University of Minnesota Athletics
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Walker Headlines Postseason Honors as B1G Freshman of the Year
3/19/2019 12:35:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – Gopher Hockey's Sammy Walker has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree while Rem Pitlick picked up All-Big Ten First Team honors and Tyler Sheehy earned All-Big Ten Second Team accolades.
A native of Edina, Minn., Walker is the first Gopher Hockey player to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year and sixth Minnesota skater to be named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect led all Big Ten rookies and finished tied for fourth among all Gophers with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in his freshman season while playing in 37 of Minnesota's 38 games. Walker recorded points in 19 of his 37 games for the Maroon & Gold. He was the lone unanimous selection on this year's Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A native of Plymouth, Minn., Pitlick closed out his junior season with career highs of 45 points, 21 goals and 24 assists. A candidate for both All-American and the Hobey Baker Award, Pitlick finished the season tied for sixth in the nation in scoring while tying for the national lead in both power-play goals (10) and shorthanded goals (three). The forward's 21 goals were the most by a Gopher Hockey skater since Nick Bjugstad recorded 21 during the 2012-13 season. The Nashville Predators prospect, who was previously honored as a Big Ten All-Freshman honoree in 2016-17, recorded points in 31 of his 38 games this year including a career-long 13-game point streak. In 112 career games, Pitlick has recorded 108 points (47 goals, 61 assists) for the Maroon & Gold.
A native of Burnsville, Minn., Sheehy leaves Minnesota as the program's active leading scorer with 149 points (56 goals, 93 assists) in 149 career games – ranking 29th all-time at Minnesota in career scoring. The forward notched 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) while playing in all 38 games as a senior for the Maroon & Gold. The Hobey Baker Award nominee is currently tied for the NCAA lead with 24 power-play points this season. A two-year captain for Gopher Hockey, Sheehy has now been honored by the conference in each of his final three seasons with Minnesota – earning Honorable Mention accolades in 2017-18 after taking home First Team All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Player of the Year merits in 2016-17.
Additionally, Mat Robson earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention laurels while Brent Gates Jr. was named Minnesota's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. A finalist for the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, Robson posted a 14-12-4 record this year in goal for the Gophers with a .921 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.78. The junior signed with the Minnesota Wild on Monday, closing out his collegiate career by setting a new Gopher Hockey record with a .924 career save percentage. Gates, meanwhile, capped off a spectacular senior season with a career-high 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) to end his tenure with 85 points (42 goals, 43 assists) in 148 games – playing in 94-straight games to end his career (Gates missed three games in his career, missing just one game in the last 115 contests with an illness during his sophomore season).
A native of Edina, Minn., Walker is the first Gopher Hockey player to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year and sixth Minnesota skater to be named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect led all Big Ten rookies and finished tied for fourth among all Gophers with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in his freshman season while playing in 37 of Minnesota's 38 games. Walker recorded points in 19 of his 37 games for the Maroon & Gold. He was the lone unanimous selection on this year's Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A native of Plymouth, Minn., Pitlick closed out his junior season with career highs of 45 points, 21 goals and 24 assists. A candidate for both All-American and the Hobey Baker Award, Pitlick finished the season tied for sixth in the nation in scoring while tying for the national lead in both power-play goals (10) and shorthanded goals (three). The forward's 21 goals were the most by a Gopher Hockey skater since Nick Bjugstad recorded 21 during the 2012-13 season. The Nashville Predators prospect, who was previously honored as a Big Ten All-Freshman honoree in 2016-17, recorded points in 31 of his 38 games this year including a career-long 13-game point streak. In 112 career games, Pitlick has recorded 108 points (47 goals, 61 assists) for the Maroon & Gold.
A native of Burnsville, Minn., Sheehy leaves Minnesota as the program's active leading scorer with 149 points (56 goals, 93 assists) in 149 career games – ranking 29th all-time at Minnesota in career scoring. The forward notched 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) while playing in all 38 games as a senior for the Maroon & Gold. The Hobey Baker Award nominee is currently tied for the NCAA lead with 24 power-play points this season. A two-year captain for Gopher Hockey, Sheehy has now been honored by the conference in each of his final three seasons with Minnesota – earning Honorable Mention accolades in 2017-18 after taking home First Team All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Player of the Year merits in 2016-17.
Additionally, Mat Robson earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention laurels while Brent Gates Jr. was named Minnesota's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. A finalist for the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, Robson posted a 14-12-4 record this year in goal for the Gophers with a .921 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.78. The junior signed with the Minnesota Wild on Monday, closing out his collegiate career by setting a new Gopher Hockey record with a .924 career save percentage. Gates, meanwhile, capped off a spectacular senior season with a career-high 31 points (13 goals, 18 assists) to end his tenure with 85 points (42 goals, 43 assists) in 148 games – playing in 94-straight games to end his career (Gates missed three games in his career, missing just one game in the last 115 contests with an illness during his sophomore season).
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