Colorado College goaltender
Kaidan Mbereko has been named one of three finalists for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goaltender in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. The Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) announced the three finalists on Thursday.
Mbereko joins Boston College freshman Jacob Fowler and Wisconsin senior Kyle McLellan as this year's finalists. The winner of this year's Mike Richter Award will be announced on April 12 during the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn.
Mbereko, from Aspen, Colo., put the Tigers on his shoulders in mid-season, winning eight of nine games from mid-January to late February and allowing two goals or fewer in eight of those contests. A workhorse with 2,227 minutes played, he has a 2.40 GAA, a save percentage of .915 and is the first CC goalie to be named a finalist for the award.
The sophomore was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month for December, January and February, and the National Goaltender of the Month for February. He has started all 37 games for the Tigers this season and has a 21-13-3 record, tied for the fifth-most wins in the nation and the most by a CC goalie since 2007-08 (Richard Bachman - 25)
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 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2023 - Devon Levi, Northeastern.
