1st Star: Elian Estulian- University of Miami (D2): 4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points in 2 games
The Miami Hurricanes brought the thunder into the new year during their weekend series against the Lynn University Fighting Knights, with a 4-1 win on Saturday and an 8-4 clobbering on Sunday. Miami center Elian Estulian collected four goals and three assists, tallying seven points by the end of the weekend.
The Hurricanes began Saturday by scoring the first goal of the night, assisted by Estulian. Estulian continued to dominate into the last period when he picked up a short-handed goal and an assist.
Estulian kept the heat going into the second game by scoring the Hurricanes’ first goal in the first four minutes. He scored another goal at the end of the second period and continued to dominate the rink, scoring his last goal of the night in the first two minutes of the final period, placing the Hurricanes ahead 5-3. He racked up one more assist before the night concluded, leaving Miami with another win.
2nd Star: Max Weinstock- University of Central Florida (D2): 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points in 2 games
The University of Central Florida Knights commanded their weekend series against the Eastern Carolina Pirates, winning 6-4 on Saturday and a beatdown on Sunday, 13-4.
The Knights’ forward Max Weinstock potted two short handed goals and assisted on four, totaling six points in two games.
Weinstock started the first game of the series off by scoring two unassisted short-handed goals within 30 seconds of each other, moving the Knights up 2-0 in the first 11 minutes of the game.
The Knights headed into the last game of the series prepared for battle, with Weinstock aiding in four of the 13 goals of the game. UCF tallied four goals in the first period, with two goals assisted by Weinstock.
Weinstock said that the Knights were “optimistic” as they headed into the weekend series because they had defeated the Pirates twice last year and knew they could “handle it.”
“I think we felt good about it and ended up getting two wins, so I think we might have played even better than we thought we were. Saturday was a little rusty just coming off a long break, but Sunday we played a great 60 minutes,” Weinstock said.
3rd Star: Daniil Bogdanov – Florida State University (D3): 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points in 2 games
Florida State Seminoles forward Daniil Bogdanov scored four goals and two assists, recording six points in two games in their dominant sweep of in-state rival Florida Atlantic.
Bogdanov scored two goals, including the game-winner, plus an assist in the Seminoles' 8-2 win on Friday. In the second game, Bogdanov opened the scoring for Florida State. Though the game was already decided, Daniil added another goal and an assist in the third period for a 7-1 win.
As the Seminoles ended their almost two-month break from the rink, Bogdanov said it helped them win their games against the Owls.
“Honestly, I think that the break was a little good for us. I think getting a little time off, just relaxing, getting away from hockey a little bit and then coming back, everybody seemed pretty into it,” Bogdanov said.
ABOUT College Hockey South: Founded in 2008, College Hockey South is a 30-school, 50-team intercollegiate hockey conference spanning eight southeastern U.S. states that competes in AAU College Hockey. College Hockey South is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization.