Spartans Miller, Vicari Lauded By CCHA Peers
12/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Dec. 22, 2005
Farmington Hills, Mich. - Junior forward Drew Miller (East Lansing) and junior goaltender Dominic Vicari (Clinton Twp.) were named the CCHA's "smartest player" and "goalie with the best glove hand", respectively, in a conference-wide captain's poll, on Wednesday, Dec. 21. The poll asked the leagues 12 captains and their assistants to rank the CCHA's best players in 22 categories. Ohio State led all schools with six first-place selections, while five individuals placed first in multiple categories. Complete results, with first-place votes in parenthesis, are listed below.
In addition to being named the league's "smartest player" Miller was also voted as the CCHA's second runner-up for the "best passer award" and tied for first runner-up in the "best penalty-killer" category with Nebraska-Omaha's Bill Bagron.
Vicari also earned recognition as the second runner-up in the "most respected player" category and earned first runner-up honors for the "best stickhandling goalie" award.
Three other Spartans, senior forwards David Booth (Washington) and Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) and sophomore forward Bryan Lerg were also honored by their CCHA brethren. Booth was recognized for his lethal wrist shot, earning second runner-up placement in that cateogry. Fretter was named second runner-up for "shooting accuracy", while Lerg finished as the second runner-up for his stick-handling ability.
CCHA CAPTAIN'S POLL: 2005-06
HARDEST SLAPSHOT
Jamie Milam, SR, F, Northern Michigan (8)
First Runner-up - Andy Greene, SR, D, Miami (1)
Second Runner-up - Matt Hunwick, JR, D, Michigan (1)
BEST WRIST SHOT
Rod Pelley, SR, F, Ohio State (7)
First Runner-up - Brandon Kaleniecki, SR, F, Michigan (3)
Second Runner-up - David Booth, SR, F, Michigan State (1)
MOST ACCURATE SHOT
Scott Parse, JR, F, Nebraska-Omaha (6)
First Runner-up - Chad Kolarik, SO, F, Michigan (2)
Second Runner-up - Colton Fretter, SR, F, Michigan State (1)
QUICKEST RELEASE
Andrew Contois, SR, F, Northern Michigan (5)
First Runner-up (Tie) - Matt Amado, SR, F, Notre Dame (2)
- Dan Knapp, SR, F, Ohio State (2)
HARDEST HITTER (DEFENSEMAN)
Nate Guenin, SR, Ohio State (5)
First Runner-up - Nathan Oystrick, SR, Northern Michigan (2)
Second Runner-up - Jon Sitko, JR, Bowling Green (1)
HARDEST HITTER (FORWARD)
Mike Lefley, SR, Nebraska-Omaha (5)
First Runner-up - Rod Pelley, SR, Ohio State (3)
Second Runner-up - Tim Wallace, SR, Notre Dame (1)
BEST PASSER
T.J. Hensick, JR, F, Michigan (7)
First Runner-up - Bill Thomas, SO, F, Nebraska-Omaha (2)
Second Runner-up - Drew Miller, JR, F, Michigan State (1)
BEST STICKHANDLER
Tom Fritsche, SO, F, Ohio State (5)
First Runner-up - T.J. Hensick, JR, F, Michigan (13)
Second Runner-up - Bryan Lerg, SO, F, Michigan State (3)
FASTEST SKATER
Bill Thomas, SO, F, Nebraska-Omaha (3)
First Runner-up - Andrew Contois, SR, F, Northern Michigan (3)
Second Runner-up - Nathan Davis, SO, F, Miami (2)
SMARTEST PLAYER
Drew Miller, JR, F, Michigan State (3)
First Runner-up - Bryan Marshall, SO, F, Nebraska-Omaha (3)
Second Runner-up (Tie) - Mark Bomersback, JR, F, Ferris State (2)
- Paul Szczechura, JR, F, Western Michigan (2)
MOST RESPECTED PLAYER
Andy Greene, SR, D, Miami (6)
First Runner-up - Nathan Oystrick, SR, D, Northern Michigan (3)
Second Runner-up - Dominic Vicari, JR, G, Michigan State (1)
BEST ON FACEOFFS
Dirk Southern, SR, F, Northern Michigan (4)
First Runner-up - Matt Davis, SR, F, Miami (4)
Second Runner-up (Tie) - Lucas Burnett, JR, F, Alaska Fairbanks (0) -
Domenic Maiani, SO, F, Ohio State (0)
BEST DEFENSEMAN 1-ON-1
Nate Guenin, SR, Ohio State (6)
First Runner-up - Andy Greene, SR, Miami (3)
Second Runner-up - Geoff Waugh, SR, D, Northern Michigan (2)
BEST POWER-PLAY POINTMAN
Andy Greene, SR, D, Miami (6)
First Runner-up - Matt Hunwick, JR, D, Michigan (3)
Second Runner-up - Sean Collins, JR, D, Ohio State (0)
BEST PENALTY KILLER
Matt Davis, SR, F, Miami (5)
First Runner-up (Tie) - Bill Bagron, SO, F, Nebraska-Omaha (3)
- Drew Miller, JR, F, Michigan State (1)
BEST GLOVE HAND (GOALIE)
Dominic Vicari, JR, Michigan State (4)
First Runner-up - Jeff Jakaitis, JR, Lake Superior State (1)
Second Runnerup - Dave Caruso, SR, Ohio State (2)
TOUGHEST GOALIE 1-ON-1
David Brown, JR, Notre Dame (4)
First Runner-up - Jeff Jakaitis, JR, Lake Superior State (3)
Second Runner-up (Tie) - Dave Caruso, SR, Ohio State (2) - Jeff Zatkoff, FR,
Miami (1)
BEST PUCKHANDLING GOALIE
Dave Caruso, SR, Ohio State (3)
First Runner-up - Dominic Vicari, JR, Michigan State (3)
Second Runner-up - Jeff Zatkoff, FR, Miami (2)
MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER
Pat Bateman, JR, F, Northern Michigan (1)
First Runner-up - Noah Babin, JR, D, Notre Dame (0)
Second Runner-up (Tie) - Joe Cooper D, Miami (1) - Jason Dest, JR, D,
Michigan (2)
MOST DANGEROUS ON A BREAKAWAY
T.J. Hensick, JR, F, Michigan (7)
First Runner-up - Scott Parse, JR, F, Nebraska-Omaha (3)
Second Runner-up - Darin Olver, JR, F, Northern Michigan (1)
MOST DANGEROUS LEADING A RUSH
Tom Fritsche, SO, F, Ohio State (6)
First Runner-up - Scott Parse, JR, F, Nebraska-Omaha (1)
Second Runner-up - Andrew Cogliano, FR, F, Michigan (1)
MOST DANGEROUS IN THE SLOT
Bill Thomas, SO, F, Nebraska-Omaha (6)
First Runner-up - Kyle Greentree, SO, F, Alaska Fairbanks (3)
Second Runner-up - Brent Walton, SR, F, Western Michigan (2)
