CHICAGO – The United States Hockey League announced the CCM Hockey player awards for the 20th week of the 2014-15 USHL regular season.
Winners include Kieffer Bellows of the Sioux Falls Stampede and Kyle Connor of the Youngstown Phantoms, named co-recipients of CCM Forward of the Week; Dillon Eichstadt of the Sioux Falls Stampede, named CCM Defenseman of the Week; and Cale Morris of the Waterloo Black Hawks, selected as CCM Goaltender of the Week.
Kieffer Bellows, F, Sioux Falls Stampede: For the second straight week, the 16-year-old earns League honors after recording five points (4g, 1a) over a pair of Stampede victories. He tallied a goal in Friday’s 4-1 win against the Chicago Steel. Bellows then scored three goals in the second period of Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Fargo Force. It was his second USHL career hat trick, and second in a span of seven days. He has netted eight goals over his last four games and is currently second in the USHL with 24 goals through 39 games this season. The product of Edina High School in Minnesota is riding a seven-game point streak in which he has collected 13 points (10g, 3a). He is committed to play college hockey at Boston University.
Kyle Connor, F, Youngstown Phantoms: The 18-year-old produced five points (4g, 1a) to lead the Phantoms to three victories in three nights. He netted the game-winner in Friday’s 3-2 victory against the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Connor then converted a penalty shot in the third period on Saturday as the Phantoms went on to a 2-1 shootout win over the Madison Capitols. He closed out the weekend with a three-point effort (2g, 1a), including another game-winning goal, in Sunday’s 5-0 victory against Madison. A top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft, the forward is currently tied for third in USHL scoring with 44 points (18g, 26a) through 36 games this season. The native of Shelby Township, Michigan and product of the Belle Tire youth organization is committed to the University of Michigan.
Dillon Eichstadt, D, Sioux Falls Stampede: The defenseman recorded two points (1g, 1a) and posted a plus-two rating to help the Stampede earn a pair of wins. On his only shot on goal during the weekend, he scored a goal in Friday’s 4-1 victory against the Chicago Steel. He then celebrated his birthday on Saturday by dishing out an assist in the 3-2 win over the Fargo Force. It is the second time in a span of three weeks that he has earned USHL honors. Eichstadt is currently tied for 14th in scoring among League defensemen with 18 points (5g, 13a). He is also tied for third on the Stampede with a plus-seven rating. The product of Bemidji High School in Minnesota will return to his hometown next season to begin his collegiate career at Bemidji State University.
Cale Morris, G, Waterloo Black Hawks: The 18-year-old allowed just one goal over three appearances, posting a 0.33 goals-against-average and .988 save percentage to help the Black Hawks earn five of six points in the standings. He turned away all 21 shots he faced to earn the shutout in Friday’s 5-0 win over the Madison Capitols. Morris then made 25 saves in Saturday’s 1-0 overtime loss to the Tri-City Storm. He closed out the weekend with another shutout, stopping all 34 shots in the 3-0 win against the Storm. It was his third shutout since being acquired by Waterloo in mid-January from the Chicago Steel. The goaltender has posted a stellar 6-1-1 record with a 1.00 GAA and .960 SV% with the Black Hawks. The native of Larkspur, Colorado is a product of the Colorado Thunderbirds youth organization and is currently uncommitted to a college hockey program.
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