FSU Hockey’s Valtteri Piironen Named CCHA Defenseman of the Week

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) announced that Ferris State hockey senior Valtteri Piironen (Phyäselkä, Finland) was named the league's Defenseman of the Week.

Piironen helped the Bulldogs to a series win against Lake Superior State in the regular season finale last week. In Thursday's 5-2 victory, he set a career-high with four assists, becoming the first Bulldog skater to record four assists in a single game since Nov. 22, 2014, when Matt Robertson did it against Alabama Huntsville.

Piironen paced CCHA skaters with four points last week and was a +4 in the series with two shots on goal and four blocks defensively while averaging 19:41 minutes across the Bulldogs two contests. On Thursday, he assisted on four of the Bulldogs' five goals in a 5-2 win over the Lakers. He then was even with two shots in a 2-2 tie Friday.

Piironen became the third Bulldog to earn CCHA Defenseman of the Week honors this year following Christopher Lie (Nov. 24) and Jack Mesic (Jan. 12). Overall, Piironen is the sixth FSU player to earn weekly league honors.

The Bulldogs will face Minnesota State in Mankato this weekend for the CCHA Mason Cup Quarterfinals in a best-of-three series beginning Friday (March 6). Puck drop is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. (ET) with live coverage provided on Sunny 97.3 FM and Midco Sports Plus.