Goaltender Kent Patterson was named the Hockey Commissioners’ Association National Division I Player of the Month for the month of October on Friday. 

He was 7-1-0 in October with a 1.74 goals-against average and a .939 saves percentage that led the Gophers, who entered the seasaon ranked 19th, to the No. 5 ranking in the USCHO.com poll. He also recorded a nation-leading four shutouts in the month.

Patterson was named WCHA Co-Defensive Player of the Week twice in October and Minnesota rode his play between the pipes to first place in the WCHA with eight points in October.

Kyle Rau also received a national accolade on Friday and was named the HCA National Rookie of the Month for October. Rau scored his first collegiate goal 56 seconds into his first game against Sacred Heart and never looked back. Rau scored seven goals and tallied six assists in eight games in the month of October. He also had six multiple-point games in the month.

Rau was named the WCHA Rookie of the Week on Oct. 18 after helping lead Minnesota to a sweep of defending national champion Minnesota Duluth at the Amsoil Arena.