Oct. 27, 2008

NIAGARA, N.Y. - Bemidji State University sophomore goaltender Matt Dalton (Clinton, Ontario) has been named College Hockey America Defensive Player of the Week for his role in the Beavers' first win of the 2008-09 campaign. League officials made the announcement today.

Dalton backstopped Bemidji State to a 4-2 victory over then-ranked 15 St. Cloud State University Friday recording a season-high 33-saves. The sophomore netminder served as a vital cog to the a Beaver penalty kill unit that held the Huskies without a goal on eight power-play opportunities, including a two-minute, 38-second 5-on-3 chance. Dalton finished the game with a 2.00 goals against average and a .943 save percentage as BSU reversed a 15-game losing skid to SCSU--a streak reaching back to Dec. 6, 1986.

In the same release, Niagara University forward Sam Goodwin was named Offensive Player of the Week and the league named Trevor Lewis of Robert Morris University its Rookie of the Week.

The award marks the second of Dalton's career, after earning Rookie of the Week honors Jan. 7, 2008, and the second of the season for the Beavers. Dalton follows Shea Walters (Fr., F, Hibbing, Minn.) who garnered the rookie of the week award Oct. 13. BSU is coming off of a 2007-08 campaign in which they set a CHA record with 17 player of the week honorees.

The Beavers (1-4-0; 0-0-0 CHA) are back in action this weekend as they host the University of Manitoba for a two-game set. Friday night's contest is slated for a 7:35 p.m. start while the opening face off Saturday is set for 7:05 p.m.

2008-09 Bemidji State CHA Player of the Week recipients
Oct. 13 - Shea Walters - Rookie of the Week
Oct. 27 - Matt Dalton - Defensive Player of the Week

--bsu--