Women's Ice Hockey | 2/28/2018 9:30:00 PM
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Three players on the Mercyhurst women's ice hockey team received conference awards at the 2018 College Hockey America (CHA) Tournament Banquet Wednesday night for their performances in the 2017-18 regular season.
Vilma Tanskanen was named All-Conference First Team,
Maggie Knott was named All-Conference Second Team, and
Kennedy Blair received All-Conference Rookie Team honors in addition to the CHA Goaltender Trophy. Head coach
Michael Sisti was also named CHA Coach of the Year.
Tanskanen scored a team-high 14 goals for Mercyhurst in 30 games played this season. The junior was second on the team in total points (23) and was tied for the team lead with a +13 rating. The Vantaa, Finland native scored three power-play goals, two shorthanded scores, and a pair of game winners in her first season with the Lakers' program.
Knott led the Lakers with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in all 34 games this season. The sophomore led the Lakers with four game-winning scores and netted four scores on the power play. The Smiths Falls, Ontario native now has two CHA season awards to her credit after being named to the CHA All-Rookie Team for 2016-17.
Blair started 17 games in net for the Lakers, compiling a 9-7-1 record with five shutouts. The redshirt freshman's season goals against average was 1.49, but her 0.92 GAA in conference games earned her the CHA's Goaltender Trophy. The Bismarck, North Dakota native also had a .937 save percentage in her first season with Mercyhurst.
Sisti was named Coach of the Year after leading the Lakers to a 13-4-3 record in conference play. After finishing the first three months of the season with a 7-11-2 record, the Lakers went 9-3-2 in 2018 and finished second place in the conference standings. Sisti has now won the CHA Coach of the Year award seven times.
The Lakers play their semifinal game in the CHA Tournament at 4:00 p.m. Friday, March 2, at the HarborCenter against an opponent yet to be determined.
