Tech, Northern sweep final WCHA players of the month awards for 2017-18 season

By @MichaelCaples –

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced its final players of the month today, and in fitting fashion, they’re all Wildcats or Huskies.

After the two Michigan-based programs were the last two teams left standing in the WCHA playoffs, the players of the month for March are all from Michigan Tech or Northern Michigan.

NMU’s Troy Loggins and MTU’s Jake Lucchini are the conference’s co-offensive players of the month.

Philip Beaulieu of Northern Michigan is the final defensive player of the month.

Tech’s Patrick Munson is last goaltender of the month and teammate Seamus Donohue is the final rookie of the month.

Loggins, a junior forward for NMU, tied for the NCAA lead with a conference-best six goals and two game-winners.

Lucchini, a junior forward as well, played a critical role in the Huskies’ return to the NCAA Tournament, posting back-to-back three-point games in a WCHA first-round sweep and six in the second round. He was named the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament Team after setting up two goals in Tech’s loss to eventual national runner-up Notre Dame.

Beaulieu – an All-American as a sophomore blueliner for NMU – recorded 11 points in March.

Munson, meanwhile, was the goaltender of record for the Huskies’ sprint through the WCHA playoffs, culminating in a shutout of rival Northern Michigan in the conference title game in Marquette.

Donohue, a rookie defenseman, played to a plus-six rating in March, recording one game-winning goal, four total points and 12 blocked shots along the way.