TROY, N.Y. – ECAC Hockey has announced its weekly award winners and Rensselaer student-athletes Chase Polacek and Brandon Pirri were honored for the week ending on January 31. Polacek was named Player of the Week, while Pirri earned Rookie of the Week.

Polacek, a junior from Edina, Minn., recorded a five-point weekend (2 goals, 3 assists) to lead the Engineers to a 1-1-0 weekend, including a 4-0 victory over sixth-ranked Yale University on Saturday, in which he recorded his 100th-career point. He had a hand in three of the four goals (1 goal, 2 assists) against the Bulldogs and now has six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in two meetings with Yale this year.

The Engineers' leading scorer on the season, Polacek is fifth nationally at 1.43 points per game. His 40 total points (18 goals, 22 assists) are the most in the country, and his 10 power-play goals are second. A former standout at The Academy of Holy Angels, he has recorded 12 multi-point games, including six contests in which he has recorded three points or more.

Polacek leads ECAC Hockey in goals, power-play points (23), short-handed points (5) and short-handed goals (2). He is second in the league – trailing only teammate Brandon Pirri – in assists. The center has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in just 14 conference games.

A native of Toronto, Ont., Pirri recorded four points (1 goal, 3 assists) last weekend, including a pair of power-play assists in a 4-3 overtime loss at Brown on Friday. He then scored on the man-advantage and assisted on the eventual game-winning tally in RPI's win at Yale.

Pirri, who is a former member of both the Georgetown Raiders and Streetsville Derbys of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is second on the team with 33 points (8 goals, 25 assists) and is second in the country in points per game by a rookie (1.18). He is ninth nationally in assists, while leading ECAC Hockey in that category. A freshman, he has played in all 14 league games this season, recording 19 points (3 goals, 16 assists).

The Engineers (14-12-2; 7-6-1 ECACH) are in action this weekend, when they host North Country-rivals St. Lawrence on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (7pm), respectively. A Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the 1985 National Championship Team will take place on Saturday night.

Live stats for both games will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/rpi/mhockey/index.htm and can be seen live on a pay-per-view basis via the B2 Networks at http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=27. As is the case will all RPI men's hockey games, both contests will be broadcast on the air courtesy of WRPI radio on 91.5 FM or log on to www.wrpi.org and click on sports.