Hello all, back again with a fairly North American based review as the six European prospects were off for International tournaments, despite all but two taking part and one missing due to injury.
Starting off in Springfield as usual where the Falcons went 1-1 last week, starting of with a 3-0 loss to Adirondack. Mike McKenna made 16 saves in the loss. Sunday the Falcons would face off against the Baby Penguins with Jeremy Smith getting the start. The Falcons would bounce back picking up a 4-3 win. Late in the first period, a Penguins player would send the puck out but Tim Erixon would fire a slapshot for his third of the season. Three minutes later after some pretty passing Alex Aleardi would find Frederic St. Denis who’d fire a blast with Spencer Machacek deflecting it (even if you don’t see it in the highlight). After a Penguins goal, Aleardi would give the Pens fits in the zone with a Pens dman trying to clear it out but St. Denis blasting a shot to make it 3-1. After a kerfuffle and another two Penguin goals to tie the game at three, Tim Erixon would keep the puck in and get it to Darryl Boyce who got a whack at it with Ryan Craig getting two whacks at it to score the game winner, with less than three minutes left. Jeremy Smith would make 19 saves in the win, his fifth of the season.
Quickly for some reason I’ve neglected to give any updates on Thomas Larkin down with the Evansville IceMen. Last week in three games Thomas picked up two assists in Evansville’s three games Thomas currently leads IceMen defenseman in scoring with five assists, including three that came in the same game. Larkin also second on the team in penalty minutes.
Quickly some injury news: Gianluca Curcuruto and Joonas Korpisalo continued to miss time with injuries while Oscar Dansk joined them on the injured list. It was reported by source Victor Fernandes that on Friday Oscar had a procedure done, first saying he’d miss at least the weekend and later saying coach Kris Knoblauch stated Oscar would miss a week two max. In transaction news Josh Anderson would be signed to a three year entry level deal on Tuesday. Josh would go pointless last week but he did lay a beating on Guelph’s Ben Harpur in London’s 6-5 overtime win on Thursday earning an instigator and a misconduct, even if a Knights fan told me the instigator was the wrong call. London reporter Ryan Pyette also believes Josh would be an excellent choice for the Knights currently vacant captaincy, also found a video of Josh visiting a children’s hospital.
Nick Moutrey – Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Season Stats 20GP 6-5-11 E 24PIM
Nick and the Spirit opened the week against the Ottawa 67s in the 7-3 Spirit win Nick would score his fifth goal of the season. In the third period with Saginaw leading 5-3 Nick would take a pass from Jake Paterson at the 67s blueline skating into the slot and firing a shot past the Ottawa goalie. The next night it was off to Belleville for a game against the Bulls, in the 5-3 Spirit win Nick would have his first multi point game of the season. Nick would get an assist on Mitchell Stephens third goal of the season. Later with the Spirit trailing 2-1 Sean Callaghan would unleash a blast with a rebound coming to Jimmy Lodge who’d find Nick in front who’d have an almost wide open net to shoot at for his sixth of the season. To close out a trip across Ontario, Saginaw would visit Kingston. Nick would be held pointless taking a five minute major for checking to the head (I’m not sure if he was thrown out or just got the five).
Kerby Rychel – Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Season Stats 18GP 14-17-31 +10 13PIM
The Spitfires had a seven game winning streak snapped on Sunday but would win its first two games of the week. Starting off on Thursday against Plymouth, Kerby would put the Spitfires on his back and pick up his second hat trick of the season helping the Spitfires to a 6-5 win. 55 seconds into the second period with the Spitfires trailing 4-1 Kerby would get a loose puck and faking a shot then snapping over the Whalers’ goalies shoulder. Later in the second Kerby would strike again, snapping a shot from about the same spot just from the other side of the rink. With the Spits trailing 5-4, Kerby would win a board battle getting the puck to Remy Giftopoulos who’d put on a stick handling clinic finding Cristiano DiGiacinto in front to tie it at five. Kerby would score on the game winner off a great individual effort with 1:23 remaining. Kerby would block a Garrett Meurs shot and be off to the races blasting it past the Whalers tender for his 14th of the season. Here’s Kerby’s postgame comments on the game. The hat trick would include Kerby scoring two different 100th goal milestones: the first would be his 100th goal in the OHL while the third goal would be his 100th with the Spitfires. Two days later in the rematch Kerby would pick up an assist in a 4-3 shootout win for the Spitfires. Kerby would be held scoreless in a loss to London on Sunday to close out the week. An interesting article came out of Guelph on Sunday stating that Kerby’s dad and Spitfires GM/part owner was in Guelph when London played the Storm believing that it may in response to Kerby being high on an OHL team’s wishlist. The author believes Kerby could be had for a price more than last year’s prize 19 year old Vince Trochek a player Plymouth gave up a player four draft picks to acquire and who ended up leading the OHL in scoring.
Peter Quenneville – Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Final NCAA Stats 5GP 0-4-4 +1 2PIM
Season Stats 2GP 1-0-1 -1 2PIM
Tuesday it was announced that Peter would be leaving Quninnipiac University to join younger brother John and the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings (I wrote about this here). Peter got in a day of practice (post practice interview here) and was in for his first game against Saskatoon. Peter would score the Wheat Kings only goal in a 3-1 loss to the Blades. Late in the third period Islanders first round pick Ryan Pulock (who’s more known for his slapshot) would skate in and find Peter on the doorstep snapping a shot over the goalies shoulder. Peter would be held off the scoresheet in a loss to Dillon Heatherington and the Swift Current Broncos.
Oliver Bjorkstrand – Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season Stats 21GP 16-22-38 +18 8PIM
Tuesday Oliver and the Winterhawks would fall to Tri-City. Oliver would do most of the work to get the Winterhawks on the board driving to the net finding Taylor Leier in front snapping a shot to make it 1-0. Midway through the second Oliver would find Chase De Leo who’d roar past the Americans defense to make it 2-0. The Winterhawks would allow three straight including one in the final minute of the second and third period to fall 3-2. Friday night it was the Victoria Royals coming to town with the Royals taking a 2-1 lead in the first before Oliver would strike late in the third period to tie it at two. Oliver would end up being named first star in the 3-2 overtime loss with Victoria scoring early in overtime. Oliver would be held scoreless for the first time since October 5th snapping a 14 game point streak in which picked up eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points.
Dillon Heatherington – Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Season Stats 20GP 2-15-17 +14 25PIM
Dillon and the Broncos opened the week in Prince Albert for a game against the Raiders, Dillon would pick up an assist on Coda Gordon’s 10th goal of the season in a 4-3 overtime win. The Broncos’ next game would be against Peter Quenneville and the Wheat Kings. Dillon would stretch his point streak to five games when with the game tied at two Dillon would fire a shot on net with Jake DeBrusk deflecting it for his fourth of the season. The Broncos would use four second period goals to take the game 6-3. Saturday in another game against Prince Albert, Dillon would have his point streak snapped at five games picking up a goal and six assists over that stretch.
Martin Ouellette – Maine Black Bears (Hockey East)
Season Stats 9GP 4-4-1 .921Sv% 2.31GAA 1SO
Martin and the Bears would face off against Vermont earning a split. Martin would pick up his first shutout of the season in a 2-0 Black Bears making 23 saves and being named second star. Saturday night would not go as well with the Catamounts picking up a 4-3 win and Martin making 29 saves.
Seth Ambroz, Mike Reilly – Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten)
Season Stats SA: 8GP 2-3-5 4PIM MR: 8GP 3-2-5 4PIM
Mike, Seth and the #1 Gophers traveled to South Bend for a series with fellow Jackets prospects TJ Tynan and the Fighting Irish. Friday night all three CBJ prospects would be held scoreless with TJ being held scoreless all weekend, the first weekend series he wouldn’t score. The Irish would upset the Gophers on Friday winning the game 4-1. Saturday night the Gophers would get back on track winning the game 5-4 with Mike and Seth picking up an assist on Taylor Cammarata’s third goal of the season.
Quickly covering the European prospects playing in the two separate four nations tournaments. Daniel Zaar and Alexander Wennberg dressed for Sweden playing against Finland, Czech Republic and host nation Russia. The duo would tie in scoring with each having a goal and an assist. Daniel would pick up an assist in the tournament opening 3-1 win over Czech Republic. Alexander’s points would come in the same game picking up a goal and an assist in a 4-2 (#10 in the highlight 3rd and 4th goal) win over Russia. Daniel would score a goal in a 3-2 shootout loss to Finland. Marko Dano and Markus Soberg would compete against each other in a tournament taking place in Switzerland with Soberg playing for Norway and Dano playing for Slovakia. Soberg would be held scoreless as the Polar Bears would go 1-2, Markus would take seven shots in their only win, 5-0 over Germany. Dano would be another story being one of the tournament’s leading scorers, being tied for fifth with three points. Marko would be held scoreless in a 6-0 win over Germany but would pick up an assist in a 3-0 win over Markus and the Norwegians. Marko would score the Slovak’s goals in a 3-2 loss to host Switzerland.
There you have it folks. We’ll be back to a full lineup of prospects next week with everyone being back in action.
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