The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced its women’s players of the month for March 2024.
UConn junior goalie Tia Chan and Ohio State graduate defenseman Cayla Barnes are co-players of the month, while Ohio State freshman forward Joy Dunne is rookie of the month and Ohio State senior Raygan Kirk is the goaltender of the month.
Chan led UConn to its first Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles ever. She stopped all 38 shots in a 1-0 OT win in the Hockey East final and stopped 48 of 49 in a tough 1-0 double-OT loss to Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA tournament. She had an NCAA-best 0.79 GAA in March with a .969 save percentage.
Barnes was a rock on defense for the Buckeyes and also set up the only goal of the NCAA championship final. She was a key part of the OSU defense that only allowed a single goal in three NCAA games and she went 2-7-9 in production from the blue line on the month. A first team all-WCHA performer, she was named to the all-tournament team for the NCAAs.
In a month when she was named winner of the Julie Chu national rookie of the year, Dunne scored the only goal of the NCAA championship final, her 24th of the season. On the month, she went 6-4-10 and on the season, led all NCAA rookies with 24-18-42.
Kirk was named the most outstanding player of the NCAA tournament for her phenomenal performance. In three NCAA games, she had two shutouts, including a 26-save 1-0 triumph over Wisconsin in the final. She stopped 59 of 60 shots in the tournament and on the month, had a 1.14 GAA and a save percentage of .934.
