Click Here for Full ECAC Hockey Release ALBANY, N.Y. – Fresh off the squad's 3-0-1 week, which included a huge four-point weekend on a road trip to the North Country, two Cornell players' netted weekly awards from ECAC Hockey. The league's sports information directors voted senior team captain
Brianne Jenner ECAC Hockey Player of the Week, while freshman
Erin O'Connor took Rookie of the Week honors.
The Big Red had its best week of the season to-date. The team kicked off the week with a 1-1 tie against No. 7 Mercyhurst, before winning its final three games. It outscored its opponents; Syracuse, No. 6 Clarkson and St. Lawrence 18-7 in the three victories. Jenner and O'Connor played an integral role in the majority of the impressive goal total.
While Jenner had been enjoying a fine season heading into the crucial final week before winter break, the feeling was that it would only be a matter of time before the flood gates to her point totals would open up. That time was this week, as Jenner exploded for 11 points (2g-9a) to more than double her point total for the year. The huge week pushed the senior captain near the top of the scoring charts in ECAC Hockey, as she is tied for first in points per game (2.20) and sits fourth overall in scoring (18 points) despite playing in only 11 contests this season.
She began the week with the primary assist on the lone goal in the Big Red's 1-1 tie of Mercyhurst. The following night she recorded a trio of assists in Cornell's 6-2 thrashing of Syracuse. Although she posted a great start to the week, she saved her best for ECAC Hockey play. She collected two goals and two assists in Cornell's history-making 8-3 rout of Clarkson, which included a shorthanded goal in a game-changing penalty kill in the first period. The senior capped the week with another three apple effort in the Big Red's 4-2 victory over St. Lawrence. The ECAC Hockey Player of the Week nod is her first of the season.
While Jenner was lighting things up top, O'Connor was providing the firepower from the blue-line. The freshman continues to evolve into one of the best offensive defenders in NCAA Division I. She collected a six point week (2g-4a), which bumped her into some impressive company both in conference play and nationally. She currently ranks first among all freshman blue-liners nationally in points (13), while she ranks second among all ECAC Hockey defenders overall, trailing just Kelsey Koelzer of Princeton. Impressive has been her work as the primary point quarterback on a Big Red power-play that has picked up steam over the past week. She currently ranks fourth among all blue-liners nationally in power-play points (6), while she ranks second in power-play goals (3).
Similar to Jenner, O'Connor tallied a point in all four games on the week. She assisted on the Big Red's lone tally against the Lakers, while she posted a goal and an assist against both the Orange and Golden Knights. She rounded out the week with an assist against the Saints. The Rookie of the Week award is the second of the year for O'Connor.
Cornell will return to action on January 2, when it welcomes Canadian power McGill for an exhibition at Lynah Rink. The Big Red will resume ECAC Hockey play on Jan. 9-10, when it welcomes St. Lawrence and Clarkson for return trips to Lynah Rink.
