Spotlight On: Denis Smirnov, RW, Penn State

Denis Smirnov was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round (156th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. The Moscow, Russia, native played three seasons in the United States Hockey League before committing to Penn State University for the 2016-17 campaign.

This season, Smirnov has reached the scoresheet in seven of his nine appearances, all coming during a seven-game point streak (two goals, five assists) from Oct. 20-Nov. 16. Through 11 games, Penn State holds a 9-1-1 record.

Spotlight On: Shane Bowers, C, Boston University

Shane Bowers tallied this third and fourth goals of the season last Saturday, marking his first multi-point night of the campaign. Both goals came in odd-man situations in Boston University's game against New Hampshire--the first on a power-play and the second on the penalty kill. His short-handed marker came 3:06 into overtime to give the Terriers a 3-2 victory.

The BU sophomore ranks tied for sixth on the team in scoring with four points (three goals, one assist) in seven NCAA games this year.

Spotlight On: Adam Werner

Adam Werner started in three games this week, posting a record of 1-1-1. In those contests, the 21-year-old made 31 saves in a 3-2 loss on Tuesday, and made 24 stops each in a 3-2 overtime loss on Thursday and a 4-1 win on Saturday.

The Mariestad, Sweden, native has a 3-1-2 record to begin the 2018-19 season and owns a .923 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average.

Spotlight On: Andrew Agozzino

Andrew Agozzino had a multi-point weekend for the Colorado Eagles, scoring two goals on Friday and adding an assist on Saturday. The left wing's first marker on Friday evening came on the power play and was the fourth game in a row that the Eagles scored on the power play. His second tally, a wraparound goal, gave the team its first lead of the night, although Colorado eventually fell to the Idaho Wild 6-5 in overtime.

Agozzino is second on the team in points after this weekend with seven (three goals, four assists) in eight games played and is tied for first on the team with a plus-4 rating.

Spotlight On: Cam Morrison, LW, Notre Dame (Big Ten)

Cam Morrison recorded his first multi-point game of the season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Friday in a 4-1 win against the University of Nebraska Omaha. The junior forward opened the scoring just 4:26 into the contest and factored in on the next two Fighting Irish goals with two assists. He now has two goals and two assists in four games this season

Morrison, 20, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round (40th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft after recording 66 points (34 goals, 32 assists) in 60 games for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League. That season, he played in the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and was named USHL Rookie of the Year while also earning a spot on the league's First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team.

Spotlight On: Cale Makar

Cale Makar, the Colorado Avalanche's first selection (first round, fourth overall) at the 2017 NHL Draft, has started the season strong for the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Minutemen. The defenseman had a four-point night in his team's season opener on Friday--notching two goals and two assists--and a game-high six shots. The Calgary, Alberta, native led UMass to a 6-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and was the first UMass defenseman to post four points in a game since Mike Kostka on Nov. 18, 2006.  

Following his first career NCAA multi-goal outing, Makar added three shots and two penalty minutes on Saturday in the Minutemen's 3-1 win over RPI. On Monday, he was named the Hockey East Player of the Week for the second time in his collegiate career.

Spotlight On: Sampo Ranta (University of Minnesota)

Sampo Ranta, the Colorado Avalanche's third selection (third round, 78th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft, started the campaign fast, scoring in each of the first two games of his freshman season with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Minnesota played in a back-to-back set against the University of Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday and Sunday, tying the first game 1-1 and prevailing in the final game by a score of 7-4.

LOVELAND, Colo.--A new era of hockey has finally arrived in the Centennial State, and two proud and successful franchises in Denver and Northern Colorado are finally connected via the "Hockey Highway."

The Colorado Eagles began their first campaign in American Hockey League over the weekend, as they hosted the Chicago Wolves for two games at the Budweiser Events Center. Chicago won both contests, defeating Colorado in overtime on Friday before earning a regulation victory on Saturday, but the higher level of play was evident for the players and fans alike.

The Colorado Eagles, proud AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, announced Friday that defenseman Mark Alt will serve as the team's captain for the 2018-19 season.

Alt, 26, becomes the seventh captain in Colorado Eagles history, following in the footsteps of Brent Thompson, Greg Pankewicz, Riley Nelson, Trent Daavettila, Sean Zimmerman and Matt Garbowsky. In addition, forwards Cody Bass and Andrew Agozzino will join defenseman David Warsofsky as alternate captains this season.

Spotlight On: Nick Henry, RW, Regina (WHL)

Nick Henry, a fourth-round (94th overall) pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Draft, has developed into a key player for the Regina Pats. He registered 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 53 regular-season games last season with the Pats after coming off offseason shoulder surgery. In the Western Hockey League Playoffs, Henry recorded four points (three goals, one assist) in seven games.

Regina hosted the 2018 Memorial Cup last May and made it to the final where it lost to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Henry registered five goals and seven points in the five games during the Canadian Hockey League championship tournament.