Kelly Named Warriors MVP

The Wayne State University men's hockey team held its annual awards banquet on Sunday, April 10 at the Gem Theatre in downtown Detroit.

Junior goalie Matt Kelly (Hull, Mass./Topeka Scarecrows) earned team Most Valuable Player honors after setting school records for goals-against average (2.54) and save percentage (.922) in a season. A second team All-College Hockey America (CHA) netminder, Kelly allowed only 56 goals, 30 of which came on opponent power plays.

Freshman center Stavros Paskaris (Dearborn, Mich./Kewadin Indians), the CHA Rookie of the Year, was honored with the WSU Rookie of the Year award. He led the Warriors in assists (21) and points (33), while being just one of five skaters to appear in all 35 games. His +13 plus/minus rating led all WSU forwards, while tying for team-high honors in short-handed goals (2) and first goals (3). Paskaris also won the team's "Top Gun" award for leading the squad in scoring.

Sophomore forward Nicholas Staneckyj (Garson, Ont./Rayside Balfour Sabrecats) earned the President's Award for academic success. He has a 3.62 cumulative grade-point average in biological sciences/pre-dentistry.

Sophomore defenseman Adam Drescher (Belleville, Mich./Wexford Raiders) earned the Most Improved award after appearing in 18 games. He earned his first collegiate point with an assist on the first goal of the game in the Nov. 20 win at Bowling Green.

Sophomore defenseman Dan Iliakis (Scarborough, Ont./Georgetown Raiders) was named the Best Defenseman. Iliakis appeared in all 35 games scoring 13 points on two goals and 11 assists with a +12 plus/minus rating. He led all WSU blueliners with three game-winning assists and was second among WSU defensemen with six power-play assists and 11 total helpers. Iliakis was even or plus (plus/minus rating) in 27 of the 35 games.

Sophomore defenseman Taylor Donohoe (Richmond, B.C./Powell River Kings) was presented with the Coaches Award. He played in all 35 contests and led the squad with a +15 plus/minus rating. A CHA All-Academic team selection, Donohoe was even or plus (plus/minus rating) in 30 of 35 games.

Senior John Grubb (Burlington, N.D./Waterloo Black Hawks) and junior Greg Poupard (Jackson, Mich./Waterloo Black Hawks) were given the Captain's Award. Grubb served as a team captain for the second consecutive year. He scored the first goal of the game in the Nov. 23 win over Bemidji State. A member of the student-athlete advisory committee, he appeared in 121 career games. As a sophomore he scored the game-winning goal against Princeton short-handed and then scored an overtime game-winner at Michigan State as a junior.

Poupard was a team captain for the first time this season. He played in all but one game this past year and has appeared in 100 career games. He set career-highs this year in assists and plus/minus.

Article courtesy of Wayne State Athletics Department