We’re back again after the holiday weekend with the latest on CBJ prospects, and as I suspect many of you know, not all of it is good news this week. The biggest piece of bad news is the loss of Ryan Murray, probably for the season. Murray will undergo surgery on his shoulder that will require him to miss the World Junior Championships, and likely the rest of the season.
It was a rough weekend in Springfield as the Falcons would go 0-2-1 last week losing both of their non-overtime games by only a goal. Starting off against Portland, the Birds finished off a four game road trip losing 6-5. The final tally came after the Falcons led 4-1 early in the second period before allowing four straight. John Moore and Jonathan Audy-Marchessault would open the scoring giving the Falcons a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission. After allowing a Pirates goal just 28 seconds into the second, David Savard and Cam Atkinson would score to make it 4-1 before it was all Pirates. Sean Collins would score his second of the season late in the second to make it 5-5. Oliver Ekman-Larsson would then score just 19 seconds into overtime to win it. Curtis McEllhinney would start the game stopping 18 of 23 before giving things over to Paul Dainton who would stop 13 of 14 and take the loss.
The next night, it would be the Falcons and the Monarchs facing off at The Nest. The Johan opened the scoring with his sixth of the season before the Monarchs scored the next three goals. Jake Hansen would score the first goal of his pro career in the second period when he took a pass from fellow rookie Michael Chaput. Cam Atkinson would help the comeback scoring his team leading eighth of the season off a beauty of a no look pass from Nick Drazenovic. Drazenovic would be the only Falcon to score in the shootout. Curtis McEllhinney would stop 33 of 36 in regulation time only stopping one of four in the shootout in a 3-2 shootout loss.
To close out the weekend, the Falcons would welcome the Connecticut (Fail)Whale who the Falcons have dominated this season including a 10-2 win earlier in the year. Sean Collins would score both Falcons goals in his first career multi-goal game and third career multi-point game. In the first period with the Falcons trailing, Collins would barge his way from Gretzky’s office to push it past Jason Missiaen. His second would showed Sean’s power forward capabilities as he powered his way past a Whale Dman. He again slid it past Missiaen before he could close up. Paul Dainton would take the loss stopping 23 of 26 in the 3-2 loss. On the weekend it would be Collins, Savard and JAM leading the way with Sean having three goals and an assist while David and Jonathan would do the opposite scoring a goal with three assists. David would have points in all three games adding to his seven game point streak (2-6-8). Other Falcons with multiple points include Ryan Johansen with a goal and two assists while Cam Atkinson would score goals number seven and eight and Nick Drazenovic would pick up two assists.
Quickly, I’m amazed Evansville isn’t scouting beer leagues teams as the IceMen only dressed 14 players on Wednesday and Friday and only 13 in a 4-2 win over Reading who’d won 11 straight before their game with the IceMen. No Jackets prospects would dress for Evansville and I still haven’t heard what’s wrong with Anton Blomqvist but Anton did tweet this out this afternoon “Hoping for the best but expecting the worst #Mellontest” with Mellon test I’m guessing and I quote again GUESSING it’s a concussion unless Mellon means something else.
Onto the non-scoring prospects, I’ll be able to keep it short as only three prospects didn’t score. Thomas Larkin was held off the scoresheet in Colgate’s only game – a 1-1 tie with Merrimack. Daniel Zaar would be kept off the scoresheet as Rogle would go 1-2 last week spending the whole week with the main club. Drew Olson would be held scoreless in the Bulldogs split with St. Cloud State. Martin Ouelette and the Black Bears were off last week and will get back to it this week against Vermont who were swept by Minnesota but more on them later.
Oscar Dansk-Erie Otters (OHL)
Season Stats 22Gp 7-12-0-3 3.64GAA .904Sv%
Another rough week for the Otters as they’d go 0-2-1 with Oscar being in net for all three games. The series started off in a Thanksgiving tilt against Belleville featuring two of the top three goalies available in the most recent draft. It’d be a rough one with Oscar allowing a goal just 23 seconds in then allowing two goals by Aaron Berisha in the second period. The Otters would storm back forcing overtime but would lose in the shootout as Oscar allowed the Bulls to go three for three in the shootout. Oscar would stop 28 of 31 in the shootout loss. The next night, Erie would travel to Guelph to take on the Storm. In the 3-2 loss Oscar would face 40 shots for the ninth time this season (40+ shots) including five times this month making 37 saves. Three of the OHL Player of the Week Guelph’s Scott Kosmachuk’s eight points would come in the win. To close out the weekend the Kitchener Rangers would come to town with Oscar making 21 saves facing 25 shots.
Josh Anderson-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 26GP 7-13-20 +4 27PIM
Another week another three wins for the Knights part of a 11 game win streak. Starting off on Thursday against Sarnia, Josh would score two goals and was named third star. Josh’s first goal would come with the game tied at one. Josh would take a cross rink pass from Chris Tierney and have pretty much a wide open net to shoot at for his sixth of the season. Later in the first, it’d be Josh and Chris teaming up again this time on a breakaway as Josh would power his way through the Sting lineup and flip it just over the Stings goalie’s shoulder. The next night against Peterborough, Josh would continue to add to his career high picking up an assist on Alex Broadhurst’s second of the night. Next off to Owen to play the Sound Attack, umm I mean Owen Sound to play the Attack. In the Knight’s 3-0 win, Josh would picking up the only assist on Matt Rupert’s late game goal.
Boone Jenner-Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Season Stats 27GP 24-17-41 +9 26PIM
That Boone Jenner’s a bad mother…SHUT YO MOUTH! Just talking about Boone Jenner. In the Generals two wins last week Boone would pick up five points including four goals putting him within one of his career high set his draft year. First against Ottawa, Boone’s first goal. It was a bit goofy. Going off the OHL highlight video it’s hard to tell specifics, but according to the commentator, a 67 would tap it in and since Boone was the last to touch it he’d get credit. Boone’s second of the night was a blast from from up high which has become his “money spot” according to the commentator. Boone would be named first star in the General’s 4-2 win. Next up the Niagara IceDogs would come to town and it’d be another big night for Boone. In the first period Boone would pick up a rebound and fire it past the IceDogs netminder for his 23rd of the season. Boone’s second point would come when he passed it to Scott Laughton. Scott’s shot was almost stopped, but Tyler Biggs out-worked an IceDogs D-man to bang home a rebound. Boone’s second of the night was a bit of a misdirection when he skated one way and shot the other from outside the circles to seal it for his 24th. This marks the second game in a row Boone would be named first star for his three point night in a 3-1 win.
Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
Season Stats 24GP 1-9-10 +3 16PIM
For the first time all season, Gianluca would pick up points in back to back games earning three assists in the Whalers 1-1 week. Starting off against Windsor, Gianluca would pick up an assist on CBJ rookie camp invitee Alex Aleardi’s 10th of the season when “The Chin” would let loose that monster shot of his and the rebound would slide behind the Spit’s goaltender and all Aleardi had to do was slide it in. Gianluca would for some reason be named first star. I mean, I’m happy for him but isn’t it kinda normal for the goalie to be named first star in a shutout? Regardless, Gianluca was a +3 in the 3-0 win. The Whaler’s next game would be a back and forth affair with Kingston that the Whalers would lose 7-6. Gianluca would pick up his first multi point game since September earning two assists. The first one would come on Plymouth’s first goal – Gianluca would send a pass down to Capitals first round pick Tom Wilson who sent a cross rink pass to Matthew Mistele’s first of three goals on the night. Gianluca’s second assist would start the rush with Mistele again burying it to finish his first OHL hat trick.
Lukas Sedlak-Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
Season Stats 27GP 11-12-23 +7 37PIM
Lukas and the Sags would go 3-0 last week with two wins being by way of the shootout. Starting on Wednesday, Lukas and the Sags would take on the reigning Memorial Cup Champs, but QMJHL punching bag (they are 4-19-2-1) the Shawinigan Cataractes. In the 4-2 win Lukas would have his fourth career three-point night picking up three assists. Lukas also won 12 of the 20 faceoffs he took. Next up was a trip to Victoriaville to face the Tigres. After spotting Victo a 3-0 lead, the Sags would roar back to make it 3-3 with Lukas scoring the third Chicoutimi goal shorthanded. Both teams would score again before heading to OT and a shootout. Lukas would win 26 of 38 faceoffs. To close out the week in another shootout win, this time over Quebec by a 2-1 score, Lukas would be held scoreless winning 12 of 25 faceoffs. Lukas leads the Q in faceoff wins with 449 winning that many out of 731 or 61%.
Kevin Lynch-Michigan (CCHA)
Season Stats 13GP 4-4-8 E 14PIM
Kind of an odd week for the Wolverines playing a game against Bowling Green on Wednesday then heading to New York City to play Cornell in Madison Square Garden. First against the Falcons Kevin would score the game winning goal when Alex Guptill would work the puck out of the corner and, when the Falcons goalie couldn’t cover it, Kevin would tap it in for his fourth of the season. Next on Saturday, it was on to the bright lights of Broadway to face the Big Red. It was a rough one for the Wolverines losing 5-1 with Kevin picking up no points but he was even on the night (man Saturday was rough for Michigan Athletics…happy Buckeye fans).
Seth Ambroz Mike Reilly-Minnesota (WCHA)
Season Stats SA:13GP 4-3-7 +4 12PIM MR:13GP 1-6-7 +3 6PIM
The Gophers traveled to Vermont to face the Catamounts and Friday night’s win would be a Columbus kind of night. Seth Ambroz would open the scoring with probably one of the prettier goals of his NCAA career when he drove around a defender and slid the puck past the Cats goalie. Seth would be interviewed in the first intermission. The Gophers fifth goal was historic…well at least for Mike Reilly. With the Gophers leading 4-1, Mike would score his first career goal – after receiving the puck from Jake Parenteau and after faking a slap shot, Mike would just flick a wrister past Brody Hoffman who was screened the whole time by Ambroz. Mike would also be interviewed after the game by Fox Sports North (I swear he’s a College Student). Mike and Seth decided to let their teammates do all the scoring on Saturday in the Gopher’s 3-1 win.
TJ Tynan-Notre Dame (CCHA)
Season Stats 13GP 2-4-6 +6 6PIM
TJ and the Fighting Irish would host the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota (I’m still calling them that), on Friday night. TJ would be held off the scoresheet in a 2-1 Sioux win. On Saturday night, the Irish would bounce back winning 5-2 with TJ picking up point number 101 (about 1:55 in – bonus points for the goal celebration Kevin). While shorthanded, TJ would win a faceoff getting it back to Robbie Russo who’d get it over to Kevin Lind who’d blast it past Sioux goalie Zane Gothburg.
Anton Forsberg-Sodertalje SK (Sweden)
Season Stats 14GP 8-6 2.29GAA .920Sv% 1SO
Anton and SSK would go 1-1 last week with Anton being in the crease for both games. Let’s start with Wednesday against Tingsryd AIF. In SSK’s 3-2 win Anton would make 32 saves on 34 shots. Forsberg’s next game wouldn’t be as good losing 5-0 to the Malmo Redhawks with Anton making 21 saves. Anton would stop 53 of 60 shot for a .883 save percentage and 3.50 GAA on the week.
Joonas Korpisalo-Jokerit Organization (Finland)
Has split time between 3 teams this season
Joonas Korpisalo would do his usual bouncing among his three teams – this week playing for all three. On Tuesday, Joonas would serve as the backup on Jokerit not playing in a 4-3 win but he would then suit up for the Fish the next day. On Wednesday, Joonas would play for Kiekko-Vantaa with a familiar face playing for TUTO Hockey. In KV’s 3-2 win, Joonas would make 26 saves including five on locked out Jackets’ enforcer Jared Boll (you can select Boll in the pulldown menu to see where his shots were taken) who played 20:20 in the loss. Another day another team: in Jokerit’s 4-0 win over Lukko on Thursday, Joonas would serve as backup again. Saturday would be the big day for Joonas. With the Jokers losing 4-1, Jokerit’s coach would decide to put the 18 year-old in. In 15:06 of action Joonas would stop all six shots he faced but the team would allow a empty netter to make it 5-1. I thought Joonas may have got the start in Jokerit’s next game against Blues which he did…in J20 action. On Sunday, Joonas would dress for the J20 making 40 saves in a 5-3 Jokerit loss.
There you have it folks another week CBJ prospect land and, as always, I’ll be back again next week.
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