BOSTON, Mass. – A pair of Wentworth Institute of Technology ice hockey players, who began the 2011-2012 campaign with strong weeks, have been honored with weekly awards from the ECAC Northeast. Senior forward Casey Shade (Anchorage, Alaska) was named the ECAC Northeast Player of the Week, while freshman forward Kevin Crowe (Galloway, N.J.) was tabbed as the league's rookie of the week.

Shade commenced his senior campaign by scoring four goals and adding an assist for a five-point week. In a season-opening, 4-3 loss to Salem State, he recorded his first collegiate hat trick and followed that up with a goal and an assist to help the Leopards to the 2011 IC Federal Credit Union Shootout title. In the, 5-2, opening round win over Franklin Pierce he had an assist, and his goal 30 seconds into the third period provided insurance as the Black & Gold defeated host Fitchburg State, 2-0, in the finals. He was named the tournament's most outstanding player for his efforts.

Crowe earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the IC Federal Credit Union Shootout after recording a pair of goals and an assist. In Wentworth's 5-2 win over Franklin Pierce, he had a goal and an assist, and, his goal at 1:38 of the second period in the win over Fitchburg State held up as game winner as the Leopards snapped a six-game winless streak against the Falcons in the title game.

Wentworth is 2-1 through its first three games of the season and opens ECAC Northeast play on Thursday (Nov. 17) at Western New England.

ECAC Northeast Release