WAKEFIELD, Mass. -- Nicole Hekle (Winnipeg, Manitoba), a senior forward and captain on the fourth-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s ice hockey team, was named TPS Player of the Week by Hockey East on Monday. It marked the second time in as many weeks and the fifth time this season that a UNH Wildcat student-athlete received the TPS Player of the Week award.

            Hekle recorded four points with a two-assist game at Northeastern University and a two-goal game at Providence College to help UNH strengthen its position atop the Hockey East standings. She scored the game-winning goal vs. PC when she gave the Wildcats a 1-0 first-period lead – it was her 50^th career goal – and recorded an assist on Saturday’s game-winning goal against NU. Sunday marked her first multiple-goal game of the season and the two assists matched her season high.

            In 29 games this season, Hekle has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points. She has compiled 51 goals and 79 assists for 130 points in 137 career games.

            New Hampshire (22-3-4, 14-1-1 Hockey East) returns to action this weekend for a home-and-home series vs. the University of Connecticut. The teams face off Feb. 16 (7 p.m.) at UConn and again Feb. 18 (2 p.m.) at UNH’s Whittemore Center for Senior Day.