Avon Lake native Eric Mihalik was named the Inside College Hockey National Player of the Week after his and Colgate’s series win over Rensselaer in the first round of the ECAC Hockey Playoffs.

Mihalik was 2-1-0 with a .929 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average in the three games. He became the first rookie goalkeeper in 16 years to win a playoff series in a Colgate uniform. He made 92 saves in the three games with 40 in the double overtime series clincher.

The Engineers scored three times in the first period of Game 1, and then totaled just four goals over the next nine and a half periods, as the teams played about 30 minutes of overtime in the series finale.

Since he took over as the goalkeeper he has started in 16 games. He is 6-8-2 with a 6-3-1 record in his last 10 starts. After getting his first collegiate win against Clarkson on Feb. 5, he has a 2.45 goals against average and a .921 save percentage. He has given up 26 goals on 302 shots.

Mihalik and his teammates will be facing Union in the ECAC Hockey Quarterinals, who is the top seed in the tournament and the fourth-ranked team in the nation. It is another best-of-three series, beginning on Friday night at Messa Rink.

swalker@MorningJournal.com