Bruckler Earns Second-Straight WCHA Award
December 16, 2003 | Men's Hockey
University of Wisconsin goaltender Bernd Bruckler, who backstopped the Badgers to a two-game conference sweep over Minnesota State last weekend, has been named the Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Dec. 15-21.
A 6-0, 190-pound junior from Graz, Austria, Bruckler stopped 55 of 58 shots on goal in the series for a .948 saves percentage, shut out MSU in four of six periods, and blanked them on all 14 power-play opportunities as Wisconsin extended its nation's best unbeaten streak to a school-record-tying 14 games (10-0-4).
Last Friday's (Dec. 12) series opener at the Kohl Center was suspended due to a power outage with 5:08 left, forcing the game to be completed on Saturday. The Badgers were 4-1 victors in that first game, with Bruckler yielding just one goal early in the first period, making 21 saves, and helping kill all nine Maverick power-plays with 11 penalty-kill saves. Bruckler then came back in the second game on Dec. 13 to post a 34-save, 3-2 victory over the Mavericks, adding seven penalty-kill saves as UW blanked them on five more power-plays.
A Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) draftee, Bruckler is 9-3-4 this season with a 2.31 GAA and .916 SV% and is a two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week.
Also nominated this week were: Kevin Reiter, G, UAA; Adam Berkhoel, G, Denver; Justin Brown, D, MTU; Quinn Fylling, F, UND.
Wisconsin freshman Ryan Suter was nominated for the WCHA Rookie of the Week award as well after scoring his first career goal and adding two assists.
