There’s a lot going on in CBJ Prospect land. Not only are we seeing a lot of Springfield faces up in Columbus, but the AHL All-Star weekend recently concluded and many of our boys are in action. So let’s get to it.
We’ll start with a quick road trip to Providence, Rhode Island to begin our weekly review as three Springfield Falcons played in the AHL All-Star Game: forward Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, defenseman Tim Erixon and goaltender Curtis McElhinney headed to the Dunk (Providence’s Dunkin Donuts Center) after Saturday’s game in Connecticut. Sunday was the Skills Competition with JAM being the first Falcon to compete by taking part in the Fastest Skater event. JAM would go second and be the early leader with a lap of 14.136. Unfortunately, that lead would last all of about 13 seconds as the next two skaters Houston’s (MIN) Jason Zucker and Portland’s (PHX) Chris Summers would not only beat JAM’s lap but set the all time record in the event with Summers winning the event with his lap of 13.324. Audy-Machessault would help the East get the extra goal with the fastest team average.
Curtis McElhinney would be up next in the Rapid Fire facing ex-Falcon Martin St. Pierre and Dallas 2011 first round pick the 6’7″ monster Jamie Oleksiak . On a quick gear note, for some reason Curtis wore his Phoenix mask and not his Blue Jackets designed mask. Curtis allowed a goal by each shooter with St. Pierre’s first shot snapping over his left shoulder, then being perfect until Oleksiak’s fourth shot that would curl around his left pad. The commentator would point out that Curtis never went down to the butterfly finishing with eight saves on 10 shots helping the East take the event.
After all three Falcons would take the next two events off…thought Erixon might take part in the Hardest Shot heard he has a good one,… it was time for the Pass and Score. JAM and Erixon would team up with East Palestine, Ohio’s and Rangers 2011 first round pick JT Miller. The semi Ohio linked trio would face off against Abbotsford’s Barry Brust who earlier in the season broke Johnny Bower’s 55-year-old record for longest shutout streak (set while playing for the Cleveland Barons) not allowing a goal for 268:17. Brust would stop all three attempts with relative ease including the final one which had the creativity of a stick figure (three straight drop passes, seriously guys?). McElhiney would be up next facing the Western Conference trio of Ryan Hamilton (TOR), Drew Shore (FLA) and Chad Billins (DET). After stopping their first attempt Curtis had to adjust his net after bumping it off its moorings making the save. This meant he wasn’t truly set for the second attempt (yes I’m making excuses for a Skills Competition #BiasedCBJfan). As for the second attempt, after passing above the slot area, Shore would go to the right side of the crease and shoot it right over Curtis’ shoulder. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what McElhinney was doing with his glove up – maybe hailing a cab? Curtis would stop the third attempt with a poke check on Hamilton.
The last event of the night was the Breakaway Relay with McElhinney facing heat two. Texas’s (DAL) Matt Fraser would shoot first going wide before snapping a shot just under Mac’s (or would that be Mc’s?) blocker. Curtis would stop Brad Hunt, Victor Bartley (post), Mark Cundari (lost puck) and Andrew Agozzino before Ryan Hamilton would score with some nifty stick handling sliding it through his five hole. Tim Erixon would shoot for the East in heat two facing Red Wings prospect Petr Mrazek and his stupid goalie mask (why is Peter Griffin yellow?… sorry things that only I notice). Erixon skated in and, once in the slot, fired possibly the weakest wrist shot ever right into Mrazek’s glove. Mrazek would go six for six. Jonathan would close out the event shooting fifth for the East in heat three facing Charlotte’s (CAR) Justin Peters. JAM would come in with a bit of speed snapping a wrist shot in the slot but would hit the post. Peters would stop all six shots he faced and would be named the event’s top goaltender stopping 17 of 19 shots he faced in the three events the goalies participated in.
As for the game Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Tim Erixon (this could be Erixon’s only mention because well defense in an All Star Game? I love that joke) would start the game. JAM skated on a line with Bobby Butler and Islanders first round pick Nino Niederreiter with Erixon teamed with Matt Donavan. It’d be your normal all star game with the West taking a 4-1 lead into the first intermission. The second period is when the Falcons contingent became active because JAM would strike and McElhinney would take over in net. Early in the second period, Richard Panik would find a cherry picking Marchessault at the center red line. JAM started a two on one with Tyler Johnson who worked a little give and go with JAM finishing with a nice wrist shot past Barry Brust. Brust had committed to Johnson at the side of the net thus allowing the goal. McElhinney would be perfect in the second until late in the period including a blocker save on Adam Clendening when Curtis was flat on his stomach. The goal Curtis allowed was one of those he’d like to have back (drops nickel in cliché jar) because Curtis should’ve got an assist on Ryan Hamilton’s second of the night. Curtis would come out to play the puck but after letting it go was held along the boards by a West defender. The puck would go to Marc Arcobello who’d fire at the empty net (and miss) but Ryan Hamilton would be there to corral it and tap it in for his first of the game. Curtis would end the period making 15 saves – the most of any of the six goalies that played in the game. The teams would each score twice in the third period with the West clinching the win via Hamilton’s third of the night with only 11 seconds left. Hamilton’s hat trick would earn him MVP honors in the 7-6 West win which was the lowest scoring All Star Game since 2005. Not to be outdone by the Pro Bowl having a penalty called, Mark Cundari would be called for a tripping call in the third period the first penalty in the AHL All Star Game since 2005.
In Falcons news with the Jackets losing Matt Calvert, Adrian Aucoin and Nikita Nikitin to injuries the Jackets had to dip make its first call ups of the season. Joanthan Audy-Marchessault and Tim Erixon would be recalled on Wednesday with JAM making his NHL Debut against St. Louis. The next day JAM would be named AHL Player of the Month for January, Marchesault scored eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 12 games.
Looking to Springfield specifically, in their first game after the break, the Syracuse Crunch would come to town wearing orange jerseys despite having a blue and white color scheme (yeah that makes sense). Ryan Craig would open the scoring in the second period with his 13th of the season when a cross crease pass from Nick Drazenovic allowed Ryan to flip it over Dustin Koharski. After a Crunch goal, Drazenovic and Macleod would win a board battle and the puck would trickle in front to find Cody Goloubef who’d slap it home for his third of the season. Two minutes later after a Nick Drazenovic faceoff win, Michael Chaput would find a loose puck snapping it over Tokarski’s shoulder for his sixth of the season. Craig would strike again in the second when, after a miscommunication and collision between two Crunch players, Craig would be off to the races firing the puck over a sprawling Tokarski. Michael Chaput would score his second of the night with a empty net goal with less than a minute remaining. Craig would get the puck and, instead of taking the hat trick, he’d pass it to the rookie (man of the people: Captain Falcon). Curtis McElhinney would make 34 saves in his 18th win of the season.
Saturday night it’d be off to Hartford for a game against the Whale. The Falcons took home a 3-2 victory and combining that with Binghamton’s loss, Springfield now has sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference and is tied for tops in the AHL. Tomas Kubalik would open the scoring when he would drive to the net banging it past Cam Talbot for his 12th of the season. Cody Goloubef would score his second goal of the weekend when he’d take a pass from Nick Holden at the left circle. Nick Holden would fire a shot that Ryan Craig and Wade MacLeod would deflect to Nick Drazenovic who would fire it past Talbot for his team leading (with Cam and JAM in the NHL) 15th goal of the season. Curtis McElhinney would make 33 saves in the win – his 19th of the season. Nick Drazenovic would lead the way with a goal and four assists, Ryan Craig would be second scoring two goals and two assists. Other Falcons with multiple points include Cody Goloubef with a goal and two assists, Wade Macleod with three assists and Michael Chaput with two goals. Curtis McElhinney won both games stopping 67 of 72 on the weekend.
Josh Anderson-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 51GP 16-19-35 +10 48PIM
Starting off quickly from last week – on Sunday, Josh had a solid game against Kingston laying a big hit early in the game and setting a screen on the Knights first goal. Josh also earned an assist on the game winning goal. I’ll be honest I can’t tell from the highlight what Josh did to earn the primary assist but he wasn’t the last person before Matt Rupert scored. Josh would be held scoreless in a 1-0 Knights win over Brampton on Friday. Saturday, it was the Josh Anderson show in the Knights win over Owen Sound. I say that because in the Knights 3-0 win over the Attack, Josh had three points. In the second period, Josh and his linemates took advantage of a three on one becoming a three on none. Chris Tierney would find Josh in the slot and he’d curl the puck around Jordan Binnington. His next goal would be another pretty passing play as Tierney would bring it into the zone getting it over Brett Welychka who’d send a cross rink pass to Josh who had pretty much a empty net to shoot at. The third point would come after Josh gathered a loose puck and would shoot it with Alex Broadhurst picking up the rebound for his 17th of the season. Josh’s three point game is his first since September 23 of last season and would earn him first star honors.
Boone Jenner-Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Season Stats 41GP 33-27-60 +15 40PIM
Boone and the Generals opened the week against the Mississauga Steelheads on Friday night earning a 2-0 win. Boone had an assist but going off the highlight video it may of been off a faceoff win. Sunday, it was the Belleville Bulls coming to town with the Generals mopping the floor with them winning 8-2. With the Generals trailing 1-0 after a faceoff win, Geoffrey Schemitsch would fire a shot from the point – Boone picked up the rebound but Malcolm Subban would stop it letting out another rebound. This time Dublin’s Cole Cassels would turn that into his 14th of the season. In the second period with the Generals leading 4-1, Boone won a faceoff getting the puck to Michael Dal Colle who found Tyler Biggs in front of the crease for Biggs’ 20th of the season.
Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Season Stats 49GP 8-23-31 +8 22PIM
Friday night the Whalers welcomed the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with the Hounds taking a 6-5 victory. Curcuruto continued his current hot streak of late by scoring his eighth goal of the season in his usual fashion off a blast from the point. Gianluca would score two goals in a win against Peterborough scoring early in the first two periods. 35 seconds into the first period Gianluca would fire a slap shot off a Vincent Trocheck faceoff win. In the second period Gianluca would wait a whopping 41 seconds into the period when he found a loose puck in the slot burying it for his eighth of the season.
Thomas Larkin-Colgate (ECAC)
Season Stats 26GP 2-8-10 -3 37PIM
Colgate travelled to Clarkson and St. Lawrence this weekend earning a tie in each game. Friday night against Clarkson in the 4-4 tie, Larkin would be held off the scoresheet. Saturday night against St. Lawrence, after spotting the Saints a 3-1 lead, the Raiders would storm back earning a 3-3 tie. Thomas’ first assist would be off a wide point shot that Darcy Murphy would gather sliding it past Matt Weninger. For the second assist, Thomas found a just off the bench John Lidgett who’d score on the breakaway with three minutes left.
Martin Ouellette-Maine (Hockey East)
Season Stats 19GP 6-7-5 2.11GAA .925Sv% 1SO
Quick in awards news, Martin earned two awards last week with his strong performance against Boston College. He was named Hockey East goalie of the week as well as Hockey East Goalie of the Month for January when he went 3-2-2 with a 1.82GAA and a .937 save percentage. As for last week, Martin and the Black Bears had a rare Friday, Sunday weekend (seriously on Super Bowl Sunday?) playing Providence on Friday and UMass-Lowell on Sunday. On Friday, Martin remained solid making 31 saves in a 2-2 tie and he was named second star. Sunday, the Bears would face off against the UMass-Lowell Riverhawks and Martin would be solid in the Bears first home win of the season in which he set a new career high in saves for the second time in two weeks stopping 35 including seven in overtime.
Kevin Lynch-Michigan (CCHA)
Season Stats 28GP 5-9-14 -2 28PIM
It’d be a rivalry week in Ann Arbor as the Michigan State Spartans would come to town and play a game at the Joe. Friday night ended up to be a 3-2 Wolverines win with Kevin being held off the scoresheet. Saturday night at the Joe, it was all Wolverines with the school up north picking up a dominating 5-2 victory in which Kevin picking up his ninth assist of the season. In the third period with Michigan leading 4-2, Kevin gathered a loose puck and sent a cross rink pass to Boo Nieves (no seriously that’s his name Cristoval actually but goes by Boo) who’d curl around the net and try to send it out front but it appeared to bounce off a Spartans defender into the net.
TJ Tynan-Notre Dame (CCHA)
Season Stats 28GP 8-15-23 +7 20PIM
TJ and the Irish were in Columbus last week for their final series (at least in the CCHA) against Ohio State. Friday night it was all Buckeyes with OSU winning 6-3 and TJ being held scoreless. Saturday would be a bit closer in the 3-2 Irish shootout win. TJ had an assist on each Irish goal but was stopped in the shootout. TJ fired a shot that Brady Hjelle would stop but Thomas DiPauli then tapped it in as he was checked from behind in a scrum. The highlight video from OSU doesn’t really show what TJ did for his second assist so I’ll let the game recap from Notre Dame’s site cover it “The Irish would take a 2-1 lead at 11:22 of the second period on a power-play goal by Calabrese. With the Irish putting on pressure, defenseman Robbie Russo moved a pass from the left point to Tynan on the left boards. The speedy center threw a pass cross-rink to Calabrese who moved in towards the goal. His shot from the right circle hit an Ohio State defenseman in front and deflected past Hjelle for the senior defenseman’s first goal of the season.”
Daniel Zaar-BIK Karlskoga (Sweden)
Season Stats 7GP 0-1-1 +2 2PIM
Daniel and BIK would open the week against Almtuna on Tuesday with BIK earning a come from behind 4-3 overtime victory. Dainel would earn his first Allsvenken point earning an assist on Martin Thelander’s game tying goal midway through the third period. Thursday it’d be a game against Troja/Ljunby BIK would earn a 2-0 win with Daniel being held off the scoresheet. Saturday it would be a prospect battle as Daniel and BIK and would travel to Sodertalje to face SSK and fellow Jackets prospect Anton Forsberg. In the 3-2 SSK win Daniel would again be held scoreless.
Anton Forsberg-Sodertalje SK (Sweden)
Season Stats 28GP 20-8 2.05GAA .929Sv%
Another strong week for Anton and SSK as the team went 2-1 with Anton playing all three games. Starting off on Tuesday, Anton would make 31 saves and stop both shooters in the shootout of a 4-3 win. Thursday, Anton would suffer his first lost of January making 26 saves through two periods with SSK trailing 4-1. Sebastian Idoff would come in and actually get some goal support with SSK scoring twice to make it 4-3. Anton would take the loss in the game. As I said above, SSK would welcome BIK to town and Anton made 20 saves in a 3-2 victory. Anton had an amazing January going 6-1 with a 2.22GAA and .918Sv% and since December, Anton is 10-2 with a 1.86GAA and .936Sv% with back to back shutouts near the end of December.
Joonas Korpisalo-Jokerit (Finland)
Season Stats 8GP 2-6 .912Sv% 2.80GAA 1SO
I found out from my Jokerit source Eetu Huisman that Joonas Korpisalo will be spending the rest of the season with Jokerit – mostly playing for the J20 team. According to Eetu, the club had to decide by the transfer deadline on January 31st which club each player would spend the rest of the season with. Starting off on Friday against HIFK, Joonas had 32 saves in a 3-2 loss. Saturday would be Joonas Korpisalo’s best game of the season making 25 saves in the game and in overtime, stopping both shooters in a 1-0 shootout win.
There you have it folks! Another week in the world of the Blue Jackets prospects. As for next week, we’ll have a return of International hockey news as Daniel Zaar and Joonas Korpisalo will be taking part in the U-19 Tournament.
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