Feb. 21, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame freshman goaltender Tony Zasowski (Darien, Ill.) has earned his third weekly award from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, receiving the league’s defensive player-of-the-week award after helping the Irish post a 5-3 win and 1-1 tie at Bowling Green on Feb. 18-19.
Zasowski-who has started each of Notre Dame’s last 13 games-opened the win at BG with 25 saves en route to a 31-save night, with two even-strength goals allowed. The next night, he made 20 saves while allowing a third-period goal as the Irish maintained possession of fifth place in the CCHA.
Notre Dame players have been honored three times by the CCHA during the past five weeks, more than any other team in the 12-member CCHA. Zasowski-who also has twice been named CCHA rookie of the week-is just the fifth freshman to earn a CCHA player-of-the-week award this season.
Zasowski ranks seventh among regular CCHA goaltenders with a 2.29 overall season goals-against average and fifth among league netminders who have played 1,000-plus minutes-while his .908 overall save percentage ranks sixth among CCHA goalies with 1,000-plus minutes. Both of those marks remain on pace to best the Notre Dame records set by Forrest Karr (2.58, 1998-99) and Mark Kronholm (.907, 1970-71).
His 11 victories this season are tied for fourth-most in the CCHA, behind Lake Superior’s Jayme Platt (15), Northern Michigan’s Dan Ragusett (14) and Michigan State’s Ryan Miller (12).
Zasowski has allowed just 35 even-strength goals in 25 games played this season-including just 14 in the last 13-while allowing 0-2 total goals in 15 of his 21 starts. He has posted two shutouts this season (19 saves vs. Alaska Fairbanks, 24 vs. Michigan State) to join Karr as the only Irish goaltenders ever to post multiple solo shutouts in the same season.
He previously was named CCHA rookie of the week on Nov. 1-after making 58 saves in a series with Miami University (5-2, 2-2)-and on Jan. 23, after totaling 41 saves and allowing just one even-strength goal in a pair of wins over Western Michigan (4-3 in overtime and 4-1).
Notre Dame players have combined for five total CCHA weekly awards this season, ranking behind only Michigan (8), NMU(7), MSU (6) and Lake Superior (6). Irish freshman center Connor Dunlop was named CCHA rookie of the week on Oct. 18 while junior left wing Dan Carlson was named offensive player of the week on Feb. 7.
Zasowski is one of four CCHA players who have totaled three-plus awards this season, with the others being: Michigan center Mike Comrie (three-time player of the week), Ferris State forward Chris Gobert (two-time rookie of the week, offensive player of the week) and MSU’s Miller (two-time rookie of the week, defensive player of the week).