Denver junior forward Troy Terry was selected the Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Division I Men’s Player of the Month for March/April, while Minnesota Duluth defenseman Scott Perunovich was tabbed the final National Rookie of the Month this season.
Terry racked up 15 points in nine games, helping the Pioneers close the season with a 6-2-1 mark while averaging 1.67 points per game, which led the NCHC over that span. His 15 points and 12 assists in March both led the entire country during the final six weeks, while his plus-9 plus/minus tied for second nationally. Now with the Anaheim Ducks, the 6-foot-1 forward tallied three goals down the stretch, with two of them serving as game-winners. Terry recorded four multi-point games throughout March, including three with at least a trio of points, and had a point in six of his nine contests.
Terry twice dished out a career-high-tying four assists, first on March 2 in a 6-3 win over Miami on the penultimate night of the regular season, and again in a decisive Game 3 victory of DU’s NCHC quarterfinal series against Colorado College on March 11. The First-Team West All-American totaled six points in that NCHC Quarterfinal series win over CC, also rallying Denver with two third-period goals, including the game-winner, to keep the Pioneers alive with a 3-2 win in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.
Terry doled out an assist in Denver’s 3-1 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal win over Minnesota Duluth March 16, while helping the Pioneers capture the program’s second NCHC Tournament title the next night. In the NCAA Midwest Regional, DU’s assistant captain totaled four points, including scoring the game-winning goal and adding two assists in the 5-1 regional semifinal win over Penn State March 24. The Highlands Ranch, Colo. native earned NCAA All-Midwest Region Team honors, also handing out an assist on Denver’s lone goal in its season-ending loss to Ohio State.
In his final campaign with the Pioneers, Terry totaled 14 goals and 34 assists, which ranked fourth nationally, for 48 points (tied for eighth in the NCAA) in 39 games. The 2018 U.S. Olympian made his NHL debut with the Ducks on March 27.
Perunovich contributed at both ends of the ice over the final six weeks of the season to help guide Minnesota Duluth to the 2018 NCAA National Championship. The HCA Tim Taylor Award winner as National Rookie of the Year and NCHC Rookie of the Year compiled seven points in 10 games during March and April, ranking second among NCAA freshmen in scoring. Perunovich tied for the national rookie lead with three goals over the final six weeks, while also dishing out four assists from the back end. The draft-eligible blue liner logged a +5 plus/minus, fired 18 shots on goal and blocked nine shots in those 10 contests.
Perunovich closed out the regular season with two points in a win over Omaha March 3, scoring the game-winning goal and dishing out an assist to earn Second Star of the Game. The Hibbing, Minn. native then tied a career high with three points, including a goal, to open the NCHC Playoffs in a 5-0 shutout of Western Michigan March 9. He helped blank WMU the following night, as well, to complete the NCHC Quarterfinal series sweep. At the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, Perunovich scored UMD’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Denver in the semifinals March 16.
In the NCAA West Region Final, Perunovich dished out an assist on the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Air Force March 24 to send UMD on to the Frozen Four. While in Saint Paul, the First-Team West All-American posted a +2 plus/minus in the national championship game to help the Bulldogs top Notre Dame. Perunovich was named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team for his efforts in a pair of 2-1 victories April 5, over Ohio State, and April 7, over the Fighting Irish.
Perunovich finished his rookie campaign with 11 goals, 25 assists and 36 points in 42 games, while logging a plus-22 plus/minus, which led all NCAA rookies. His 36 points ranked third nationally among freshmen and tops among rookie defensemen.
