Greetings, all! Time for another CBJ prospect week in review starting off in Cleveland as we always do.
The Monsters welcomed the Manitoba Moose to town for a pair. The Monsters took an early lead when Sonny Milano drove up ice and skated around a diving defender before passing to Markus Hannikainen for his fourth of the season. Next, in the second there was a two on one rush with Nick Moutrey dropping a pass to Michael Paliotta. The defenseman’s shot was stopped by the Moose goalie but Daniel Zaar was there to pot the rebound for his fifth. 35 seconds later the Scandinavian assault would continue when Dean Kukan took a crossrink pass and fired a shot for his second goal of the season.
After a Moose goal later in the second, the Monsters struck again early in the third. Out of a board battle, TJ Tynan threw a puck in front with Hannikainen pouncing on it for his first two goal game. The Monsters allowed a third period goal to make it 4-2. In the win Anton Forsberg made 23 saves.
After Thanksgiving Day off, the teams would meet again with the Moose taking a very early 1-0 lead just 90 seconds in. After that it would be all Monsters. Starting off early in the second, off a faceoff, Jamie Sifers fired a shot that was stopped but Michael Chaput gathered a rebound and fire from near the circle to make it 1-1. Later in the second, it was time for a milestone goal as Moutrey drove through to the net and fired a backhand. The goal was waved off, but after some deliberation (and a mini Josh Anderson kerfuffle) the replay showed that the puck did completely cross the line giving Moutrey his first pro goal.
Later on in the second, Anderson did almost all the work on Ryan Craig‘s fifth of the season when he drove to the net and, at just about the crease, slid a pass to Craig who backhand it past Eric Comrie. Midway through the third Milano got in on the act when he deflected a Paliotta point shot to make it 4-1 Monsters. In the win, Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves.
Next, it was off to Grand Rapids for a game against the Griffins. After an early Griffins goal (which signaled the releasing of the teddy bears) Trent Vogelhuber scored when Tynan passed to Trent who then fired a shot just above the circles for his third of the season. In the second, Moutrey scored for the second straight game when Milano drove in and the puck ended up at the point. From there, Tynan threw it in front with Moutrey putting it past the Griffins goalie. The Griffins did tie the game later in the second, so the game went to overtime with the Griffins picking up the 3-2 win on Forsberg’s 29 saves.
As for next week, it’s pretty much the same deal except the Iowa Wild come to town and then the Monsters end with a trip to Grand Rapids.
Peter Quenneville kept rolling along down in Cincinnati by picking up two points last week. First up against Fort Wayne, Peter would earned an assist on Joe Pendenza’s third period goal in a 3-2 overtime loss. Next up in the rematch on Thanksgiving Day in Fort Wayne (you can almost not see the ice due to all the sponsors), in the third Branden Gracel skated in and sent a crossrink pass to Peter who fired a laser that the Komets goalie just couldn’t get to making in 4-1 in a 5-1 win.
Peter is currently on a five game point streak collecting two goals and three assists in that span.
Kole Sherwood-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 23GP 9-14-23 +12 14PIM
Kole and the Knights opened the week against Owen Sound and, in a blowout win, Kole picked up an assist on Aaron Berisha’s 15th goal. Kole chipped the puck ahead while falling to get it to Owen MacDonald who skated in and found Berisha who then got to the slot before snapping a shot to make it 5-1 in a 6-1 win. In the rematch, Kole was held pointless before scoring his ninth goal of the season against Markus Soberg and Windsor. 13 seconds after the Spits would make it 1-0, Aaron Berisha fired a shot that bounced off the backwall right to Kole who fired a shot to tie at one in a 5-3 Knights win.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Season Stats 25GP 3-7-10 +8 4PIM
Starting off against Sault Ste Marie, with the Dogs leading 1-0, Christopher Paquette skated into the zone and went around net before to Vince Dunn. Dunn passed to Blake and he hammered the puck in for his second of the season. The Dogs won the game 4-1 and Blake scored the game winner. After going pointless against North Bay, Blake found his way back to the scoresheet against Barrie. Early in the second, Blake sent a crossrink pass to Jordan Maletta who skated in and went to the slot before firing a shot to make it 2-0 in a 5-2 Dogs win.
Julien Pelletier-Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Season Stats 24GP 15-8-23 -9 17PIM
Julien and the Birds opened the week in Charlottetown PEI for a game against the Islanders. The boys were trailing 1-0 when Alexis Vanier teed one up that was deflected in front and Julien picked up the rebound for his 13th of the season. After another Islanders goal, Julien got another one when undrafted leading scorer Guillaume Gauthier curled through Phoenix’s zone before sending a crossrink pass to Julien who buried a one timer while on one knee just above the redline. Julien was the only offense Sherbrooke could manage in a 4-2 loss before being held pointless in a loss to Saint John. Next was a matchup against Olivier LeBlanc and the Screaming Eagles. Julien scored the game winner in a 4-0 Phoenix win.
Paul Bittner-Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season Stats 23GP 8-11-19 -4 21PIM
It was a light week for the Hawks – only two games last week. First against Moose Jaw, with the game tied at one Dominic Turgeon skated away from the boards and, after a spin move, passed to Paul on the doorstep to make it 2-1. The game went to overtime and Paul almost won it but if you wait a few seconds to watch, Paul ended up gathering a loose puck and coming out of the corner to find Keoni Texeira in front for the game winner. Paul and all of his teammates were held pointless in a 2-0 loss to Vancouver.
Sam Ruopp-Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Season Stats 24GP 2-6-8 +12 29PIM
Sam and the Cougs welcomed the Kamloops Blazers to town last weekend and earned a split. First, on Friday night, Sam went pointless in a 2-1 shootout loss. In the rematch, the Cougars unveiled their blue third jerseys (despite red, black and white being their colors) and Sam had a big night in the 7-3 win. Starting off, Sam was all over on the first goal when he kept the puck in, passed and then got the puck back in the slot to Jansen Harkins. Harkins’ shot was stopped, but Jared Behtune picked up the rebound to make it 1-0 on the team’s first shot on goal almost 10 minutes into the game. Later in the first, Sam picked up another assist when he took a pass at the blueline and sent a nice backhand crossrink pass to Kody MacDonald to make it 2-0 in a 7-3 win.
Tyler Bird-Brown University (ECAC)
Season Stats 9GP 1-0-1 -4 0PIM
It’s a nice gig that college hockey can be sometimes. After last weekend’s games, Tyler and the Bears were off to Belfast, Ireland for the Friendship Four Tournament. As for the opening game against Colgate, who they had just played last Friday, the Bears roared out to a 4-0 lead before Tyler scored his first of the year. Early in the third, with Brown on the power play, and with a Raider who had lost his stick, Tyler deflected a shot from the sidewall to make it 5-0 which was good enough to stand as the final score. Tyler was held pointless in the final which will go as a tie in the standings but the Bears loss to UMass-Lowell in a shootout.
Zach Werenski-Michigan (BIG 10)
Season Stats 11GP 4-5-9 -1 2PIM
Zach and the Wolverines welcomed the Dartmouth Big Green (gotta love the Ivy League where a color is a mascot) for a Friday matchup and, well, it got ugly quick for the Green. And Zach was a big part of it. In the second period, with Michigan on the power play, Zach took a crossrink pass and shot top corner to make it 4-0 on the Wolverines’ third power play goal of the night. Later in the game, with Michigan leading 6-0, Zac kicked the extra point when Michael Downing passed to Zach down low and Zach hammered the puck for his second of the night and Michigan’s fourth power play goal of the night. Zach was held pointless in the 1-1 tie on Saturday night.
Ryan Collins-Minnesota (Big 10)
Season Stats 11GP 0-2-2 -1 14PIM
The Gophers closed out non conference play…at least until the tournaments they play in with a series against in-state rival St Cloud State. In the 3-2 loss on Friday night, Ryan picked up his second assist of the season on Leon Bristedt’s wraparound goal but you don’t see Ryan in the highlights. Ryan was also held pointless in a 7-4 loss on Sunday. Ryan and the Gophers open Big 10 play against Ohio State next weekend.
Gabriel Carlsson-Linkoping (SHL-Sweden)
Season Stats 8GP 0-2-2 -2 0PIM
Gabriel opened the week going without a point against Oscar Dansk and Rogle and again in an OT loss to Frolunda but he did have a milestone night against Karlskrona. In the first, Gabriel earned an assist when he passed the puck to Chad Billins who flipped it out of his end. Jakob Lilja then gathered the puck and skated in to score making it 1-0. Gabriel picked up his second assist on Niklas Persson’s goal to make it 3-0 in a 4-3 overtime loss.
Elvis Merzlikins-HC Lugano (National League A-Switzerland)
Season Stats 22GP 11-7-2-1 .929Sv 2.63GAA 1SO
Elvis and the Panthers finished November with only one game last week – one that the team lost 2-1 to Zug with Elvis making 42 saves. This was the fourth straight game Elvis faced 40+ shots and he has at least 41 saves in three of the four. As for November, Elvis played 355:45 of the 360 minutes he could’ve played last month going 4-2 with a .938 save percentage and a 2.53 GAA.
There you have it folks, another week in the world of CBJ prospects. As for next week, with December here that means it’s almost time for the best time in hockey – the World Junior Championships. Camp rosters are starting to be announced and no Jackets prospects have been named to Canada’s list which ends a five year run.
The Jackets could have as many as four on Team USA and Gabriel Carlsson should get a look by the Swedes.
Also, next week, it seems that it is prospect match up week as six games next week feature a matchup between potential CBJ teammates.
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