Aidan Thompson Named Forward of the Week
March 17, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The United States Hockey League (USHL) announced Tuesday that Aidan Thompson has been named the Forward of the Week for Week 19 of the 2020-21 season.
Thompson scored four times and added three assists in three games last week for the Stars, leading them to a 2-1 record while also contributing a plus-four rating.
"It's nice to finally finish a couple of my chances, that's been something that I've been working on a lot lately," Thompson said. "I'm happier that the team could get four out of six points on the week and hopefully we can continue that in the coming weeks and have a strong finish to the season."
The 19-year-old is currently in his first full season with the Stars, scoring eight goals and eleven assists in 35 games. Thompson made his USHL debut during the 2018-19 campaign, collecting one helper in eight games. While it may have taken an adjustment period for Thompson to find his stride, his trajectory comes as no surprise, given his skillset.
"It's like every kid that I've encountered in this league," Stars General Manager and Head Coach Chris Michael said. "As the season goes on and you gain experience, you realize your game has to evolve and your 200-foot game is prevalent. Everything starts in your own zone, if you're good in your own zone, then you limit your time there.
"Aidan led the way for us in that regard," Michael continued. "He's a dynamic player offensively. We know he's more than capable of doing this week-in and week-out. It was good to see him finally get going on the offensive side and now it's a matter of continuing that trend as we progress throughout the rest of the regular season."
A University of Denver commit, Thompson scored twice in each of Lincoln's wins this past week, including a power-play goal on both Wednesday and Friday nights. The Fort Collins, CO native is tied for second among active Stars players in goals and sits third in points.
The individual accolade marks the first time a Stars player has been recognized with this honor in the 2020-21 season, but Thompson's main focus is centered around Lincoln's upcoming slate of games, starting with a road matchup in Sioux Falls against the Stampede tonight.
"It's nice to have a few go my way, like I said," Thompson remarked. "But, I'm still more excited that we got the wins as a team and we're looking forward to carrying on with that trend this week."
United States Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2021
- Don Granato Makes NHL Head Coaching Debut - Green Bay Gamblers
- Steel Set for Weekend Showdown with Perennial Powerhouse - Chicago Steel
- Stars Start Slow, Lose 8-4 against Sioux Falls - Lincoln Stars
- Aidan Thompson Named Forward of the Week - Lincoln Stars
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