Colorado College’s Kaidan Mbereko continues to rack up awards, named this week the Hockey Commissioners Association National Goaltender of the Month for February.

Mbereko was placed on the national ballot after earning his third straight NCHC Goaltender of the Month award, becoming the second player in league history to win three straight monthly honors, joining former North Dakota goalie Adam Scheel, who won three straight Goaltender of the Month awards from January through March/April of 2021.

The sophomore continued his stellar play in February, backstopping CC to a 3-2-1 record during the month. He led the NCHC with a .939 save percentage and 168 saves, averaging 28.00 saves per game. His 1.79 goals-against average was second in the NCHC in February, while he allowed two goals or fewer in five of his six starts and no more than three in any game, with all six games coming against ranked competition.

Mbereko eased into February with back-to-back 22-save showings in a split against then-No. 16 St. Cloud State, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision on Feb. 2 and earning a 5-3 win the next night.

Two weekends later, Mbereko was even better, totaling 66 saves and surrendering only three goals in a sweep of then-No. 2 North Dakota to earn NCHC Goaltender of the Week. The Aspen native made 23 saves in a 7-1 win on Feb. 16, before making a career-high 43 stops against UND in a 6-2 victory a night later.

Mbereko closed February with a bang as well, giving up only three goals in a series at then-No. 19 Omaha, while racking up 58 saves, including 41 stops in a 1-1 tie to close the series Feb. 24.

On the season, Mbereko leads the NCHC with a .920 save percentage, which ties for 12th nationally, and a 2.31 GAA, good for 14th nationally. He has compiled a 19-10-3 record in net this year, with the 19 wins second in the conference and tied for seventh nationally.

Mbereko is the first Tiger to win a national monthly award since Chris Wilkie won National Player of the Month in December of 2019.

During his youth hockey days, Mbereko played for the Aspen Leafs and Rocky Mountain Snow Kings.

Photo/Casey B. Gibson

(March 8, 2024)