BIDDEFORD, Maine – For the first time in program history, Suffolk men's hockey swept the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) weekly awards after an unbeaten 1-0-1 week that featured a 3-2 stunning win over then-No. 14 Endicott. Nick Lachaine picked up player, Cal Wilcox was tabbed goalie and Samuel Rand rounded out the awards as the conference's rookie of the week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.
Lachaine scored a power play goal in each of Suffolk's contests; a 4-4 draw at Western New England and a 3-2 upset over the nationally-ranked Gulls. His strike in the thriller against Endicott was the game-winner with 4:02 remaining in regulation. The forward's weekly award is the first in the junior's career and marks the first time a skater in blue-and-gold was named the league's best player in a seven-day stretch since Mikhail Bryan took home the honor from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Dec. 10, 2018. The Lakeville, Connecticut native is the first Ram to garner the distinction from the CCC since Conor Henry did Feb. 13, 2017.
Wilcox was strong in goal this week. At WNE, he made 29 saves to help the Rams lock up the 4-4 stalemate with the Golden Bears before locking up the conference point in the shootout. The junior turned aside 29 shots against the Gulls to finish the week with a 2.88 GAA and .906 save percentage. The Pomfret, Connecticut product earned his first weekly award in his career and is the first Suffolk netminder to pick up a goaltending weekly accolade since Michael Levine grabbed the distinction from the NEHC Oct. 29, 2018. Wilcox is the first goalie to be honored by the CCC for his efforts in a week's span since Levine did so Nov. 28, 2017.
Rand scored three goals during the week. He started with a career-high performance with two markers in the 4-4 draw at WNE. Both tallies came on the man-up advantage. Two days later, the first-year found the back of the net again against Endicott. The rookie from Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, is Suffolk's first freshman to pick up the rookie recognition since Henry Bishop did from the NEHC Jan. 13, 2020. He is the first CCC rookie of the week in a blue-and-gold sweater since Matt Bucher Oct. 30, 2017.
The sweep of the weekly awards marks Suffolk's first weekly honors this season. It is also the most weekly accolades in a single campaign for the Rams since they garnered a trio from the CCC in 2016-17.
Suffolk, who is unbeaten in the last three games, looks to keep that momentum going this weekend when it heads to Curry Friday, Feb. 4 and entertains Nichols Saturday, Feb. 5.