Northern Michigan University’s Andre Ghantous, right, skates up ice with Minnesota-Duluth’s Koby Bender defending at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Dec. 4, 2021. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — Seventeen goals in one weekend tends to get the attention of officials in the CCHA, apparently.

After the Northern Michigan University hockey team scored more goals in one weekend than they had in any two consecutive weekends all season — that four-game high mark had been 15 — the Wildcats garnered not one, not two, but three Player of the Week honors from their conference.

Interestingly, the only award NMU didn’t earn this week is the one they claimed the week before — Goaltender of the Week for freshman Beni Halasz.

While Halasz was certainly solid in stopping 44 of 49 shots against Ferris State, this week it was the offense that stepped up to the forefront.

Senior Andre Ghantous was named CCHA Forward of the Week, junior Simon Kjellberg earned CCHA Defenseman of the Week and freshman Joey Larson once again took home the CCHA Rookie of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Ghantous tied for the Northern and league weekend lead in points with five, scoring three goals, all on the power play, and adding a pair of assists. He now leads the team for the season with 30 points on nine goals and 21 assists, with his assist total ranked No. 2 in the CCHA.

He had a goal and assist in four shots in Friday’s 9-2 win, then potted two goals and an assist in just two shots Saturday in an 8-3 triumph. For the weekend, he took six shots on goal and scored on three of them.

Kjellberg scored a goal each night and added an assist for a three-point weekend against the Bulldogs.

Also posting a plus-minus rating of plus-4 and blocking five shots, Kjellberg led all conference defensemen in the goals and points categories as his numbers included a power play goal and game-winning goal.

And Larson earned the rookie nod for the second time in three weeks and fourth time already this season. Coaches around the league probably aren’t too surprised, considering he was voted the Preseason Rookie of the Year before he ever stepped onto the collegiate ice.

Against Ferris, Larson had two goals and two assists for four points to lead all first-year players in each category, while his season totals of 11 goals, 13 assists and 24 points put him second among league rookies.

He had nine shots on goal vs. Ferris, No. 2 among all skaters last weekend, and joined Kjellberg with a plus-4 rating while even finding time to block a shot.

These three awards bring the Wildcats’ total to 11 weekly awards this season, while Northern players have also garnered three Player of the Month honors, too.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.