After leading the WCHA (a conference that featured five teams in college hockey’s elite eight two weekends ago and will feature two teams in the Frozen Four in Boston starting tonight) in goals against average, save percentage and minutes played, UW goaltender Bernd Br?ckler was named to the 2003-04 JOFA All-American team, the American Hockey Coaches Association announced Wednesday.
The third first-team All-American goaltender in University of Wisconsin history, Br?ckler is the first UW netminder to be honored since Roy Schultz was chosen in 1980. Julian Baretta was the other Badger goalie recognized, in 1977.
Br?ckler, a member of the 2003-04 All-WCHA First Team, set school records this season with a 2.09 goals-against-average and .924 save percentage. The WCHA champion in both categories, he sported a 19-10-8 overall record in 38 games and 2299:40 minutes played.
The NCAA East Regional’s Most Outstanding Player, Br?ckler was a four-time WCHA Player of the Week during the season. Named the CSTV/Hockey Commissioners’ Association Player of the Month in February, he was also named the USCHO.com national defensive player of the week after backstopping a sweep over then-No. 1 North Dakota during the month.
The Graz, Austria native set the UW record with a 15-game unbeaten streak (10-0-5) and tied the school mark with four shutouts during a season. All four of his shutouts came in his last nine starts, including back-to-back perfect games against St. Cloud State and Alaska Anchorage, and an overtime shut out in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Ohio State. During one stretch, Br?ckler played 171:10 minutes of scoreless hockey.
Currently second on the UW career charts with a 2.51 save percentage and .924 save percentage, Br?ckler’s selection to the team gives the Badgers 34 all-time All-American selections. Twenty-nine different individuals have been honored.
Wisconsin, who fell 2-1 in overtime to No. 1 Maine in the East Regional final, completed its season at 22-13-8, 14-7-7 in the WCHA for third place in the league standings.
-compiled from staff reports
