University of Minnesota Duluth sophomores Scott Perunovich and Justin Richards and junior Hunter Shepard were all recipients of major National Collegiate Hockey Conference awards for 2018-19. The trio was honored Thursday night at the NCHC Awards Celebration in St. Paul, Minn.

Perunovich was selected the Offensive Defenseman of the Year (for the second straight season), Richards the Defensive Forward of the Year and Shepard the Goaltender of the Year. Shepard also received the NCHC Three-Star Player of the Game Award.

Perunovich, a native of Hibbing, MInn, secured All-NCHC first team status for the second consecutive year this winter.  The 2017-18 first team All-American who finished tied for third in scoring among NCHC defensemen  (conference games only) with 16 points. Shepard, a 2017-18 All-NCHC second team selection, compiled the best goals against average (1.92) and most shutouts (five) of any conference puckstopper in league action. The Cohasset, Minn., product, has twice been chosen the NCHC Goalie of the Month this season (November and January) and the first UMD netminder to secure first team all-conference status since Alex Stalock did so in 2008-09 when the Bulldogs were members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Richards, a Columbus, Ohio, product, finished with 18 points (eight goals and 10 assists) in 24 league outings as sophmore and generated the second-most game-winners (three) among NCHC skaters.

Shepard (Player of the Year), sophomore Mikey Anderson (Defensive Defenseman of the Year), Noah Cates (Rookie of the Year) and Scott Sandelin ( Coach of the Year) were all finalists for other major 2018-19 NCHC awards.