3/9/2010 - MEN'S ICE HOCKEY Bemidji State trio named to College Hockey America All-Rookie Team

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Niagara Falls, N.Y. -- Bemidji State University freshmen Jake Areshenko (D, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia), Mathieu Dugas (G, L’Assomption, Quebec) and Jordan George (F, Madison, Wis.) have been named to the 2010 College Hockey America (CHA) All-Rookie Team today in a vote by the league’s coaches.

Areshenko, Dugas and George were three of six newcomers to be honored on the team. Joining them are: Jason Beattie (D, Niagara), Matti Jarvinen (F, Ala.-Huntsville) and Stephan Salituro (D, Robert Morris).

An anchor on the Bemidji State blueline, Areshenko has seen time in 30 of BSU’s 34 games this season and has heard his name called as one of its starting defensemen on 12 occasions.  The gritty defenseman from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, leads the team in blocked shots, has three assists in 2009-10 to rank fourth among BSU defenders and carries +10 plus/minus rating.  

In 16 CHA games, Areshenko accumulated a pair of assists to seat himself 18th among CHA defensemen and 18th on the league’s rookie scoring list.

BSU is a perfect 3-0-0 when Areshenko figures in on the scoring, which includes a game-winning assist in a 2-0 victory versus Robert Morris Nov. 6.

In eight appearances, including six starts this season, Dugas has a record of 4-2-0 with a team-low 2.03 goals against average to go with a .912 save percentage.  Thirteen of his 134 saves came in a 5-0 shutout over Northern Michigan University--the rookie’s first collegiate start.

In CHA play, Dugas boasts a flawless 2-0-0 record in two starts and a pair of relief appearances.  He has logged a 2.46 goals against average along with a .910 save percentage to accompany his 61 saves.

A two-time CHA Rookie of the Week, Dugas also corralled the league’s defensive player of the week honor Feb. 15.

With 13-20=33 points in 33 games, George finished the regular-season second on the team in scoring and is currently third among his teammates in both goals (13) and assists (20). George’s 33 points establishes a new record for offensive output by a freshman in BSU’s Division I era, surpassing current teammate Brad Hunt (So., D, Ridge Meadows, British Columbia), who netted 9-23=32 points a year ago as a rookie. In addition, the freshman currently sits fourth on the nation’s rookie scoring list.

George tallied 8-13=21 points in CHA play to lead not only all league rookies, but also to rank third among all CHA scorers.

George was an eight-time CHA Rookie of the Week honoree during the 2009-10 regular-season and garnered the Hockey Coaches’ Association Honorable Mention Rookie of the Month honors in October.

As selections to the CHA All-Rookie Team, Areshenko, Dugas and George become eligible for CHA 2010 Rookie of the Year honors. That award will be announced at a banquet Thursday, Mar. 11 at the Comfort Inn “The Point” in Niagara Falls, N.Y. in conjunction with the unveiling of the league’s player of the year, student-athlete of the year and coach of the year recipients.

The placement of the BSU trio on the squad marks the 17th, 18th and 19th all-rookie team selections at Bemidji State since the CHA’s inception in 1999-2000, and the fourth, fifth and sixth in the last three seasons alone. The trio joins teammates Matt Read (2008) and last year’s honorees Ben Kinne and Hunt, as current Beavers who have earned all-rookie team recognition.

Bemidji State finished its 2009-10 regular-season with a record of 23-8-3 capturing its fifth CHA regular-season crown in seven seasons with a mark of 14-3-1 in league play. The Beavers open the “second season” this weekend as they attempt to defend their title in the 2010 CHA Tournament Championship at Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, N.Y.  The top-seeded Beavers will play No. 4 Niagara University at 6 p.m. (CST), while Robert Morris University, the second seed, will battle No. 3 Ala.-Huntsville in the other semifinal at 2 p.m. (CST) Friday.  Semifinal winners will advance to the CHA Championship at 7 p.m. Saturday.  

--bsu--