Tara Gray, WCHA Defensive Player of the Week

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WCHA.COM:

Tara Gray – Jr., D, Minnesota Duluth

University of Minnesota Duluth junior defenseman Tara Gray recorded more points over the Jan. 30-31 weekend in Grand Forks than she did all last season, helping the visiting Bulldogs to a WCHA sweep over North Dakota.

A product of Toronto, Ont., Gray scored two goals and added two assists for four points in the series against the Sioux, including the first three-point performance of her collegiate career last Sunday.

Gray dished an assist on a goal that tied the game at 2-2 in the second period in last Saturday’s 4-3 overtime comeback win for the Bulldogs. She was also a +1.

Then on Sunday, Gray had a hand in three of Minnesota Duluth’s last four goals in a 5-0 shutout victory over UND. She netted her first goal at 15:34 of the second period to push UMD to a 2-0 lead, before assisting on a power-play goal at 19:43 of the second period, a blast from Gray that was redirected in front of the net by teammate Laura Fridfinnson. Gray then scored a PPG of her own with less than 4:00 remaining in the third, giving her the first two-goal game of her career and highest point count in a single game during her three-seasons at UMD. Besides her points, Gray was +3 and helped UMD grab it’s fourth shutout of the season.

Overall, Gray, who had four shots Sunday, was +4 on the weekend. She now has eight points this season (4g, 4a), just two shy of her career season-high of 10 (1g, 9a) set during her freshman season. Her four goals this season already is a career single-season best.

Also nominated for the award this week were: Alana McElhinney, G, BSU; Alyssa Grogan, G, UM; and Kelly Wild, D, OSU.