The CCHA has announced that Minnesota State graduate student Sam Morton has been voted CCHA player and forward of the year.
In addition, Bemidji State fifth-year senior Kyle Looft has been voted defenseman of the year and Bemidji State junior goalie Mattias Sholl has been tabbed goaltender of the year.
Morton paced all CCHA skaters in goals (15), goals per game (0.63), power-play goals (8), shots (102), face-off wins (292) and face-off wins per game (12.2). Adding six assists, he was fourth in points (21) and face-off percentage (56.3%). The CCHA forward of the month in January after totaling six goals and three assists for nine points, he had four multi-point games, including three points on three different occasions. He opened the Mavericks’ CCHA schedule with a five-game point streak (six goals, 4 assists) and added a six-game streak in January (4 goals, 2 assists).
Through 36 games, Morton has 24 goals and 10 assists for 34 points. His nine power-play tallies rank eighth nationally, and he also has one game-winner. Totaling 149 shots on goal, he has blocked 27 shots defensively and won 55% of his face-offs (415-of-754). He has nine multi-point games to his credit, with a five and seven-game point streak. The CCHA player of the month in January, he paced all conference skaters in goals (6), goals per game (0.75), shots (38), shots per game (4.75), power-play goals (2) and plus-minus (+6).
Morton has appeared in 101 career games for Minnesota State, registering 44 goals and 32 assists for 76 points. He has 17 tallies while on the man advantage and six game winners.
The Beavers’ two-time captain, Looft led all CCHA skaters in plus-minus in league action at +16 and paced conference blueliners in assists (14) and points (18), despite playing in only 20 games. Scoring four goals, including one on the power play, he was fifth among all skaters and first among defensemen in multi-point games (5). He blocked 28 shots at the defensive end.
Looft has recorded career-highs in goals (6), assists (22) and points (28) through 30 total games this season, earning CCHA defenseman of the month honors in October and November. The four-time CCHA defenseman of the week has three power-play goals to his credit and 62 shots, with 51 blocks at the defensive end of the ice.
In 167 career games, Looft has 15 goals and 38 assists for 53 points. Six of his goals have come on the power play, while three have been game winners. He is a multiple-time CCHA scholar-athlete and AHCA/Krampade All-American scholar.
Sholl led conference netminders in goals-against average (2.03) and winning percentage (.786), going 10-2-2 with a .924 save percentage in 14 games for the Beavers. Posting one shutout in conference play, he had 342 saves, including a season-high 46 in a 2-2 tie with Michigan Tech. Allowing two goals or fewer in 11 of his 14 starts, he made 25 or more saves in seven league contests.
Through 22 total games this season, Sholl is 13-7-2, with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage, making 557 saves over 1310:30 minutes of action. He has three shutouts to his credit, which have all come since Feb. 1. Over that same stretch, he is 9-1-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
Sholl has played in 78 career games for the Beavers, going 37-33-7 with four shutouts. He has posted a 2.50 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage.
Voting for the 2023-24 all-CCHA teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA school, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
