ECAC Hockey announces individual ’13-14 awards

Yale captain Jesse Root, who recently signed an AHL pro tryout deal, was named ECAC Hockey’s top defensive forward for the 2013-14 season (photo: Melissa Wade).

ECAC Hockey on Friday night announced five more awards for the 2013-14 season.

Union’s Shayne Gostisbehere and Greg Carey of St. Lawrence have been named co-players of the year.

Topping all players in fan balloting, Gostisbehere was recently named a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award and led the conference in goals scored (eight), shots (141) and tied for the league lead with a plus/minus rating of +19.

Carey was recently selected as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for the second straight year and signed with the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday.

He led the league in scoring for the second straight year and becomes the first player since 1999 to lead the nation in goals one year and in assists the next. Currently the third-leading scorer in college hockey with 57 points on 18 goals and 39 assists, he averaged 1.03 assists per game as a senior. He also led the nation in power-play points with 31.

Colgate’s Don Vaughan has been named the 2013-14 Tim Taylor Coach of the Year Award named for the late legendary Yale coach.

Selected to finish ninth in both the coaches’ and media preseason polls this season, Vaughan guided the Raiders to a second-place finish in the regular season, earning 29 points and a first-round tournament bye for the second time in three seasons. The Raiders (19-12-5) won 13 games in conference play for the fifth time under Vaughan, marking the most since Colgate won 14 in 2005-06.

Sam Anas from Quinnipiac and Gavin Bayreuther of St. Lawrence share the rookie of the year honor.

Anas had nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in conference action. He currently leads all freshmen in the nation in goals (19) and points (40). Anas registered a point in 16 of the 22 league contests and recorded the most points on the road (16) among all ECAC Hockey freshmen, leading all ECAC Hockey freshmen with six game-winning goals.

Bayreuther is tied for first nationally in defenseman scoring with 36 points and ranks second among all of Division I blueliners nationally in points per game (0.99). He was tied for third in league scoring (26 points) and led all top defenseman in scoring in conference action (1.18 ppg). Bayreuther leads all rookies in the nation with 22 power-play points.

Yale’s captain Jesse Root was tabbed the league’s best defensive forward.

Root shared the team lead in scoring on 14 goals while recording 23 assists for a team-high 37 points on the season.

He ranked fifth in faceoffs won (372) and sits ninth among all league players in faceoff winning percentage (.564). Root currently ranks third among all ECAC Hockey players averaging 1.23 points per games played, which ranks 12th in all of D-I hockey.

Root also recently signed a pro tryout deal with the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Union goaltender Colin Stevens was named the 2013-14 Ken Dryden Award Winner, recognizing the league’s top netminder.

Stevens ranks in the top 10 in four NCAA categories — first in winning percentage (.821), second in shutouts (six), fifth in goals-against average (1.95) and seventh in save percentage (.931). He sported a league-low 1.91 goals-against average in conference play and compiled the third-best save percentage (.929).

He set a school record with six shutouts in his first year as a starter and won his last 12 games at Messa Rink, while recording a 17-3-1 in league contests. Stevens also posted a 10-1-2 mark against ranked opponents.

Gostisbehere and Dennis Robertson of Brown have been named co-best defensive defensemen.