LOWELL, Mass. – Former River Hawks goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, becoming the first hockey player and the 44th sports figure in history to receive the nation's highest civilian honor.
Hellebuyck earned the distinction following a historic performance in the Olympic gold medal game, where he made 41 saves in a victory over Canada, including a game-saving stick stop that preserved a tie and helped propel Team USA to an eventual overtime win.
Before his dominance on the international stage and at the professional level, Hellebuyck was one of the NCAA's most outstanding goaltenders from 2012-14 at UMass Lowell.
