Greetings, all. We’re coming to the end of the season for some prospects in this week’s recap, but before we get to that, we’ll start in Cleveland as the Monsters opened a three in three.
The past weekend opened with a pair against the Manitoba Moose for the Jackets’ affiliate. Friday was an ugly one as the Monsters fell by a score of 4-0 with Joonas Korpisalo stopping 19 shots and the team allowing an empty net goal.
In the rematch on Saturday, it went just about the same…just the opposite. Alex Broadhurst opened the scoring late in the first when Daniel Zaar fired a blast that was stopped but Broadhurst was able to pick up the rebound to make it 1-0. Early in the second, TJ Tynan did what he does best when he gathered the puck in the neutral zone and skated in past the entire Moose defense before passing behind the Moose goalie and into the slot (yeah you read that right). That pass would find Josh Anderson for Josh’s 16th goal of the season. A few minutes later, Mark Cundari scored his first goal with the Monsters since being loaned from the San Jose Barracuda on a breakaway. Just 1:01 later, Dillon Heatherington passed to Rob Ramage who skated in behind the net and found Broadhurst in front for his second of the game. In the third, the Moose tried to get the puck out of the zone but Trent Vogelhuber stole the puck and found Lukas Sedlak who skated to the circle and fired a shot for his sixth of the season. Forsberg made 19 saves in the shutout – his second of the season and fifth in the AHL.
Sunday, to complete the three in three, the Monsters welcomed the “fresh off claiming a playoff spot” Toronto Marlies to the Q. The game went a lot like the others this weekend, the Marlies rolled out to a 3-0 lead before Sedlak scored for the second game in a row. Early in the third, Vogelhuber drove to the net, and almost got hauled down before getting the puck in front with Sedlak picking up the rebound to make it 3-1. The Monsters also allowed an empty net goal to make it 4-1. In the loss Forsberg made 22 saves.
Kole Sherwood-London Knights (OHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 63GP 12-22-34 +9 53PIM
Kole and the Knights opened the week with a road game against Flint that would be moved to Saginaw due to ice conditions (the hits just keep on coming for Flint). Late in the first, Kole got the puck from a board battle and threw it out in front where it found Chad Heffernan with Heffernan making it 3-0 in a 7-3 Knights win. Kole went without a point in the Knights final two games of the season.
In the first round of the OHL playoffs, London will face off against the Owen Sound Attack in the 3-6 matchup of the OHL Western Conference playoffs.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 65GP 7-22-29 +4 15PIM
The IceDogs opened the week against the Kingston Fronternacs in the third with the Dogs leading 4-3 it sounds like Blake would draw a penalty and send the Dogs to the power play. Blake would take a pass at the point and skate into the slot and fire a shot that would end up being the aggame winner.
Next up against the Petes, again in the third, Blake worked a give and go with Josh Ho-Sang. Blake sent a pass to Ho-Sang low with Ho-Sang scoring to make it 4-4 in a 5-4 IceDogs overtime loss.
To close out the season against Mississauga, Blake picked up assists on two of the Dogs three goals. First in the second period, Blake gathered a pass that was deflected at the point and he threw a shot on net that was stopped but Johnny Corneil was, well, Johnny on the spot (sorry, I had to) and put the puck past the Steelhead’s goalie to make it 1-0. Later in the second, Blake chipped a pass behind the net allowing Jordan Malette to find Brendan Perlini in front who made it 2-0 in a 3-0 win.
Niagara will face Ottawa in the 4-5 matchup of the OHL Eastern Conference playoffs.
Olivier LeBlanc-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 59GP 5-31-36 +30 70PIM
Olivier opened the week by picking up some team hardware. He won the Eagles Eastlink Trophy for the team’s top defenseman.
In game action, Olivier only played in one of the Eagles two games – he sat out the team’s final game. In a 6-2 win over Saint John, Olivier earned an assist on Pierre-Luc Dubois’ 41st goal of the season.
In the Q playoffs, Cape Breton will face Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the 7-8 matchup.
Julien Pelletier-Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 60GP 27-18-45 -22 48PIM
Julien went pointless in all three of the Phoenix’s last three games. The Phoenix will face off against the Shawinigan Cataractes in the 2-15 matchup.
Sam Ruopp-Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 69GP 4-21-25 +23 100PIM
Sam was pointless in the Cougars final two games but he didwin two awards at the Cougars awards banquet. Sam won the team’s Eric Brewer Award for Best Defensive Player and the team’s Michael Fogolin Memorial Award that’s voted on by the players.
As for the Playoffs, Sam and the Cougars will face off against fellow Jackets prospect Keegan Kolesar and the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Keegan Kolesar-Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Final Regular Season Stats 64GP 30-31-61 +10 107PIM
Keegan returned to the scoresheet in a 4-3 shootout win, in the third, Keegan skated into the zone and started a passing sequence with Ethan Bear (great name for a Dman, by the way) who found Alexander True who had a wide open net to shoot into. Keegan also scored as the first shooter for the TBirds in the shootout.
As for the post-season, the Tbirds enter the playoffs rolling – they’ve picked up points in 14 straight and have also clinched the US Division. As I said above, they will face off against the Prince George Cougars.
Zach Werenski-Michigan (Big 10)
Season Stats 34GP 10-24-34 +6 20PIM
Zach and the Wolverines earned a bye into the Big 10 Tournament and played Penn State in the semifinal. Zach picked up an assist on Kyle Connor’s first goal to make it 4-0 but it’s hard to see from the highlights. Early in the third, off a faceoff, Zach passed to Nicholas Boka whose shot was deflected by Boo Nieves to make it 6-1 in a 7-2 Wolverines win.
For the final, the Wolverines faced the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Zach had a career night. Starting in the first, Zach passed to Kyle Connor who passed to Tyler Motte in front to make it 1-0, Wolverines. In the second, Zach passed the puck to JT Compher who shot first and then shoved the puck past the Gophers goalie. The Gophers struck three times to take the lead before – who else – Kyle Connor was on the board again. Zach fired a shot that was stopped. JT Compher gathered the rebound and found Connor who controled the puck past the Gophers goalie to tie it. In the third, Zach scored the game winner when, on the power play, he fired a shot a lot like the two he scored against OSU a few weeks ago. For his 6 point weekend, Zach was named to the All Tournament team.
Prior to the tournament, Zach earned all sorts of hardware from the Big 10. He made it three in a row for a Jackets prospect winning the Big 10’s Defensive Player of the Year. Zach was also named First Team All Big 10. Up next for the Wolverines is a matchup with old CCHA foe Notre Dame on Friday down in Cincinnati.
Ok folks, there you have it – the latest update on the Jackets prospects. I’m going to hold on posting about playoff series until they’re done, so that’s why we have no update on Markus Nutivaara and Elvis Merzlikins this week. As for next, we’ll have an update on the Monsters and their playoff push along with an update on Zach and the Wolverines.
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