UMass’ Trivigno, Lindberg, North Dakota’s Gaber, Scheel garner final monthly national awards for 2020-21 men’s college hockey season

From left, Bobby Trivigno, Filip Lindberg, Riese Gaber and Adam Scheel – the national players of the month for March/April.

The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the final monthly honorees for NCAA men’s hockey for the 2020-21 season.

The co-players of the month are Massachusetts junior forward Bobby Trivigno and junior goaltender Filip Lindberg.

Trivigno collected points and MVP awards, earning such trophies in both the Hockey East and NCAA tournaments. Overall, he collected three goals and 10 points in leading UMass to a 7-0-1 record and league and national titles.

Lindberg delivered two first-time titles for the Minutemen, shutting out UMass Lowell 1-0 in the Hockey East title game, and then blanking St. Cloud State 5-0 in the NCAA championship game. He also had a 4-0 shutout of Bemidji State in the final of the NCAA regionals. In all, Lindberg had an NCAA-best 0.99 GAA and a save percentage of .955.

National rookie of the month is North Dakota forward Riese Gaber.

Gaber’s five points included a 2-1-3 line in the championship game of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, including the game-winning goal as North Dakota defeated St. Cloud State 5-3 on March 16. He ended up with three goals and five points in this stretch.

Gaber’s teammate, junior Adam Scheel, is the national goaltender of the month.

Scheel led North Dakota to the NCHC tournament championship and a 4-1 record, the only blemish being the historic 3-2 five-overtime loss to Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA regionals. In that game, Scheel had 51 of his 148 overall saves in March and April. Final numbers for this period include a 1.55 GAA and a save percentage of .937.

On the season, Scheel finished with 1.79 and .934, and has since signed an NHL contract with Dallas.