Bemidji State University forward Cory Ward (So., Las Vegas, Nev.) and goaltender Jesse Wilkins (Fr., Calgary, Alberta) have been selected for Western Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Week honors after powering the BSU men’s ice hockey team to a series sweep at Lake Superior State University Jan. 10-11.

Ward, who led all league players with four scoring points last weekend, is the WCHA Men’s Offensive Player of the Week, while Wilkins earned WCHA Rookie of the Week laurels as Bemidji State earned its second league road sweep of the season and moved into fourth place in the WCHA standings.

Ward posted a career-high three assists in the Beavers’ 5-2 victory over the Lakers Jan. 10 in Sault Ste. Marie, which included a pair of helpers on the power play. The trio of assists marked the first time a BSU player has posted three assists in a game since Matt Read (2007-11) accomplished the feat Feb. 5, 2011.

The Beavers’ leading scorer then bounced back Jan. 11 to post an assist on teammate Matt Prapavessis’ (D, Jr., Oakville, Ontario) game-winning goal at 1:03 of the third period in an eventual 3-1 triumph.

Ward, who finished the weekend with a +2 plus/minus rating and also had three shots on goal, leads Bemidji State in scoring this season with 20 points (12g-8a) while playing in all 24 games.

Wilkins went 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average, stopped 75 of 78 shots on goal in the series for a .962 save percentage, and had double-digit save totals in five of six periods versus Lake Superior State.

The rookie stopped a career-best 41-of-43 shots Jan. 10 night en route to his first collegiate victory in a 5-2 decision over the Lakers. January 11 he responded with 34 saves as the Beavers completed the sweep with a 3-1 victory.

In addition to his 75 total saves, Wilkins backstopped a BSU penalty-killing unit that held Lake Superior State to just 1-of-7 (.143) on the man-advantage in the series.

Wilkins, who is 2-1-3 on the season, leads Bemidji State with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in six appearances between the pipes.