Men’s Hockey Announces Team Awards
4/24/2019 4:06:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire men's hockey team has announced its team awards for the 2018-2019 season. Nine Wildcats received awards to recognize their efforts this past season.
List of Awards
Roger A. LeClerc Most Valuable Player Award: Ara Nazarian
Rod Langway Best Defenseman Award: Anthony Wyse
Guy Smith Best Offensive Player Award: Ara Nazarian
Warren R. Brown Best Defensive Forward Award: Marcus Vela
Robert A. Kullen Unsung Player Award: Chris Miller
Most Improved Player Award: Joe Sacco
Charles E. Holt Coaches Award: Filip Engarås
Whoop Snively Citizenship Award: Richard Boyd
Nate Hardy Ironman Award: Marcus Vela
Frank "The Fan" Halbert Fan Favorite Award: Liam Blackburn
Sid Knight Award: Joe Lazzaro
ROGER A. LECLERC MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD & GUY SMITH AWARD
Playing in 33 games this season, senior assistant captain Ara Nazarian (Boxford, Mass.) led the team in goals with 12 and posted 11 assists for a total of 23 points. He notched two game-winning goals with the overtime game-winner versus Maine and winner against Boston College.
In addition to winning the MVP Award, Nazarian was also presented with the Guy Smith Award which is given to the best offensive player.
ROD LANGWAY BEST DEFENSEMAN AWARD
Junior Anthony Wyse (Newton, Mass.) was awarded the Rod Langway Best Defenseman Award for the second year in a row. Wyse skated in 33 games this season, recording 51 blocks and seven points off one goal and six assists.
CHARLES E. HOLT COACHES AWARD
Freshman Filip Engarås (Stockholm, Sweden) earned the Charles E. Holt Coaches Award, which acknowledges the player who makes large contributions to the team both on and off the ice as voted on by the coaching staff. Engarås was a dedicated member of the team this season, working hard in every practice and training session.
WHOOP SNIVELY CITIZENSHIP AWARD
The Whoop Snively Citizenship Award was granted to senior defenseman Richard Boyd (Delray Beach, Fla.) for his citizenship and service to the university and community, with his selfless work with local youth hockey teams and the Friends of Jaclyn as well as Crohn's Disease awareness.
ROBERT A. KULLEN UNSUNG PLAYER AWARD
Senior forward Chris Miller (Windham, N.H.) was recognized as this season's unsung player with The Robert A. Kullen Award. Playing in 34 games, he tallied four goals and four assists for eight points. Miller scored a career-best two goals in the team's Hockey East quarterfinal double-overtime game against UMass.
WARREN R. BROWN MEMORIAL TROPHY & NATE HARDY IRONMAN AWARD
Senior captain Marcus Vela (Burnaby, British Columbia) was named the team's best defensive forward for the second year in a row with the Warren R. Brown Memorial Trophy. Vela skated in all 36 games this season, scored six goals, and assisted on 12 for a total of 18 points. He recorded 31 blocked shots.
Vela also earned the Nate Hardy Ironman Award by being the student-athlete who excelled in the weight room through a 15-event competition during dry-land training in the fall. The award was named in honor of Nate Hardy, a Navy SEAL who was tragically killed in action in Iraq in early February of 2008.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD
Junior forward Joe Sacco (Reading, Mass.) received the Most Improved Player Award. Sacco played in 35 games and netted his first career goal this season during a win against UConn.
FRANK "THE FAN" HALBERT FAN FAVORITE AWARD
Junior forward Liam Blackburn (Prince George, British Columbia) not only led the team in points this season with 24, but also held the longest point streak in the nation at 15 games. His strong efforts earned him the Fan Favorite Award for being the team's most exciting contender.
SID KNIGHT AWARD
Junior Joe Lazzaro (Hampstead, N.H.) earned the Sid Night Award from having the highest grade point average on the team. Lazzaro is an electrical engineering major, posting an impressive 3.95 cumulative GPA.
SEASON RECAP
List of Awards
Roger A. LeClerc Most Valuable Player Award: Ara Nazarian
Rod Langway Best Defenseman Award: Anthony Wyse
Guy Smith Best Offensive Player Award: Ara Nazarian
Warren R. Brown Best Defensive Forward Award: Marcus Vela
Robert A. Kullen Unsung Player Award: Chris Miller
Most Improved Player Award: Joe Sacco
Charles E. Holt Coaches Award: Filip Engarås
Whoop Snively Citizenship Award: Richard Boyd
Nate Hardy Ironman Award: Marcus Vela
Frank "The Fan" Halbert Fan Favorite Award: Liam Blackburn
Sid Knight Award: Joe Lazzaro
ROGER A. LECLERC MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD & GUY SMITH AWARD
Playing in 33 games this season, senior assistant captain Ara Nazarian (Boxford, Mass.) led the team in goals with 12 and posted 11 assists for a total of 23 points. He notched two game-winning goals with the overtime game-winner versus Maine and winner against Boston College.
This trophy is presented annually to the team's Most Valuable Player and sportsman as voted by his teammates. Roger A. LeClerc was a member of the Class of 1960. He was born Aug. 18, 1937 and died in an automobile accident on Dec. 21, 1957.
In addition to winning the MVP Award, Nazarian was also presented with the Guy Smith Award which is given to the best offensive player.
ROD LANGWAY BEST DEFENSEMAN AWARD
Junior Anthony Wyse (Newton, Mass.) was awarded the Rod Langway Best Defenseman Award for the second year in a row. Wyse skated in 33 games this season, recording 51 blocks and seven points off one goal and six assists.
CHARLES E. HOLT COACHES AWARD
Freshman Filip Engarås (Stockholm, Sweden) earned the Charles E. Holt Coaches Award, which acknowledges the player who makes large contributions to the team both on and off the ice as voted on by the coaching staff. Engarås was a dedicated member of the team this season, working hard in every practice and training session.
WHOOP SNIVELY CITIZENSHIP AWARD
The Whoop Snively Citizenship Award was granted to senior defenseman Richard Boyd (Delray Beach, Fla.) for his citizenship and service to the university and community, with his selfless work with local youth hockey teams and the Friends of Jaclyn as well as Crohn's Disease awareness.
ROBERT A. KULLEN UNSUNG PLAYER AWARD
Senior forward Chris Miller (Windham, N.H.) was recognized as this season's unsung player with The Robert A. Kullen Award. Playing in 34 games, he tallied four goals and four assists for eight points. Miller scored a career-best two goals in the team's Hockey East quarterfinal double-overtime game against UMass.
WARREN R. BROWN MEMORIAL TROPHY & NATE HARDY IRONMAN AWARD
Senior captain Marcus Vela (Burnaby, British Columbia) was named the team's best defensive forward for the second year in a row with the Warren R. Brown Memorial Trophy. Vela skated in all 36 games this season, scored six goals, and assisted on 12 for a total of 18 points. He recorded 31 blocked shots.
Vela also earned the Nate Hardy Ironman Award by being the student-athlete who excelled in the weight room through a 15-event competition during dry-land training in the fall. The award was named in honor of Nate Hardy, a Navy SEAL who was tragically killed in action in Iraq in early February of 2008.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD
Junior forward Joe Sacco (Reading, Mass.) received the Most Improved Player Award. Sacco played in 35 games and netted his first career goal this season during a win against UConn.
FRANK "THE FAN" HALBERT FAN FAVORITE AWARD
Junior forward Liam Blackburn (Prince George, British Columbia) not only led the team in points this season with 24, but also held the longest point streak in the nation at 15 games. His strong efforts earned him the Fan Favorite Award for being the team's most exciting contender.
SID KNIGHT AWARD
Junior Joe Lazzaro (Hampstead, N.H.) earned the Sid Night Award from having the highest grade point average on the team. Lazzaro is an electrical engineering major, posting an impressive 3.95 cumulative GPA.
SEASON RECAP
Players Mentioned
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