For the second straight year, junior assistant captain David Whitworth (Coquitlam, B.C.) was honored with the Phelan Award as the team's most valuable player and the Friends of Men's Hockey Award as the leading scorer -- he notched 16 goals and a team-leading 20 assists. Whitworth also tallied five power-play goals, two empty net scores and two game-winning goals.
Freshman Jason Wong (Richmond, B.C.) was presented with the Booma Award, given to the team's outstanding rookie. He led Big Green goalies with a 7-5-1 overall record, an .854 save percentage and a 4.23 goals against average. In his first collegiate start, Wong had 20 saves in a 3-2 victory against then nationally-ranked Colgate to be named the ECAC/Bauer Rookie of the Week. He received the honor again on Jan. 23 when he stopped 32 shots as Dartmouth tied Vermont, 4-4, at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Sophomore forward Ryan Chaytors (Calgary, Alta.) took home the John Manser Award for the most improved varsity player. Chaytors exploded this winter to score 16 goals and add 12 assists, and his 28 points were the third highest on the team. He tallied the Big Green's first hat trick of the season against St. Lawrence on Jan. 18. Chaytors notched five power-play goals, two game-winning goals and one short-handed score. Last season, he scored two goals and added three assists in 18 games.
The Smoyer Award for the unsung hero went to senior captain Brent Retter (Toronto, Ont.). Retter tallied three goals, handed out six assists and scored one power-play goal this season. He played in 110 games for the Big Green, which places him tied for fifth all-time along with Dax Burkhart '96 on the Dartmouth list behind Bill Kelleher (No. Reading, Mass.) with 115, Tom Cross '82 (113), Dennis Murphy '80 (113) and Rich Ryerson '80 (111).
Seniors Scott Baker (Chepachet, R.I.), Alex Dumas (Laval, Que.), Ben Heller (Milton, Mass.), Owen Hughes (Canton, Mass.), Tom Ruzzo (Medfield, Mass.), and Darren Wercinski (Eveleth, Minn.) were honored along with Retter and Kelleher as all eight seniors were awarded their game jerseys.
Next year, Whitworth, juniors Jeremiah Buckley (Oakdale, Minn.) and Shane Ness (Vancouver, B.C.) will lead the Big Green squad as tri-captains. Buckley, a forward, notched seven goals and added 14 assists this winter. Ness, on the other hand, did not play this season due to an injury. The defensman had dished out three assists during his freshman and sophomore seasons when he played in 54 total games.
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