Pietila named Mike Richter Award Semifinalist
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech goaltender Blake Pietila has been named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced the 11 semifinalists from the 35 that were nominated.
Pietila is a junior from Howell, Michigan, and is one of three semifinalists for the second straight year. He is also a Hobey Baker candidate for the second season in a row and was named the CCHA Goaltender of the Month for January and is a three-time CCHA Goaltender of the Week.
Pietila has started all 31 games for the Huskies this season and is 19-9-2 overall with a 1.85 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. He broke the Michigan Tech single-season shutout record with seven and ranks fourth in the nation in shutouts, fifth in goals-against average, sixth in wins, and 19th in save percentage. Tech ranks fourth nationally in penalty killing percentage (89.2) and in scoring defense (1.9).
Three finalists will be announced in mid-March and the winner of this year's Mike Richter Award will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four in Boston.
Past Richter Award Recipients: 2014 - Connor Hellebuyck, UMass Lowell; 2015 - Zane McIntyre, North Dakota; 2016 - Thatcher Demko, Boston College; 2017 - Tanner Jaillet, Denver; 2018 - Cale Morris, Notre Dame; 2019 - Cayden Primeau, Northeastern; 2020 - Jeremy Swayman, Maine; 2021 - Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota.
2022 Mike Richter Award Semifinalists
Gavin Abric, Army West Point
Drew Commesso, Boston University
Jakub Dobeš, Ohio State
Ryan Fanti, Minnesota Duluth
Devon Levi, Northeastern
Dryden McKay, Minnesota State*
Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac
Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech*
Erik Portillo, Michigan
Owen Savory, UMass Lowell
Jaxson Stauber, Providence*
*2021 Semifinalist