Back again – albeit a little late – with the week in review from two weeks ago starting off in Springfield. Perhaps the delay in writing all this up is because it was a rough week for the baby Jackets – the team went 1-3 and were shut out for the first time all season. Tuesday marked the only win when the Falcons traveled to Albany for a game against the Devils. Michael Chaput was the star of the game scoring two goals in the 3-2 victory. Mike McKenna made 25 saves in the victory.
On Friday in the rematch against Albany, the Birds fell by a score of 3-0. Jeremy Smith made 23 saves in the loss.
Up next was a trip to Hershey for a game against the Bears. 29 seconds after the Bears scored Will Weber fired a blast that Darryl Boyce would get a piece of to tie it at one. After a penalty shot, with the Falcons on the power play, Sean Collins crashed the net for his fifth of the season. The Falcons allowed two goals before the team was able to work a three on two with Michael Chaput finishing it for his seventh. Mike McKenna stopped 32 of 36 in the loss – the Falcons allowed an empty net goal in the 5-3 loss.
To close out the week, the Norfolk Admirals traveled to Springfield. The Falcons again trailed early but Dalton Smith was able to score his fourth goal of the season (setting a new career high), and first since December 7th, when he banged home the rebound of a Blake Parlett point shot to tie it at one. Jesse Blacker scored the game winner early in the second. Jeremy Smith made 26 saves in the loss.
It was during this stretch that the roster for the AHL All Star Classic was announced. This year’s game is different as the AHL All Stars will face Swedish club Farjestad featuring ex Blue Jacket Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. Two Falcons will play in the game as defensemen Cody Goloubef and Frederic St. Denis (T6th among AHL Dmen) as both were named to the team.
Oscar Dansk-Erie Otters (OHL)
Season Stats 24GP 19-3-1(T5th in Wins) 1.97GAA(1st in OHL) .928Sv%(1st) 6SO(1st)
Oscar returned to the Otters from the World Juniors and was given an extra night off to rest…or at least the first period. Despite rolling out to a 4-2 lead after one, the Otters allowed two goals in 17 seconds ending Devin Williams night. In the 6-5 victory, Oscar stopped 19 of 20 with Oscar picking up his first OHL penalty minutes when he earned an interference penalty late in the second (wait…what?). Next up it was the Owen Sound with Oscar getting the start. In the 4-0 victory, Oscar made 31 saves for his 18th win of the season. The Windsor Spitfires were up next and Oscar earned another shutout making 26 saves in the 9-0 win. Here are Oscar’s postgame comments following the 9-0 win. For those of you scoring at home Oscar went 3-0 last week in two starts with a .39GAA and a .987 save percentage and two shutouts; if Oscar isn’t named CHL VAUGHN goaltender of the week the CHL is getting a strongly worded email from me. In Oscar’s six shutouts the Otters have outscored their opponents 32-0.
Kerby Rychel-Guelph Storm (OHL)
Season Stats 33GP 19-29-48 +20 21PIM
Kerby’s first game back with Guelph was against the Niagara IceDogs. In the 4-2 victory Kerby scored his 18th goal of the season into an empty net. Up next was his first home game back and the Storm recognized Kerby and the two of his teammates who took part in International tournaments. As for the game it would be a nationally televised (in Canada c’mon NHL Network at least a replay) match up against Josh Anderson and the London Knights. In the 5-3 Storm win Kerby opened the scoring 7:13 into the first period. To close out the week the Kitchener Rangers would come to town and Kerby picked up an assist on Robby Fabbri’s goal when he dumped it in (I think – it’s hard to tell from the highlight) with the puck bouncing out to Zack Mitchell who found Fabbri in front.
Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Season Stats 32GP 3-11-14 -12 8PIM
A light week for Gianluca and the Whalers as the team went 1-0-0-1. First, Gianluca was held scoreless in a 4-3 shootout loss to Sarnia. In the team’s next game a 3-1 win over Ottawa, Gianluca picked up an assist on the opening goal when he kept the puck in the zone and Matt Mistele gathered it to take a shot that Zach Lorentz would get a piece of to make it 1-0. In the win Gianluca would be named the Labatt Blue Player of the Game (even though Gianluca can’t get a beer in Plymouth until next February).
Nick Moutrey-Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Season Stats 42GP 11-14-25 +3 48PIM
Nick and the Spirit opened with another one of those defense optional games that ended with the Spirit picking up a 10-5 victory. Nick scored the 10th goal for Saginaw late in the third period. Nick was held scoreless in the Spirit’s fourth straight victory – a 2-0 win over London.
Peter Quenneville-Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Season Stats 26GP 11-16-27 -7 4PIM
Peter and the Wheat Kings opened the week with a game against the Red Deer Rebels. Peter added to his point streak by picking up an assist in the 5-2 victory. With the Kings leading 3-2, Peter was behind the Rebels’ net and found Tyler Coulter in front to make it 4-2. Sadly Peter saw his point streak snapped at seven games as he was held pointless in a back to back with Prince Albert. In off ice stuff, the Wheat Kings did an interview with Peter and little (in age only, he’s two inches taller) brother John.
Oliver Bjorkstrand-Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season Stats 42GP 28-33-61 +17 16PIM
It was a busy week last week for the Hawks as they took off on a four game road trip through Washington into British Columbia. First on Wednesday in Everett, Oliver picked up an assist on the Winterhawks opening goal just nine seconds in. Oliver went on the breakaway and Brendan Leipsec picked up the rebound leading to the Derrick Pouliot score. The Hawks would win the game 4-1. Up next was a back to back in Victoria. In the first game against the Royals, a 3-2 shootout loss, Oliver was held scoreless but in the rematch, Oliver was the star. With the game tied at 1 with five minutes remaining in the third period the Hawks went on the power play and Oliver scored his 28th of the season off a one timer pass from Pouliot to make it 2-1. To close out the week it was a game against Vancouver. Oliver picked up another assist when, on a fast up ice rush, he got the puck at the boards and tapped it to Chase De Leo who skated in and fired a shot at the faceoff dot for his 26th goal. Sadly the Hawks would fall in a shootout 5-4.
Martin Ouellette-Maine Black Bears(Hockey East)
Season Stats 19GP 10-7-2 1.94GAA .935Sv% 3SO
Martin and the Black Bears got to take part in the Frozen Fenway like TJ did last week. They collected a 7-3 win in which they had to wait through a lightning delay. In the win Martin made 31 saves for his 10th win of the season – a new career high for Martin. Here‘s the Hockey East video recap of the game.
TJ Tynan-Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Hockey East)
Season Stats 21GP 5-18-23 +6 14PIM
TJ used a weekend series against Alabama Huntsville to move up the Irish all-time scoring list. The Irish dominated the nationally televised game on Friday picking up a 7-1 win over the Chargers. Halfway through the first, TJ got the loose puck from a board battle and found Bryan Rust in front to make it 2-0. TJ’s second assist looked a lot like the first, this time with Sam Herr finishing it. In the second period TJ scored on a perfect deflection of a Robbie Russo shot. TJ finished his big night with an assist on Bryan Rust’s hat trick goal in the 7-1 win. TJ was named second star in the victory – that helped him move into a tie for 18th place all time at Notre Dame. In the rematch it would be a bit closer…the game ended 5-0 Irish. TJ picked up an assist on the opening goal when off a faceoff he skated in, found Sam Herr in front who made it 1-0. TJ picked up his sixth point of the series on Bryan Rust’s goal that made it 5-0 Irish. The six point weekend helped TJ move into a tie for 16th place with Jeff Logan who played in the late 70s.
Mike Reilly-Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big 10)
Season Stats 20GP 8-6-14 +15 12PIM
Mike and the Gophers were off to Happy Valley (or Hockey Valley as they call it) for their first series ever against the Nittany Lions. The series was odd Sunday-Monday (meaning we’ll be stretching this over two posts), In the Sunday game the Gophers picked up a 3-2 victory with Mike being the only prospect to pick up a point. In the second period with the Gophers leading 1-0, they went on the power play. Mike took a pass from Travis Boyd and fired a blast from the point. Mike’s eight goals leads all Big 10 dmen and he is currently third among conference defensemen.
Alexander Wennberg-Frolunda (SHL)
Season Stats 34GP 13-4-17 -1 6PIM
Alexander missed Frolunda’s first game of the week – probably just to give him some time to rest from the Gold Medal game on Sunday – But in his first game back Wennberg was the star. In the Indians game against Farjestad, Alexander scored the game winner with only TWO SECONDS LEFT! (sorry for shouting). In the third with the Indians pressuring one time Falcon Dan Taylor, a loose puck came to Wennberg who snapped the puck over the goaltender who argued for interference. (There was interference, it just came from his own teammate being on top of him). In the team’s next game Alexander was held scoreless.
Daniel Zaar-Rogle (Allsvenskan)
Season Stats 36GP 10-13-23 +1 20PIM
Big week for Daniel as he collected four points in Rogle’s three games including two wins. Starting off against Altuma, Daniel picked up an assist on Rogle’s second goal when he helped on a pretty bit of passing. He found Jakob Johansson who oet the puck to Victor Berglind at the point to make it 2-1. Daniel picked up another assist on pretty much the same play with Berglind scoring again to win it 5-4. Up next was a game against Mora and again Daniel picked up an assist on an important goal. Rogle had scored earlier in the third to make it 4-3 and then with nine minutes remaining. Daniel found Emil Molin who skated just below the goal line, passed the puck to Jakob Johansson in front who was able to tie it at four. Less than a minute later, Johansson scored again to win it 5-4. To finish the week Timra came to town with Daniel picking up his eighth multi point game of the season. Daniel opened the scoring halfway through the first period when he took a pass from Kelsey Tessier and let loose an absolute rocket to make it 1-0 (you know how I talk about Zaar’s shot watch this goal). In the second period Daniel passed the puck to Niklas Hansson who made it 3-0 on the wraparound for Rogle but the team would fall 4-3 in overtime.
Markus Soberg-Frolunda J20 (J20 SuperElit Top 10)
Season Stats 3GP 2-0-2 +2 0PIM
Markus and the little Indians began the J20 SuperElit Top 10 season last week. Markus was held off the scoresheet in the team’s first game – a 3-2 victory over Linkopings. Up next was a game against Farjestad with Markus scoring Frolunda’s first goal in a 3-2 victory. On Sunday, the Indians made it three for three picking up a 4-3 victory over Djurgarden with Markus scoring the game tying goal just 39 seconds after Djurgarden made it 3-2, the Indians would win it 4-3.
There you have it folks! Another week in the world of Blue Jackets prospects. As for next week hopefully the Falcons can get back on track plus we’ll have Mike, Seth and the rest of the Gophers taking on OSU with the Friday night game being played outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium.
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