Greetings, all! Sorry for the delay – it’s time again for the CBJ week in review starting off in Cleveland as we usually do.
The Monsters are coming to the end of their longest season homestand with a pair against Milwaukee before heading to Rockford for a pair against the IceHogs. In the first match versus the Admirals, late in the second period, Sonny Milano scored the Sonny Milanoest of goals. Alex Broadhurst started it all by skating in on a two on one with Sonny getting the puck at the circle and firing a backhand at just about the redline to make it 1-0. Late in the third (at almost exactly the same time in the period as Sonny’s) off a faceoff, a freshly signed John Ramage seny the puck into the zone with Trent Vogelhuber battling along the boards before finding Daniel Zaar in the slot. Zaar skated in and slid the puck past the Ads goalie to make it 2-0. Anton Forsberg made 36 saves for his first shutout of the season.
In the rematch on Thursday, after a heavyweight bout between Brett Gallant and ex-Jacket Cody Bass, Kerby Rychel passed to Milano who skated along the blueline and into the zone before again firing a shot for his eighth goal of the season, giving him goals in back to back games for the first time in his career. After two Admirals goals the Czar (Zaar? whichever) struck when Broadhurst stole the puck that bounced off a broken stick before finding Zaar in front for his 17th of the season. A little over two minutes later, Josh Anderson skated in all alone and deked in front for his 14th of the season. Kevin Fiala tied the game late in the third and that sent the game to overtime and then a shootout. Milano and Rychel missed in the shootout and unfortunately Forsberg stopped only one of the three shooters in the skills competition (along with 25 saves in the game).
Saturday night the Monsters were part of some history when, in a 5-0 Monsters loss, ex-Jacket Michael Leighton set a new AHL record with his 46th career AHL shutout. That breaks Johnny Bower’s record which is a little awkward as Bower’s #1 hangs from the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena from his time with the Cleveland Barons from 1945-1953. The 35 saves for Leighton was the third most saves in a shutout for the goaltender.
After that it was off to Texas for a pair against the old Monsters: the San Antonio Rampage. The Rampage rolled out to a 2-0 lead with one goal by OSU and CBJ alum Nate Guenin. Late in the first, the Monsters finally struck when Oliver Bjorkstrand skated in and got pushed to the outside by a defender. Bjorkstrand passed to Milano who found Broadhurst in front to make it 2-1. Midway through the second, Vogelhuber gathered a puck and found a pinching Dillon Heatherington for his first goal since early January. Just under four minutes later, Broadhurst picked up the rebound of a Steve Eminger shot for his second of the night and sixth of the season. Forsberg made 32 saves in his 17th win of the season.
In the rematch on Sunday, the Monsters took the lead when Dean Kukan, who returned from injury this weekend, skated in and lost the puck but Zaar was there to gather it and pass to Lukas Sedlak who shot and scored while taking a stick to the body. Late in the first, Markus Hannikainen skated behind the net and found Anderson who snapped a shot to get his 15th of the season. Early in the second, Milano and Bjorkstrand worked together when Sonny found The Great Dane in the slot. Bjorkstrand then fired even with the Rampage all over him for his 15th of the season. A few minutes later the Rampage struck with a shorthanded tally before TJ Tynan scored an unassisted goal (I’m as confused as you are). When a Rampage player mishandled the puck, TJ gathered it and skated in before firing a shot to make it 4-1 in a 4-2 win. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves in his first AHL victory since being returned from Columbus.
Kole Sherwood-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 60GP 12-21-33 +9 49PIM
Kole snapped an almost one month pointless streak when he picked up an assist in a 6-4 Knights win over the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. In the second period, Kole gathered a loose puck and skated down the side before shooting from the circle. The goalie got a piece of it but a charging Daniel Bernhardt tapped the puck in to make it 5-2. Kole went without a point in the Knights next two games and he also earned a two game suspension for a slew foot match penalty in a win over Kitchener.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Season Stats 62GP 6-19-25 +4 15PIM
Blake started with two games without a point before having himself a night against Sudbury. In the 3-2 Wolves win, Blake scored his first goal in 34 games. Early in the first with the Dogs trailing 1-0, just 17 seconds after a Wolves goal, Blake got the puck at the blueline and skated to just about the center and snapped a shot to tie the game at one. Just over six minutes later, Blake was deep in the zone and he gathered the loose puck and then fired a shot from almost the exact same spot as his first goal. In the 3-2 Dogs win Blake was named first star.
After going pointless against Erie, Blake scored another goal when, in a win over Flint, he gathered a bouncing puck and from just about the same spot as his last two goals made it 1-0 in a 5-1 IceDogs win. Blake went without a point in the IceDogs next two games.
Olivier LeBlanc-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
Season Stats 58GP 5-30-35 +30 70PIM
Olivier opened this stretch of games by picking up two assists in a win over Halifax. Late in the first Olivier passed the puck to Evgeni Svechnikov who skated in and shot before picking up his own rebound and backhanding it past the Moosehead’s goalie. Later in the second, Olivier chipped the puck out of the zone and Evgeni Svechnikov skated in on a two on one with Max Lazarev who hammered a shot to make it 7-1 in a 7-2 Eagles win.
Next in a 4-1 win over Drummondville, after two scoreless periods, Olivier was part of a three on two with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Clark Bishop. Dubois scored his 38th of the season on the play and Olivier crashed into the net. In the 4-1 victory, Olivier was a +4 and the assist against the Voltigeurs would give Olivier a new career high with 35 points on the season.
Olivier was held pointless in the Eagles last two games last week.
Julien Pelletier-Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Season Stats 57GP 27-18-55 -20 48PIM
Something must’ve clicked in Julien’s head when February changed to March as he’s been on a tear lately. Starting off against Rimouski, Julien gave the Phoenix the lead when he deflected a Donald Audette shot to make it 3-2 in a 4-2 Phoenix win.
After going without a point against his most recent old club, Julien was part of both goals against Chicoutimi. Late in the first, Carl Neill fired a backhand in front with Julien picking up the rebound before skating into the slot and firing a shot to make it 2-1 Sags. After another Sags goal, Julien picked up an assist on Hugo Roy’s goal to make it 3-2 in a 4-2 loss.
In the birds next game, Julien added another assist when, from the wall, his pass to Carl Neill at the point would flutter through the entire Drakkar defense before finding Kay Schweri on the goal line who shot to make it 2-1 in a 6-1 Phoenix win.
To close out the week, the Phoenix traveled to Chicoutimi for a game with the Sagueneens. In the 4-2 loss Julien added to his career high when he scored his 27th goal of the season in a 4-2 Phoenix loss.
Sam Ruopp-Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Season Stats 67GP 4-21-25 +23 98PIM
After going pointless in a game against Vancouver, Sam picked up an assist in the rematch. In the second Sam skated out of his zone and into the Giant’s zone before dropping a pass to Colby McAuley who sent a pass to Brad Morrison. Morrison had an almost empty net to shoot into and in the end, the Cougars would win the game 2-1.
Next up against the Spokane Chiefs, in the second with the Cougars trailing 2-0, Sam chipped the puck ahead with Jesse Gabreille who skated in shorthanded for his 40th goal of the season in a 3-2 loss. In the rematch Sam picked up two assists. First late in the third, Sam fired a shot that was stopped with Gabrielle throwing the puck in front allowing Brogan O’Brian to score his 18th of the season. Sam’s other assist came on Kody McDonald’s empty net goal to make it 4-1 Cougars. Sam went without a point in the Cougars last three games.
Tyler Bird-Brown (ECAC)
Final Season Stats 31GP 6-2-8 -8 6PIM
Brown opened the ECAC playoffs in the 6-11 matchup against RPI and Tyler went without a point in game one – a 3-2 loss.
In game two, The Bears roared out to a 2-0 lead before Tyler scored his sixth of the season when off a faceoff, Max Willman got the puck and went to the net and dropped a pass to Tyler who scored to make it 3-0. Sadly, the Bears would let the Engineers score four straight to make it 4-3 thus ending Tyler’s and the Bear’s season.
Tyler will return to Brown as hopefully one of the Bears go to options next year. He was third on the team in goal scoring with the leader graduating this year.
Zach Werenski-Michigan (Big 10)
Season Stats 32GP 9-19-28 +4 20PIM
Zach and the Wolverines opened this stretch with a home and…neutral site series. First up in Yost, Zach was held without a point in a 7-4 Michigan loss. In the loss, Zach terrified CBJ fans when he missed some time in the game with a knee injury but he ultimately returned to the game.
Next up it was off to Columbus for a game in Zach’s future home, Nationwide Arena. I of course was in attendance and the game got off to a rough start. The Buckeyes would roll (see, because they’re a nut…I’ll stop now) out to a 3-0 lead before Zach struck on a power play with a wrist shot from the point. Later in the game, Zach got on the board again on the power play with an almost identical shot to make it 5-4. The Wolverines tied the game and sent it to overtime while having to kill a five minute major. In the end, Zach was on the ice for the game winning goal but I’m putting this one on the Wolverine’s goalie who was bad. Much like the last time I saw Zach play in person, he was fine. I don’t remember any big goofs plus he scored two goals (still waiting on the horn by the way).
To close out the season – and with some help from Minnesota possibly win the Big 10 – the Wolverines were back at Yost hosting Penn State. The Lions would take an early lead but then it was all Wolverines. Early in the third, Zach passed to JT Compher who passed to Kyle Connor for his 28th of the season to make it 3-1. Later in the third, Zach lost the puck and when the Lions tried to clear it, the puck went right to Zach who found Justin Selman. Selman’s shot was stopped but he batted it out of the air to make it 6-1 in a 7-1 win.
Next up on senior night, Zach had another two assist night. In the second, Zach skated in and sent a pass to Kyle Connor who fired a shot to make it 4-1 with his 30th of the year. Later in the second Zach kept the puck in at the point and fired a shot that was stopped but JT Compher would be JT (what? I don’t know what JT stands for) on the spot scoring his 13th of the season. The Wolverines won the game 6-1.
Next week the Wolverines will travel to St. Paul for the Big 10 Tournament where they earned a bye along with Ryan Collins and the Gophers. If Zach doesn’t make it three in a row for Big 10 Defensive player of the year I will be shocked and someone is getting a strongly worded email. Zach led conference Dmen in pretty much every statistic.
Kevin Stenlund-HV71 (SHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 43GP 1-1-2 -6 20PIM
Slutspel Stats 2GP 1-0-1 +1 0PIM
Something must’ve happened as Kevin finally got off the fourth line and saw second line minutes including a career high 19:43 against Gabriel Carlsson and Linkoping. Kevin went the final five games of the season without a point.
Next up, HV71 had to play a two game series to see if they would make the playoffs as they finished in ninth. In the series they faced Orebro. Kevin went without a point in game one but scored in game two. In the second, Kristofer Berglund took a pass from the goalie and dumped it in with Kevin and a teammate chasing. The teammate had to jump to avoid the puck Kevin gathered it and skated in before deking to make it 5-0 in a 7-1 win. As of this writing, HV71’s opponent has not been determined but it looks like it will either be Frolunda or Skelleftea AIK given that their opponents are also TBD.
Veeti Vainio-Blues (Liiga)
Final Regular Season Stats 30GP 0-4-4 -2 47PIM
Veeti and the Blues ended a disappointing season last week with Veeti picking up an assist in their last two games. First up against SaiPa, in the second trailing 1-0, Veeti got the puck at the point and fired a shot that looks to me like it went in, but Jere Seppala would get credit for the goal in a 4-2 Blues win.
In the season finale against JYP, in the third with JYP leading 2-1, Veeti fired a shot that was stopped but Ilmari Pitkanan gathered the rebound and scored to tie the game. It would go to a shootout with the Blues losing 3-2. This ended Veeti’s first full season and I don’t know where Veeti could be next season due to Blues’ money troubles. Veeti was loaned to the Blues J20 team for its playoff run which begins soon.
Markus Nutivaara-Karpat (Liiga)
Final Regular Season Stats 50GP 6-16-22 +10 14PIM
Markus opened the month by picking up an assist on Sakari Manninen’s goal in a matchup of the projected top two European skaters for the upcoming NHL Draft (well the top two that are European). In the second period, Markus passed the puck to a teammate and then got it back before firing a shot that I think everyone thought Markus scored on but Manninen got credit for it in a 4-0 win.
After a three game pointless streak, Markus got back on the scoresheet in a win over Pelicans. In the second, with the Stoats leading 2-1, Markus got the puck at the point and fired a shot to make it 3-1 in a 4-1 win.
Markus and Karpat finished second in Liiga after winning the Finnish version of the President’s Trophy and the league title the last two seasons. Karpat will open the playoffs against TPS.
Elvis Merzlikins-HC Lugano (NLA)
First Round Stats 4GP 4-0 2.08GAA .942Sv%
Elvis and Lugano opened the playoffs against Zug. In the opening game, Elvis was busy – he stopped 50 of 51 then stopped four of six in the shootout (yeah they do shootouts in the playoffs in Switzerland). Lugano ultimately won the game 2-1 in a shootout.
Up next in game two, Elvis was good again making 32 saves in a 4-2 victory.
In game three, Elvis started again and made 33 saves in a 5-2 game three victory meaning they would have to go for the sweep in Zug’s home rink.
Game four was a little more of a game as the Bulls got out to a 2-0 lead before Lugano scored four straight. Zug scored two more and Damian Brunner scoring the game winner to clinch the series.
In the semifinals, Lugano will face off against Genève-Servette HC who took care of Fribourg-Gottéron in five games.
There you have it folks, two weeks worth of updates. I’ll try and get back to our regular schedule next week. With the Big 10 Tournament and the CHL season coming to an end will have all sorts of playoff updates.
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