COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For only the third time this season, four different teams are represented among the KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Nov. 24-30, 2025 (Week 9). The four KJ Branding NCHC honorees who stuffed the stat sheet on Thanksgiving weekend are:

• Forward – Cullen Potter, Arizona State, So.
• Defenseman – Boston Buckberger, Denver, Jr.
• Goaltender – Matteo Drobac, Miami, So.  
• Rookie – Brandon Lisowsky, Colorado College, F

These are the first career NCHC weekly awards for both Potter and Lisowsky. Buckberger bagged his fourth career Defenseman of the Week nod and second this season (both in the last three weeks). Buckberger also marks the fourth straight week a DU defenseman has claimed the award and fifth time this season. Drobac, meanwhile, gloved his second Goaltender of the Week honor this season.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Cullen Potter, Arizona State
Sophomore Forward
Minneapolis, Minn.
 
Potter continued to stay hot last weekend, powering Arizona State to a sweep of Ohio State with a pair of overtime wins. The Calgary Flames first round draft pick tied for the NCHC lead with four points on the weekend, tallying a goal and an assist both nights against the Buckeyes. In Friday’s opener, Potter scored ASU’s first goal on the power play to tie the game, then set up the overtime game-winner with the primary assist in a 3-2 victory. A night later, he helped the Sun Devils erase a three-goal deficit with another primary assist during the comeback, before scoring the OT winner on Saturday to cap a 4-3 win. Potter was named First Star of the Game both nights.
 
Potter finished the weekend with two goals and two assists, while leading the NCHC with a +4 plus/minus in the series. He fired 11 shots on goal in the two games, while going 16-13 in the faceoff circle (55.2 percent). Potter stretched his point streak to seven games against OSU, while he now has a goal in three straight games and four of his last five. He sits third on the Sun Devils with 14 points in 16 games this season, tallying five goals and nine assists.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Boston Buckberger, Denver
Junior Defenseman
Saskatoon, Sask.
 
Despite only playing one game over the holiday weekend, Buckberger continued to bang in the goals for Denver on Saturday in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game. The DU assistant captain scored two goals in the Pioneers’ wild, 6-5 overtime loss to Minnesota at Ball Arena in Denver. It was his first career multi-goal game in his 100th career game as a Pioneer. Buckberger book-ended the scoring for Denver, tying the game late in the first frame on the power play, before again tying the game at 5-5 with only 23 seconds remaining in regulation. He was named Second Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Buckberger was the only NCHC defenseman to score two goals on the weekend, while the two points tied for the conference lead among blueliners despite only one game. He now has five goals in his last five games and 10 points in his past eight games. On the season, Buckberger has totaled 13 points (5g/8a), which is fourth in the NCHC among blueliners. Along with his two goals, he fired four shots on goal against Minnesota and was +2 while logging more than 31 minutes of ice time in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Matteo Drobac, Miami
Sophomore Goaltender
Oakville, Ont.
 
Drobac was spectacular overseas, backstopping Miami to the 2025 Friendship Four tournament title in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The transfer from Western Ontario was named Player of the Tournament, allowing only two goals all weekend. In Friday’s opener against RIT, Drobac denied all 23 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season as Miami rolled to a 4-0 win. He was named Player of the Game on Friday. The next night in the championship game, Drobac made 29 saves, including four in the final 50 seconds, to hold off then-No. 20 Union for a 3-2 win as Miami captured the Belpot Trophy.
 
Drobac finished the tournament with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage, both of which led the NCHC on the weekend. He totaled 52 saves, which was second in the conference last weekend, while helping Miami go a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill at the Friendship Four. With the two wins, Drobac improved to 10-4-0 on the season, upping his save percentage to .902 on the year and lowering his GAA to 3.00.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Brandon Lisowsky, Colorado College
Freshman Forward
Port Coquitlam, B.C.
 
Lisowsky had a breakout weekend for the Tigers in their split with then-No. 16 Providence, scoring three of CC’s four goals in the series. The Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick entered with one goal all season, but scored two in the Tigers’ 3-2 victory on Friday to open the series. Lisowsky tied the game with each of his goals, including a power play goal 1:27 into the third period to knot things at 2-2. He was tabbed First Star of the Game in the series opener. On Saturday, Lisowsky scored CC’s lone goal early in the second period that again tied the game, but Providence prevailed 2-1.
 
Lisowsky completed the series with three goals on six shots on goal. The three goals tied for the NCHC lead among all skaters on the weekend. He also blocked one shot and finished with an even plus/minus against the Friars. In 16 games this season, Lisowsky now has 10 points, which is fourth on the team, on four goals and six assists.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Matteo Giampa, Miami
Brandon Lisowsky, Colorado College
Cole Reschny, North Dakota
Samu Salminen, Denver

Defenseman of the Week
Ryan Koering, Colorado College
Vladislav Lukashevich, Miami

Goaltender of the Week
Connor Hasley, Arizona State
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Jan Špunar, North Dakota
 
Rookie of the Week
Ilia Morozov, Miami, F
Will Zellers, North Dakota, F