Hello all – sorry or the delay but I’m back again for the usual week in review!
Starting off it was a rough week in Springfield as the Falcons went 1-2 and scored one goal…Im not kidding. First up against Hartford, the Falcons allowed the Pack to take a 1-0 lead late in the first before TJ Tynan scored his eighth goal of the season on a rebound to tie it. The game went to overtime and to the three on three portion of the overtime with Conor Allen winning it. Scott Munroe made 30 saves in the loss.
Let’s keep the next game brief – the Falcons lost 5-0 to Providence and Oscar Dansk made 29 saves. Next up was a game against Albany and it was a goalie duel going all the way to a shootout with no score before TJ Tynan and Sean Collins notched goals in the skills competition while Scott Munroe had 35 saves and stopped both Devil shooters.
The Falcons are hanging onto a playoff spot – they’re only a point behind sixth and seventh place and are up three on ninth place Worchester, but some help for the Falcons could be on the way. More on that later in this recap.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Season Stats 65GP 12-25-37 +8 25PIM
Blake was held pointless in a 3-0 loss but he and his fellow Dogs are the only team to shutdown top prospect Connor McDavid this season (the only two games he’s been held without a point have been against Niagra). Blake was also held pointless in a win over Sudbury before picking up a point against Windsor. In the first, with the Dogs leading 1-0, Blake passed the puck low to Johnny Corneil who passed twice and found Cody Payne to make it 2-0 in a 8-4 victory.
Nick Moutrey-North Bay Battalion (OHL)
Season Stats 59GP 24-36-60 +17 54PIM
Nick opened the week by scoring two goals in a 4-2 victory over Sault Ste Marie. He was also named second star. Nick was held pointless in a game against Kingston before heading to Belleville for the last time (R.I.P Bulls). In a bit of a back and forth affair, with the game 3-2 late, Nick drove in and deposited the game tying goal on a perfect wraparound. The Battalion would go onto win the game 4-3 in a shootout.
Sonny Milano-Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Season Stats 48GP 22-45-67 -14 24PIM
Sonny and the Whalers opened the week against the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds with Sonny scoring the Whaler’s only goal in a 5-1 loss. Up next in their final games against in-state rival Saginaw, Sonny had his third four point game of the season when he scored a goal and three assists in a 6-5 overtime loss. To end the rivalry, the Whalers lost 6-3 with Sonny picking up his 45th assist of the season. The loss settled the OHL’s Western Conference playoffs leaving Plymouth on the outside for the first time since the 90-91 season. This could lead to Sonny Milano making his way to Springfield to finish the season with the Falcons, and, if any of you think we’ll see him in Columbus you knock that thinking off right now.
Like Sonny Milano, Markus Soberg and the Windsor Spitfires will miss the playoffs but I’m not sure he’ll be off to Springfield.
Olivier LeBlanc-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
Season Stats 58GP 7-27-34 +21 81PIM
Olivier and the Eagles opened the week with a blow-out victory over his old team the Saint John Sea Dogs. In the matchup, Olivier scored early in the second. The goal allowed Olivier to tie his career high with seven goals. Up next in a game against Charlottetown, Olivier picked up an assist on Evgeny Svechnikov’s early second period goal which had Olivier setting another new career high in assists. But the game would not end well as friend of the blog Jonathan Dunphy sent me a picture of two of Olivier’s teammates helping him off the ice. Sorry, I don’t have an update as of this writing.
Julien Pelletier-Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
Season Stats 51GP 10-15-25 -22 30PIM
After a three game pointless streak, Julien picked up an assist which gives him 25 points this season (tying last year’s point total) in a 5-1 loss to Sherbrooke.
Peter Quenneville-Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Season Stats 69GP 26-47-73 +22 18PIM
First up, an award. Last week, Peter (6 goals and three assists in three games) was named WHL Player of the Week making it the fourth time a Blue Jackets prospect has won the honor.
As for last week’s games, Peter opened the week with an assist on Rihards Bukarts’ third period goal when he took a pass from Tim McGauley and found Bukarts for a one timer to tie the game at three in what ended as a 5-3 Wheat Kings win. Up next on Friday, this group of Kings tried to make some history as a win would make them only the fifth Kings team in the 48 year history of the franchise to win 50 games (one of those team’s included Jacket Matt Calvert). In the game against Saskatoon, Peter helped open the scoring when Bukarts skated in and backhanded a shot that looked like it bounced off Peter before the hottest player in the WHL, Tim McGauley (he of the 25 game point streak), made it 1-0. Early in the third, Peter took a pass from my proposed first round pick (if the CBJ select sixth or seventh) Ivan Provorov. Peter skated in and sent a saucer pass to Provorov for a perfect tip in. The Kings won the game 4-1. Peter had his six game point streak snapped in the rematch against Saskatoon – during the streak Peter collected 14 points including eight goals and six assists.
Oliver Bjorkstrand-Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season Stats 55GP 57-51-108 +56 35PIM
Due to a scheduling quirk (I guess) the Winterhawks have more games left than the rest of the WHL which will help Oliver in his race for the Bob Clarke Trophy, but more on that later. Starting off it was off to Everett for a game with the Silvertips. After an early Tips goal, it was all Hawks as they roared for six straight goals including two by our favorite Dane. With the game tied at one, Oliver skated around the net and went top corner for the eventual game winner. Later in the game, with the Hawks leading 5-1, Oliver did something probably only he can do among CBJ prospects (except maybe Daniel Zaar). Oliver skated into the zone and fired a shot that would go through the net…I repeat it went through the net to make it 6-1 (sidenote: listen to the commentators, it’s pretty funny and I wish the game had been in Portland to hear him lose his mind).
Up next against Spokane, after allowing the Chiefs a 3-1 lead, Nic Petan took a rink length pass and drew two Chiefs leaving Oliver all alone in the slot (how’d that work for you fellas?). He waited and fired a shot for his 55th goal of the season in what ended a 5-3 loss.
Up next was a home game against Prince George. In the second, Oliver gathered a loose puck and skated to the point to fire a shot that the Cougars goalie stopped but Nic Petan would pickup the rebound and make it 2-1 Hawks. Early in the third, Oliver took a pass at the circle and fired a shot/pass to the slot with Chase De Leo tipping it to make it 4-2 Hawks. Late in the third, Oliver skated into the zone and passed to Paul Bittner with Bittner passing back to Oliver who fired a shot from almost at the goal line to tie the game at five. Oliver was stopped in the shootout of the 6-5 shootout loss.
To close out the week, Oliver had another big night that gave him the lead among the WHL’s leading scorers. It was one of the many junior games that I like to call “defense optional” – because the final score was 8-6 (see what I mean?). The game started ugly for the Hawks as they let the Chiefs roll out to a 4-0 lead including two by Rod Stewart’s son Liam (no, seriously). After Oliver was stopped on a penalty shot he picked up an assist on Keoni Texeira’s goal. After Liam Stewart completed his hat trick to give the Chiefs a 5-3 lead, Oliver must’ve said “boys, you mind if I takeover?” as he went on to collect four points on the Hawk’s five goals – all in the third period. Early in the third, Oliver passed to Miles Koules whose shot was stopped, but big Paul Bittner (if the CBJ get a late first, I’d take him) collected the puck and made it 5-4. Five minutes later, Oliver skated in and it looks like a defenseman grabbed popcorn and just watched as Oliver snapped a shot to tie it at five for his seventh shorthanded goal of the year. After another Chiefs goal and a very rare non-Bjorkstrand goal, Oliver passed to Nic Petan who found Anton Cederholm at the point who blasted one home to make it 7-6. Oliver’s final point came on Chase De Leo’s empty net goal that made it 8-6.
The five point night gave Oliver the points lead over Trevor Cox who, ironically, Oliver fought earlier this season. Oliver’s 57 goals are the most since Ty Rattie 57 three years ago. Cody Nickolet who blogs about the WHL/keeps track of lines in the WHL says since Oliver was put together with Paul Bittner and Nic Petan 24 games ago and since then they’ve combined for 148 points. One other stat related note – of Oliver’s 108 points he has 36 points in each period with overtime being combined with the third period (stat gathered by color commentator Andy Kemper).
Dillon Heatherington-Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
Season Stats 46GP 1-12-13 -17 48PIM
For the first time in a while, Dillon picked up an assist on Jay Merkley’s goal in what ended up being a 4-1 loss to Regina. The assist snapped an eight game pointless streak for Dillon (this does include the stretch Dillon missed due to injury). Dillon was held pointless in the Broncos next three games.
Seth Ambroz, Ryan Collins, Mike Reilly-Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big 10)
Season Stats SA: 36GP 11-11-22 +1 32PIM
RC: 29GP 1-8-9 +6 14PIM
MR: 36GP 6-36-42 +23 44PIM
It was the final regular season weekend for the Big 10 and the Gophers welcomed Penn State for two games. Friday night was all Gophers as they rolled to a 5-0 win with Mike picking up two assists. In the first, Mike’s drive from the point was tipped by Kyle Rau to make it 1-0. Later in the first, Mike took a pretty no look pass from Rau and skated around the goal to find Hudson Fasching in front to make it 3-0 Gophers.
Saturday night was senior night with Seth Ambroz among the honored players. Late in the first, trailing 1-0 Mike kept the puck in and found Travis Boyd who skated in and shot with – who else – Seth at the doorstep to make it 1-1. Early in the second, Mike picked up another assist when he faked a shot and skated in before passing to Hudson Fasching who shot with Kyle Rau tipping the shot to make it 3-1 Gophers. Just over a minute later, it was time for the big fella to finally get in the goal column. In the second, Christian Isackson got the puck out of a board battle and skated out to find Ryan who fired for his first career goal to make it 4-2 in a 6-2 Gophers win. Here are Seth’s comments on the Big 10 title and on the senior class. The win clinched the Gophers’ second straight Big Ten title and earned them a bye in this weekend’s Big Ten tournament. This also gave the senior class their fourth straight conference championship. Here’s photos showing the class’ success over their four years.
Daniel Zaar-Lulea (SHL-Sweden)
SHL Playoff Stats 4GP 2-1-3 +2 0
Daniel and the Bears opened the week by finishing up play in a series against Djurgarden in which Daniel picked up an assist in the 3-1 game two win. The win secured the series sweep (sorry folks, but you don’t see it in the highlights). In the next round, Lulea played Frolunda with the Indians picking up a 3-2 win in game one – Daniel was held without a point. Up next in game two, Daniel opened the scoring early when he skated into the zone all the way around before firing a shot to make it 1-0 in a 2-1 win. In game three, Daniel opened the scoring again in a 3-1 win with an odd one – it was a garbage clean up type goal not like Daniel’s usual snipes. Lulea opens next week with a 2-1 series lead. Game four will be played Wednesday and game five on Friday.
Joonas Korpisalo and Ilves took part in a play-in series against HIFK and lost the series 2-0, but game two made Finnish League history as the longest game ever. The game took four overtimes and lasted 134:14. In the 2-1 loss Joonas made 48 saves.
In Switzerland, Elvis Merzlikins and Lugano lost games five and six in the first round series to Geneve for the second straight season. Elvis continued to not see any on-ice action.
There you have it folks another week in review as for next week we’ll have the tail end of the CHL season including the final game in Plymouth Whalers history a game that your favorite prospect guru(geek whatever) will be in attendance for.
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