Christopoulos named to Richter Award Watch List

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force senior Billy Christopoulos was named to the 2019 Mike Richter Award Watch List. The award annually honors the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA Division I men's hockey. The winner of the sixth annual award will be announced at the 2019 NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Buffalo, N.Y.

Christopoulos started every game last season and led the Falcons to the 2018 Atlantic Hockey Conference championship, an NCAA victory and a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight. The senior from Raleigh, N.C., ranked among the league's best in every goaltending category. He played more minutes than any goalie in the nation (2,534). His 23 wins were the most in the league and the third most in the nation.

A third-team all-Atlantic Hockey selection last season, he was the MVP of the AHC Final Four and a member of the NCAA West Regional all-tournament team. He was named the Atlantic Hockey Goalie of the Month three times (October, January and February) and the Goalie of the Week twice (Jan. 16 and Feb. 5).

In all games last season, he led the league in GAA (2.06), the 11th best in the nation. He was second in the league and 12th in the nation in saves percentage (.922). His 1,026 saves last season are the fourth most in school history and the most since Al Morrison had 1132 in 1972-73.

At the AHC Final four, he was named the tournament MVP, allowing just one goal in two games and leading the Falcons to its second straight AHC championship. He stopped 59 of 60 shots he faced. In the playoffs, his shutout streak of 214 minutes over the course of four games (Army games two and three, Canisius and Robert Morris) is the second longest in school history (Andrew Volkening 262, 2008-09). His streak was the 17th longest in NCAA history. At the NCAA West Regional, he made 39 saves, the second most of his career, in the win over No. 1 St. Cloud State.

Christopoulos is the second Falcon to be on the Watch List since the award's inception in 2014. Shane Starrett was on the Watch List, and was also a semifinalist for the award, in 2017.

Christopoulos is joined on the Watch Lis by: Ryan Bednard, Bowling Green; Matthew Galajda, Cornell; Hayden Hawkey, Providence; Christoffer Hernberg, UMass Lowell; Dávid Hrenák, St. Cloud State; Corbin Kaczperski, Yale; Jake Kielly, Clarkson; Jake Kupsky, Union; Francis Marotte, Robert Morris; Cale Morris, Notre Dame; Jake Oettinger, Boston University; Cayden Primeau; Northeastern; Mat Robson, Minnesota; Sean Romeo. Ohio State; Hunter Shepard, Minnesota Duluth; Jeremy Swayman, Maine; Atte Tolvanen, Northern Michigan; Daniel Urbani, Canisius; Joseph Woll, Boston College.

Goalies on the Mike Richter Award watch list are chosen by members of Let's Play Hockey, based on both past performance and future potential. Candidates for the Mike Richter Award will be determined by nominations from all 60 NCAA Division I men's hockey head coaches. The semifinalists, finalists and winner are selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Criteria for the Mike Richter Award: Candidates must display outstanding skills on the ice, Candidates should be in good academic standing at an NCAA college or university, Consideration should be given to academic achievement and sportsmanship; Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules; be full-time students at an NCAA college or university; and complete 50 percent or more of the season; Consideration should be given to the candidate's activities in the community.

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Christopoulos named to Richter Award Watch List

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