Greetings, all! Time again for the prospect week in review. For the first time this season we have every prospect playing (minus the injured) as Tyler Bird and the Brown Bears finally got their season underway.
We’ll start off first in Cleveland as we always do. Last weekend, the Monsters welcomed back the team they had defeated in the Western Conference Finals in 2016 en route to their first ever Calder Cup title, the Ontario(CA) Reign.
Early in the first, Tyler Motte started what would be a big weekend for him when he won a footrace and chipped a shot past the Reign’s goalie to make it 1-0. Four minutes later, the Monsters struck again when John Ramage got the puck from Brett Gallant before firing a shot. The attempt was stopped, but Justin Scott picked up the rebound for his first of the season. Late in the first, with the Reign on the power play, Joe Pendenza found Jordan Schroeder behind the Reign’s defense and he skated in to score his first goal of the season and make it 3-0 going into the locker room. The Monsters allowed two goals to make it 3-2 but just two minutes after the Reign’s second goal, Motte got on the board again. After Hayden Hodgson chased down a puck and created a bit of chaos, Motte got the puck to the net and scored his second of the night. Going into the third, Calvin Thurkauf scored when, after Andre Benoit and Paul Bittner played pitch and catch and shoot two times, the Swiss forward tipped in Bittner’s shot to make it 5-2. After an Ontario goal, Thurkauf struck again when, after a long possession in the Reign end, Sam Vigneault skated around the net and found Thurkauf in front for his second of the game. The Reign scored with their goalie pulled to make it 6-4 before Motte completed his hat trick. He got the puck at the circle in his own end and fired into the empty net to score the extra point in the Monsters 7-4 win. Motte’s hat trick would be the first by a Monsters player in the Q since the 13-14 season. In the victory, Brad Thiessen made 23 saves. Also of note, Ohio native and Miami alum Carter Camper had two assists in the game to give him 200 in his AHL career.
In the rematch, the Monsters went with Matiss Kivlenieks in net and it would not go well for the young Latvian. The Reign took a 2-0 lead before Tyler Motte scored his fourth of the weekend. The goal came in the second period with the Monsters on the power play. Motte passed to Dean Kukan who passed back to Motte who fired from above the circles to make it 2-1. In the loss, Kivlenieks stopped 24 shots.
Quickly, down in the ECHL with the revolving door of goalies in Las Vegas, the Mallards top goalie has been called up to Chicago meaning Ivan Kulbakov has been the man for the Ducks. Over the weekend, Ivan started both games and boy was he busy. In the weekend series against Idaho, through two games he stopped 103 of the 107 shots he faced in two overtime wins. You’d have to hope Ivan is the top option for ECHL goalie of the week. Also in Quad City, Jackets prospect Jacob Graves had an article written about him.
Kole Sherwood-Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Season Stats 4GP 0-1-1 -2 6PIM
Kole has gotten off to a slow start with Kitchener. The team has started off with three straight losses and Kole has gone without a point in those games before picking up an assist in Saturday’s win over North Bay. Early in the first, the Rangers top line struck when Rickard Hugg (Nick Foligno and Sergei Bobrovsky’s favorite player) dropped a pass to Kole who fired before Hugg picked up the rebound. Hugg took another shot that the goalie stopped it before Kole slid the puck out in front allowing 100-point man Adam Mascherin to score into the empty net. The Rangers scored nine seconds later and that is all the offense the Rangers would need in the 2-1 win.
Vitaly Abramov-Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season Stats 10GP 5-8-13 -3 19PIM
Vitaly opened the week doing something he’s hasn’t done since his rookie season – going three games without a point. Vitaly found his way back to the scoresheet in a game against Rimouski to close out the week. In the 2-1 loss, Vitaly scored his fifth goal of the season just minutes after the Oceanic took a 1-0 lead.
Robbie Stucker-Chicago Steel (USHL-Committed to Colorado College)
Season Stats 7GP 1-6-7 +3 6PIM
Robbie and the Steel were off on the road this weekend, starting off with a rematch of last season’s Clark Cup final against Sioux City. In the 5-3 Steel win, Stucker went without a point.
In the team’s next game against Lincoln, Robbie picked up two assists in the Steel’s 5-3 win over the Stars. Currently his seven points leads USHL defensemen in scoring.
Kale Howarth-Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL-Committed to UConn)
Season Stats 15GP 11-13-24 18PIM
After missing time with an injury, Kale has returned to the Smoke Eaters lineup and this weekend he found his way back to the scoresheet. Starting off against Merritt, Kale picked up an assist on Braeden Tucks’s second period goal to make it 3-3 in a 5-4 Trail win.
In the team’s next game, Kale had his 7th multi-point game of the season when he score his 11th goal of the season and added his 13th assist in a 4-1 win. Howarth received third star honors for his effort.
Tyler Bird-Brown University Bears (ECAC)
Season Stats 2GP 1-0-1 -1 2PIM
Tyler and the Bears finally got their season started with a weekend series against Yale. On Friday night, Tyler was held without a point in the Bear’s 4-1 win over the Bulldogs.
In the rematch, the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead into the locker room before Tyler scored his first of the season. Max Willman skated in and fired a shot that was stopped. But Tyler was in front of the net and he picked up the rebound to make it 1-1 in what would end up a 5-2 Bears loss.
Carson Meyer-Miami University Redhawks (NCHC)
Season Stats 6GP 1-2-3 -1 17PIM
This weekend the Redhawks took part in what, come next season, will be a prospect matchup as the UConn Huskies came to Oxford. Carson Meyer opened the scoring in the first when he redirected a shot to make it 1-0 in a 3-0 Redhawks win.
In the rematch, Carson picked up an assist on Kiefer Sherwood’s goal to open the scoring in a 7-1 Redhawks win.
Andrew Peeke-Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Big 10)
Season Stats 8GP 1-3-4 +4 2PIM
The Irish welcomed the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks to town and Thursday night’s game would be a bit of a wild one. The Mavs built a 5-1 lead before the Irish tried and mount a comeback and who would start it…well, you see where this is going. Late in the second, Andrew got the puck just before the blueline and snapped a shot off to make it 5-2 in a 6-4 Irish loss.
In the rematch on Friday night, Andrew was held pointless in the Irish’s 5-4 win.
Jonathan Davidsson-Djurgarden IF (SHL)
Season Stats 14GP 2-3-5 E 6PIM
Jonathan and Djurgarden opened the week with a game against Orebro. Starting off in the second period, Jonathan gathered a loose puck and found a wide open little brother Marcus in the slot who hammered a shot to give DIF a 1-0 lead. Early in the third, Orebro tried to exit their zone but Jonathan intercepted the pass and again found a wide open Axel Jonsson-Fjällby who would fire to make it 2-0 in a 2-1 DIF win.
In the team’s last two games last week, Jonathan was held without a point.
Daniel Zaar-Malmo (SHL)
Season Stats 11GP 2-4-6 -2 2PIM
Daniel returned to the Hawks lineup and went without a point in a game against HV71. Up next was a game against his old team, Lulea. In the second with Malmo leading 1-0 and on the power play, Daniel took a pass just above the circle and did what he does best – hammer a shot to make it 2-0 in a 2-1 Malmo win.
Daniel went without a point the rest of the week.
Emil Bemstrom-Leksands
Main Club Stats 4GP 2-0-2 +2 2PIM
J20 Stats 15GP 10-8-18 E 12PIM
Emil split last week between the Allsvenskan team and the J20 team and picked up points with both. Starting out with the main club, Emil scored his second goal of the season when he skated in, fired and then it appears picked up his own rebound to make it 4-1 in a 6-1 LIF win.
Closing out the week with the J20 team, Emil picked up an assist in a 5-4 loss to Brynas. Emil’s 18 points still puts him among the league leaders.
Alexandre Texier-KalPa (Liiga)
Season Stats 19GP 4-0-4 -7 19PIM
Starting off the week against HIFK, early in the first Alexander Ruutu stole the puck and skated before firing a shot that was stopped but Alexandre wasin the right place to pick up the rebound and fire into the net for his team leading (at the time) fourth goal of the season.
In the Swords’ next two games, Alexandre was held without a point.
Also out of Finland, it was announced in KooKoo’s roster report/weekly update that Veeti Vainio will miss the next four to six weeks with an injury.
Vladislav Gavrikov-SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
Season Stats 25GP 1-6-7 +9 6PIM
It was a three-game week for SKA last week. Vladislav scored his first goal of the season in a 4-2 victory over Vityaz on Wednesday. Vladislav then went without a point in the team’s other two games.
Daniil Tarasov-Tolpar (MHL)
Season Stats 13GP 6-4-3 .918Sv% 2.55GAA 2SO
After a month off, Daniil returned to the Pegasus starting off as the backup in a 4-3 shootout loss before picking up his fifth win of the season when he made 25 saves in a 4-1 win over Sarmaty.
Elvis Merzlikins-HC Lugano (NLA)
Season Stats 14GP 9-3 .932Sv% 2.28GAA 2SO
Elvis opened the week with one of his best games of the season pitching a 41 save shutout against SC Bern.
Elvis finished the week off by picking up his 9th win of the season when he made 28 saves in a 6-4 win over Laussane HC.
There you have it folks, another week in the world of CBJ prospects. As for next weekend, we’ll have a prospect within viewing distance when Notre Dame and Jackets’ prospect Andrew Peeke will be at the Schottenstein Center to open Big 10 play for the first time ever on Friday and Saturday.
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