USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) announced Tuesday its Players of the Week for Week 22 of the 2021-22 season. Week 22 featured a trio of first-time winners including Waterloo Black Hawks forward John Waldron as well as Lincoln Stars defenseman Antonio Fernandez and goaltender Kaidan Mbereko. 

Waldron’s six point weekend (4-2-6) helped lead the Black Hawks to a pair of wins over their Iowa rivals. On Friday night, Waldron opened the scoring 10 minutes into the action before adding his second of the game, the eventual game-winning goal, 20 seconds into the final frame of the 5-3 win over the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The following night, the Miami University commit picked up a first period assist and a goal in the middle frame before adding a second of each 2:19 apart midway through the third period. The four-point night (2-2-4) for the Batavia, Ill. native helped lead Waterloo to a 9-2 win over the Des Moines Buccaneers. Waldron’s four-point night was a new career-high and marked his eighth multipoint game of the season. This season, Waldron has recorded 27 points (12-15-27) in 32 games, far exceeding his offensive highs in his prior seasons with the team as the forward is currently second in team scoring. 

Fernandez picked up four points (1-3-4) last week, helping the Stars to a pair of wins. The College of the Holy Cross commit registered a trio of points (1-2-3) last Thursday, beginning with a second period assist. Fernandez was then critical in the late-game comeback as he scored the game-tying goal with just 71 seconds remaining in regulation and then picking up his second assist of the game less than a minute into overtime of the 7-6 win over the Fargo Force. Two nights later, Fernandez and Lincoln picked up a 4-0 win over the Sioux City Musketeers as Fernandez recorded a third assist on the weekend. Thursday’s three-point night tied his career-high and his points in both appearances last week extended his current point streak to eight games (5-6-11). The San Jose, Calif. native now has 22 points (11-11-22) in 43 games this season and is one of only four defensemen in the USHL this season with 10-or-more goals. 

Mbereko earned his first Goaltender of the Week award of his career after winning both of his appearances, including a 29-save shutout. The Colorado College commit opened the weekend in a relief appearance win, stopping nine of the 11 shots he faced in the final 27 minutes of action. On Saturday night, Mbereko stopped all 29 shots sent his way by the Musketeers for his first shutout of the season. The West Bloomfield, Mich. native is 12-7-1-2 this season with a 2.85 goals against average and 0.906 save percentage. Both his goals against average and save percentage are in the top ten for league netminders this season. Mbereko is 6-0-1-1 in his last nine appearances with a 2.72 GAA and 0.912 SV% in that stretch.