Posted: February 22, 2011 4:25 p.m. CT
Senior forward Jacob Cepis was named the Red Baron(r) WCHA Co-Offensive Player of the Week for Feb. 22. He shares the honor with North Dakota forward Brett Hextall.
Cepis tallied two goals and one assist as Minnesota took three of four points from Wisconsin at Kohl Center this past weekend. With Jay Barriball (led team in points and goals prior to the weekend) out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, Cepis stepped up his game and took on an offensive role.
On Friday, Cepis tied for the team lead in shots with four and scored a critical four-on-four goal that put the Gophers up 2-1 just 1:42 into the second period. The goal also came 70 seconds after Wisconsin tied the game 1-1 and quelled any momentum the Badgers had gained. His tally would have been the game-winner had Wisconsin not scored a 5-on-3 goal with 31 seconds remaining in the game.
On Saturday, Cepis had the primary assist on Jake Hansen's second-period goal that tied the game 2-2. He then put Minnesota up 3-2 with a breakaway goal just 44 seconds into the third period. Cepis was +2 for the weekend and did not take any penalties.
Through 30 games, he now leads the Gophers in points (26), is tied for first in assists (16 with Erik Haula) and is third in goals (10, Barriball and Mike Hoeffel each have 12).
Cepis joins Kent Patterson, Mike Hoeffel, Taylor Matson, Nate Condon and Jay Barriball as being honored by the WCHA this year. Patterson was the Co-Defensive Player of the Week for Dec. 14, while Hoeffel was the Offensive Player of the Week for Nov. 23. Matson was the Offensive Player of the Week for Nov. 2, while Condon was named Rookie of the Week for Nov. 2. Barriball was the Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 12.
