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Oliver Auyeung-Ashton Richter Watch

Hockey Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

Oliver Auyeung-Ashton named to Mike Richter Award Watch List

The freshman netminder is one of 29 goalies who will compete for a chance to be crowned the top goalie in NCAA Division I hockey

HOCKEY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION (HCA) -- Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) has announced a "Watch List" of 29 goalies who will compete for the Mike Richter Award, given annually to the top goalie in men's NCAA Division I hockey since 2014. Freshman goalie Oliver Auyeung-Ashton has been named to the list.

A native of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Auyeung-Ashton joined the Wildcats and quickly made an impact. 

In his first career collegiate start, against Ohio State earlier this season, he made 45 saves, marking the most saves by a freshman in their NMU debut in the modern NCAA era (since 2004), and the most by an NMU freshman since Atte Tolvanen made 46 on October 30, 2015. That instance also marked the ninth freshman goalie to make 45+ saves in their collegiate debut in the past 20 years, and only the second instance in the past 10 seasons (Gavin FitzPatrick, Stonehill, 58, 2/3/2023). Auyeung-Ashton would earn CCHA Rookie of the Week honors.
Auyeung-Ashton missed some time due to an injury just before the holiday break, as his last start before the holiday recess was November 8, against Michigan Tech. He would miss a total of eight games in that span.

Oliver has since come back and has shone for the 'Cats in the team's first four games back from holiday recess. Since returning from Holiday break, Auyeung-Ashton has a .939 SV% and 2.02 GAA in four-consecutive starts.

On the season, Auyeung-Ashton has posted a .900 SV% or better in 11 of his 12 games played, with a .923 SV% or better in nine of those. "Oliver has played well for us in his starts, and he gives us a chance to win," says head coach Dave Shyiak, who has a lot of praise for his freshman goaltending talent. Post made prior to AUG series

Of NCAA Division I goalies who have played in 12 or more games, 'Double-A' leads the nation's freshmen in save percentage (.934), and is second to only Trey Augustine of Michigan State (.938) when we look at the entire NCAA. Augustine was a finalist for this award a season ago before deciding to return to Michigan State and not take the jump to the professional ranks. 
 
Fellow CCHA netminders include Richter Award finalist last season, Alex Tracy (MSU), Rorke Applebee (LSSU), Owen Bartoszkiewicz (MTU), and Josh Kotai (AUG). Among those names, Auyeung-Ashton and Kotai pace the CCHA in SV%, both with a matching .934. 
 

The 29 goalies come from the United States (9), Canada (13), Sweden (3), Czechia (2) and Slovakia (2). The largest single source is Quebec with five goalies. Of the U.S. goalies, Michigan leads the way with three. It is a young group as there are 11 freshmen, eight sophomores, six juniors and four seniors among those recognized.

Eight of the goalies were on last year's Watch List and two, Trey Augustine of Michigan State and Alex Tracy of Minnesota State, were among the four finalists. Two of the goalies repeat from last year but attend different schools: Arizona State's Connor Hasley (Bentley in 2025) and Northeastern's Lawton Zacher (Brown last year).

NOTE: Goalies qualified by meeting minimum GAA (<2.40) and="" save="" percentage="" (="">.917) standards. Other names may be added for consideration before the first formal vote.

A committee of voters — made up of a cross section of coaches, administrators, scouts and media — will pare this list down to approximately a dozen semifinalists within the next three weeks and then ultimately choose a winner from three finalists who will be announced in April during the NCAA Frozen Four. A similar award to recognize the top female goalie in the NCAA is also presented by the HCA.

Past Richter Award Recipients: 2014 - Connor Hellebuyck, UMass Lowell; 2015 - Zane McIntyre, North Dakota; 2016 - Thatcher Demko, Boston College; 2017 - Tanner Jaillet, Denver; 2018 - Cale Morris, Notre Dame; 2019 - Cayden Primeau, Northeastern; 2020 - Jeremy Swayman, Maine; 2021 - Jack LaFontaine, Minnesota; 2022 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2023 - Devon Levi, Northeastern; 2024 - Kyle McLellan, Wisconsin; 2025 - Jacob Fowler, Boston College.

2025-26 Richter Award "Watch List"

Atlantic Hockey
Ajeet Gundarah, Sacred Heart (SO - Richmond, BC)*
Teagan Kendrick, Sacred Heart (FR - St. Albert, Alberta)
Jakub Krbecek, RIT (SO - Prague, Czech Republic)
Lukas Swedin, Bentley (FR - Stockholm, Sweden)

Big Ten
Trey Augustine, Michigan State (JR - South Lyon, MI)*
Josh Fleming, Penn State (FR - Montreal, PQ)
Daniel Hauser, Wisconsin (FR - Chestermere, AB)
Jack Ivankovic, Michigan (FR - Mississauga, ON)

CCHA
Rorke Applebee, Lake Superior (SO - Chateauguay, PQ)
Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, Northern Michigan (FR - Coquitlam, BC)
Owen Bartoszkiewicz, Michigan Tech (JR - Northville, MI)
Josh Kotai, Augustana (JR - Abbotsford, BC)*
Alex Tracy, Minnesota State (SR - Chicago, IL)*

ECAC Hockey
Roan Clarke, Dartmouth (JR - Cloverdale, BC)
Alexis Cournoyer, Cornell (Trois-Rivieres, PQ)
Emmett Croteau, Dartmouth (SO - Bonnyville, AB)
Cameron Korpi, Union (S) - South Lyon, MI)

Hockey East
Louka Cloutier, Boston College (FR - Sherbrooke, PQ)
Jackson Irving, UMass (JR - Newbury, MA)
Max Lundgren, Merrimack (SO - Angelholm, Sweden)
Tyler Muszelik, UConn (SR - Long Valley, NJ)
Philip Svedeback, Providence (SR - Vaxjo, Sweden)*
Lawton Zacher, Northeastern (JR - Buffalo, NY)*

NCHC
Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth (SO - Poprad, Slovakia)
Connor Hasley, Arizona State (SR - North Tonawanda, NY)*
Quentin Miller, Denver (FR - Montreal, PQ)
Hampton Slukynsky, WMU (FR - Warroad, MN)*
Jan Špunar, North Dakota (FR - Olomouc, Czechia)
Samuel Urban, Arizona State (FR - Dolne Kockovce, Slovakia)

*Also on 2025 "Watch List"


 
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Players Mentioned

Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

#30 Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

G
5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

#30 Oliver Auyeung-Ashton

5' 10"
Freshman
G