HOUGHTON — Michigan Tech’s Jack Anderson has been named the CCHA Defenseman of the Week the conference announced on Monday. It was Tech’s ninth player of the week honor this season and the first Defenseman of the Week award.

Jack Anderson became the first defenseman in 40 years to score a hat trick for the Huskies, netting three goals in a 5-0 win over Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at the Desert Hockey Classic. He scored the first two goals of the game in the first period and added the fifth goal of the game in the third. Anderson added an assist in Friday’s loss to Air Force.

“Anytime you can have a defenseman score three goals, I think it’s huge,” said Huskies coach Bill Muckalt. “It wasn’t just the goals. I thought he was outstanding.

“He was all over the place watching the film back.

“But, it was nice to see him get rewarded. I think, just to get those first two goals, were just a really good start. Any time where you can start, and put a team behind the eight ball early, that’s a real good recipe.”

Anderson is currently on a five-game point streak with four goals and three assists over the span. For the season, he has five goals and five assists in 22 games.

“He brings size. He skates. He brings leadership to our group,” Muckalt said. “He loves the game. He comes to the rink every day. He’s coachable. He’s a sponge. Continues to get better every day.

“So, he does an unbelievable job on our penalty kill. I thought he played extremely well in transition and moved pucks north. He activated into the rush, and then, obviously, in the offensive zone, he activated and got in behind and made a couple of really (good plays). It was nice to see him finish, get rewarded.”

The last Michigan Tech defenseman to score a hat trick was Dave Reierson on January 12, 1985 against Boston University.

Up next

Tech is 12-8-2 overall and returns to CCHA play this weekend at Bemidji State. The puck drops at 8:07 p.m. Friday and 7:07 p.m. Saturday at the Sanford Center.