COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the calendar turned to December, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its November Players of the Month on Wednesday with Denver and North Dakota each capturing two awards. Nabbing November monthly honors in the National are:

• Forward – Ben Strinden, North Dakota, Sr.
• Defenseman – Eric Pohlkamp, Denver, Jr.
• Goaltender – Quentin Miller, Denver, Fr.
• Rookie – Will Zellers, North Dakota, F

These are the first career NCHC monthly honors for all four players. All four award winners are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) national monthly honors, which will be announced on Thursday.

FORWARD OF THE MONTH
Ben Strinden, North Dakota
Senior Forward   
Fargo, N.D.
 
Strinden starred for North Dakota in November, leading the Fighting Hawks to a 6-1-0 record. He tied for the NCHC lead and third nationally with 12 points last month, while leading the NCAA averaging 1.71 points per game in seven November contests. His seven goals also tied for first in the NCHC in November (along with other monthly honorees Eric Pohlkamp and teammate Will Zellers), while he dished out five assists, as well. Strinden notched a point in six of seven games last month, including three multi-point games, while finishing on a four-game goal-scoring streak.
 
Strinden started November off with a bang, handing out a career-high four assists in a 5-1 win over then-No. 10 Minnesota Duluth, helping him land NCHC Forward of the Week honors. The following Friday, Nov. 7, the assistant captain compiled three points, including two goals, one of which was the game-winner, in a 7-2 win at Omaha. Strinden then scored three goals in a split with Arizona State on Nov. 14-15, again earning him Forward of the Week. He finished the month with a goal each night in a sweep of Bemidji State.

Strinden posted a +6 plus/minus in November. He scored his seven goals on 22 shots for a 31.8 shooting percentage, while averaging a goal per game last month. On the season, Strinden now has a team-best 17 points on nine goals and eight assists, with the nine goals tied for first on the Fighting Hawks.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH
Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Junior Defenseman
Baxter, Minn.
 
Pohlkamp was a force at both ends of the ice throughout November, helping the Pioneers to a 6-2-0 record last month. The San Jose Sharks draft pick scored seven goals in November, which tied for the NCHC lead among all skaters and was first nationally among defensemen. Only two of his seven goals came on the power play. Pohlkamp also chipped in three assists, with his 10 points tied for first among NCHC blueliners last month (with teammate Boston Buckberger) and tied for third nationally.
 
Pohlkamp averaged 24:24 time on ice per game in eight November games, while firing 48 shots on goal, which led all NCAA skaters last month. He blocked 11 shots, while posting a +10 plus/minus in November, which tied with Buckberger for first among NCHC defensemen. Pohlkamp recorded a goal and point in six of the eight games, with a trio of multi-point outings. He was also twice named NCHC Defenseman of the Week in November.
 
Pohlkamp opened November with a goal and an assist in a shutout of Alaska Anchorage. He then scored a goal both nights in a sweep at then-No. 4 Western Michigan, finishing with three points on the weekend, including the game-winning goal in the series finale. Pohlkamp potted the game-tying goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Colorado College on Nov. 14 and added a two-goal, three-point night in a 7-1 win at Arizona State on Nov. 21. He closed November with a goal in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game against Minnesota.
 
On the season, Pohlkamp leads all NCAA defensemen with 11 goals while his 17 points are tied for first among NCHC blueliners and tied for second nationally among rearguards. He was also selected to the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that will compete in the Spengler Cup towards the end of December in Switzerland.

GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Quentin Miller, Denver
Freshman Goaltender
Montreal, Quebec
 
Miller took control of the Pioneers net in November, starting all eight games while posting a 6-2-0 record, including starting the month on a six-game winning streak, with the six wins tops in the NCHC. Both of his losses came in overtime, as he did not lose in regulation all month. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick tied for first in the NCHC with a .932 save percentage, while his 2.08 goals-against average was second in the NCHC among goalies with at least three games played. Miller led the NCHC with 234 saves last month, averaging 29.25 saves per game.
 
Miller started November strong, recording his second shutout of the season with a 17-save blanking of Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 1. He picked up NCHC Rookie of the Week honors after backstopping DU to a sweep at then-No. 4 Western Michigan on Nov. 7-8, allowing four goals total, while making a career-high 41 saves in the finale after 35 stops in the opener. The following week, Miller was named NCHC Goalie of the Week after totaling 67 saves and giving up only three goals in a sweep of rival Colorado College. Miller made 31 saves or more in four of his six wins in November, including a 7-1 win at Arizona State on Nov. 21.
 
On the season, Miller improved to 8-4-1 in 13 starts, while ranking third in the NCHC with both a 1.96 GAA and a .928 save percentage this year.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Will Zellers, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Maple Grove, Minn.
 
Zellers had a stellar November for North Dakota, breaking out with seven goals and eight points last month. The seven markers tied for the NCHC lead (with Strinden and Pohlkamp), were three more than any other NCHC freshman, and tied for first among all NCAA freshmen. His eight points were second among NCHC rookies in November. The Boston Bruins prospect tallied three game-winning goals last month, which led all NCHC skaters, while he scored a goal in five of seven games with UND going 5-0-0 in such games.
 
Zellers opened November with the game-winning goal against then-No. 10 Minnesota Duluth. He then recorded his first multi-goal game by potting a pair in a win at Omaha on Nov. 7 and adding an assist the next night. Zellers again scored twice in a 5-2 win over Arizona State on Nov. 14, including the game-winner. He then finished the month with a goal each night in a sweep of Bemidji State, including scoring the overtime game-winner last Saturday (Nov. 29).
 
Of Zellers’ seven goals, five came on the power play as he finished with an even plus/minus in November. He fired 28 shots on goal last month, which was second among NCHC rookies. On the season, Zellers is now tied for the team lead with nine goals, while his 13 points are third on the UND squad.

OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Month
Matteo Giampa, Miami
Ty Henricks, Western Michigan
James Reeder, Denver
Bennett Schimek, Arizona State
 
Defenseman of the Month
Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth
Michael Quinn, Miami
Samuel Sjolund, Western Michigan
 
Goaltender of the Month
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Jan Špunar, North Dakota
 
Rookie of the Month
David Deputy, Miami, F
Eric Jamieson, Denver, D