Insider Player Profile - Marc Belanger

St. Norbert College star forward making an early impression on Texas Brahmas fans

Just two games into the season, rookie forward Marc Belanger is making a positive impact on the Brahmas offense with 2 goals on nine shots.

Belanger, 25, made his first impression on Brahmas fans during the pre-season match against the Odessa Jackalopes. When a slashing penalty against Odessa :45 into overtime put the Brahmas on the power play, Belanger took advantage of the situation and scored the game winner on the Brahmas only shot of the overtime period.

He had six shots in the Brahmas season opening match against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. In the home opener against the Mississippi RiverKings, Belanger had three shots, scoring a pair of third period goals, including the game-winner at 15:05 of the final period, to go with an empty-netter with three-seconds remaining in the game.

The 6' 2" 200 pound forward played for the St. Norbert College Green Knights (NCAA) during the past four years. Belanger, a Nanaimo, British Columbia native, played a key role in St. Norbert capturing their first NCAA Division III ice hockey championship this past March. The Green Knights finished the season with a 27-1-4 overall record and ended the year with a 29-game unbeaten streak.

The Green Knights, who beat Norwich University 3-0 in the national semifinals, became the first team in NCAA Division III history to post shutouts in both games in the NCAA Frozen Four. St. Norbert finished the year allowing just 43 goals in 32 games, with its scoring defense of 1.34 goals allowed per game setting a new NCAA Division III record.

Playing in all 32 games, Belanger scored in 28 of them, tallying 45 points (23 G, 22 A). A two-time first-team All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association selection, Belanger scored a point in 37 of his past 41 collegiate games (52 points on 29 G, 23 A). His 132 career points ranks seventh and his 62 career goals fourth all-time in school history.

He scored game winning goals and produced 10 powerplay goals during the season. Belanger also scored 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points during a 16-game streak from November 11th through January 26th.

He was a first-team All-America selection in 2007 and 2008 by the American Hockey Coaches Association, and was a first-team All-America honoree in 2008 by U.S. College Hockey Online.

In June, Belanger was named to the 2008 College Division Academic All-America at-large second team as sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and ESPN The Magazine.

Before attending St. Norbert, Belanger played in the British Columbia Hockey League for both the Nanaimo Clippers and Penticton Panthers.

His younger brother, Erick Belanger, 21, played four years with the Clippers and is now a defenceman at Ohio State (NCAA Division I).

Photo Credit: Robert Keith