Hello, all! Sorry for the long delay, it’s been a crazy few weeks for me but we have a lot to cover so lets get started.
The Monsters opened this stretch on the road by finishing up its season series with the Iowa Wild. Midway through the first period, Josh Anderson made it 1-0 when he picked up the rebound of a TJ Tynan shot. Late in the second, Trent Vogelhuber drove into the zone and sent a crossrink pass to John Ramage who fired for his first of the season. Sadly, the rest of the game was all Wild as they went on to a 4-1 win. Joonas Korpisalo had 27 saves in the loss.
In the rematch, the Wild potted five straight goals by scoring in the first period before the Monsters would come alive in the third. Sonny Milano was covering the point and fired off a shot with Ramage picking up the rebound for his second in as many nights. Six minutes later, the wily vet Manny Malhotra started the play with a faceoff win back to Michael Paliotta who hammered the puck home for his second of the season. Late in the third, Vogelhuber added an empty net goal to seal the win. Anton Forsberg made 19 saves in the win.
To close out the weekend, it was off to Grand Rapids for a game against the Griffins. It wouldn’t be a pretty one as the Griffins took a 2-0 lead before Dean Kukan struck from the left point for his third of the season. The Griffins added two more – one being an empty net – both by Eric Tangradi to complete the hat trick. In the loss, Korpisalo stopped 13 of 16.
The next week, the Chicago Wolves came to town for a pair starting off on Teddy Bear Toss night and it wouldn’t take long for the fur to fly (I regret nothing). Just 37 seconds in, Alex Broadhurst sent Kerby Rychel and Anderson off on a two-on-one with Josh passing to Kerby in front to unleash the Bears. Later in the first, Tynan intercepted a pass and set off on a two-on-two rush with TJ tapping the puck to Daniel Zaar who fired a rocket for his sixth of the season. In the second, Forsberg took the puck behind the net giving it to Kukan who was then off to the races – skating through two Wolves before passing to Anderson who fired for his fifth of the season. Late in the third, Anderson scored again when he tipped a Paliotta point shot to make it 4-2 in a 4-3 win. Forsberg made 32 saves for his ninth of the season.
Next on Star Wars night, a young Jedi had a career highlight. Late in the first, Oliver Bjorkstrand got a pass from Vogelhuber and, well, he’d do Oliver Bjorkstrand things. Bjorkstrand skated into the slot and fired to make it 1-0 for his first professional goal. In the second, Zaar stole the puck along the walls and was off to the races, skating in to the zone and snapping off a shot for his team leading seventh of the season. Forsberg made 23 saves in the 2-1 win his 10th win of the season.
Down in Cincinnati, the Clones opened the week against the Quad City Mallards and in the third, Peter Quenneville scored a very un-Peter like goal out of a scrum in front of the net while being hauled down. The tally tied the game at one in a 2-1 shootout loss. Peter was held pointless in a 4-3 loss to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (no seriously). In the rematch, a 7-6 overtime win, Peter picked up an assist. In a 7-3 loss to Evansville, Peter scored his fourth goal of the season. And then, in that rematch, Peter helped Seth Ambroz score his first pro goal when he get the puck to Andrew Yogan who skated in and dropped a pass to Seth in the slot. Young Ambroz then fired to make it 3-2 in a 6-4 Cyclones win.
Kole Sherwood-London Knights (OHL)
Season Stats 29GP 11-16-27 +12 22PIM
In a game against Windsor, in the first Kole gathered a loose puck, skated in and fanned on a shot but chose to regather the puck before finding Aaron Berisha to make it 1-0 Knights. Later in the game, with the Knights leading 5-1, they roared up ice on a three on two with Kole taking a crossrink pass, skating in and firing from above the circles for his 10th of the season in a 6-1 win. Up next against Ottawa, Kole struck again when, late in the third with the Knights leading 6-2, Kole scored from below the goal line for his 11th. After two games off the scoresheet, Kole was back on it against Sudbury when he picked up an assist on Cliff Pu’s goal to make it 8-0 in an 8-1 win. Kole was held without a point in a loss to North Bay to close out the stretch.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Season Stats 30GP 3-11-14 +9 6PIM
First up against Mississauga, with the Dogs trailing 2-0 late in the first, Blake passed to Jordan Maletta whose shot was tipped by Anthony DiFruscia past the Steelheads goalie. Early in the second, Blake found Josh Ho-Sang in front who passed to Nick Pastorious to tie it in a 5-3 IceDogs loss. After three games without a point, Blake was back against Oshawa. Blake picked up an assist on the Dogs first goal, but you don’t really see it in the highlights. Midway through the second, Blake hammered a shot that was stopped with Jordan Maletta scoring his second of the season and 15th of the year but ultimately Niagara would fall 3-2.
Olivier LeBlanc-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
Season Stats 30GP 2-18-20 +17 49PIM
Olivier was held off the scoresheet for the Eagles first four games of this stretch before picking up two assists in a 4-3 loss to Saint John.
Julien Pelletier-Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
Season Stats 28GP 17-9-26 -10 21PIM
Julien, like Olivier, was held pointless in the Phoenix’s first three games before exploding for a three point game against Baie-Comeau when he picked up two goals and an assist. His first goal was the game winner in an 8-2 win.
Paul Bittner-Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season Stats 25GP 10-11-21 -4 21PIM
Paul and the Hawks had a weekend back to back against Sam Ruopp and the Cougars. In the third with the Cougars leading 3-0, Jack Doughtery’s point shot started a scramble in front which Paul finished to make it 3-1 in a 3-2 loss. In the rematch, Paul opened the scoring when, 58 seconds into the first period, Evan Weinger got the puck out of a board battle and found Paul in front to make it 1-0 in a 5-3 Winterhawks loss. Paul has missed the Winterhawks last five games with an injury, that was ultimately revealed to require hip surgery. Bittner is out with no public timetable to return.
Sam Ruopp-Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Season Stats 31GP 3-8-11 +14 35PIM
Sam was held off the statsheet for four games before having his third multipoint game in a row…with two and four game pointless streaks in between. In a 7-2 win over Kootenay, with the Cougars leading 1-0, Sam fired a shot to make it 2-0 Cougars. Sam also picked up an assist on Chase Witala’s second goal that made it 5-2 in a 7-2 victory. Up next against Portland, Sam earned another assist when he fired a shot that Kody McDonald deflected to make it 3-2 in a 5-4 Cougars loss. Sam was held pointless in the rematch against Portland.
Keegan Kolesar-Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season Stats 30GP 16-20-36 +13 52PIM
After a six game point streak, Keegan went four games without a point – his longest stretch of the season – but against Tri-City he’d find his way back on Seattle Metropolitans night, celebrating the first US team to win the Stanley Cup (today you learned). In the first, an Ethan Bear point shot started a scramble in front with Keegan getting the puck to Mathew Barzal who made it 1-0. Later in the third with the game tied, Keegan got the puck out of a board battle and found Jared Hauf in front for the game winner.
Up next in a back to back against Spokane, Keegan was held pointless in the first game before erupting in game two. In the second, off a passing sequence in which all five players would touch the puck, Keegan was in the slot and passed to Ethan Bear in front who made it 3-0. Early in the third Jerret Smith found Keegan skating into the slot who then fired a backhand that even Sonny Milano would be impressed with to make it 4-1. Later in the third out of a board battle/rubgy scrum, Keegan got the puck to Ethan Bear who completed the hat trick in a 5-1 win. The assist gave Keegan a new career high with 20 assists in 30 games after having 19 in 64 games last year.
Tyler Bird-Brown (ECAC)
Season Stats 12GP 2-0-2 -4 0PIM
Fresh off their trip to Ireland, Tyler and the Bears welcomed Princeton to town and it wasn’t pretty with the Tigers taking a 2-0 lead before Tyler scored his second of the season. In the first, Tyler followed a Max Willman point shot and picked up the rebound to make it 2-1 in a 4-2 loss. Tyler was held without a point in the Bear’s next two games.
Zach Werenski-Michigan (Big 10)
Season Stats 15GP 4-8-12 +1 4PIM
Zach and the Wolverines opened Big 10 play with a series against Bucky, uh I mean Wisconsin, in a back and forth affair on Friday night. In the third, Wisconsin tried to clear the puck but Zach sent it into the Badger zone with Tyler Motte gathering it and skating in to score and make it 5-4 in a 6-4 Wolverines win. Zach was without a point in a 6-6 tie/shootout win (gotta love the Big 10 “were gonna do shootouts despite no other league doing it”).
Up next against Minnesota, in a game that was 1-1 just 30 in, Zach had his fourth multi point game of the season. In the second with the Wolverines leading 4-2, Zach passed to Tyler Motte who found wunderkind Kyle Connor at the goal line to make it 5-2. Next up in the third, Zach cleared the puck out with Niko Pirokas chipping it ahead to Max Shuart who was off to the races making it 6-3 in a 8-3 Wolverines win. Zach was held pointless in a 3-2 loss on Saturday. Now Zach is off to Boston for the US’ World Junior Camp.
As I said multiple times above, the Jackets will be well represented at Team USA’s Evaluation Camp for the World Juniors. 2014 picks Sonny Milano and Ryan Collins and 2015 picks Zach Werenski and Paul Bittner were slated to head Boston for the Camp. Everyone but Bittner is a returning player from last year’s team and Zach probably slots in as the team’s top dman.
As I said above, it was announced that Paul would miss the camp (and possibly the rest of the season at least according to a writer I follow in Portland) but Team USA has not and seems will not name a replacement. Sonny will be expected to see top six minutes playing in probably all situations. Zach was interviewed after the Team USA’s first practice dropping a great quote “Can’t come home without hardware” after finishing fifth last year.
Ryan Collins was an extra dman most of last year and hopefully will get more opportunities this year as a returnee. Also attempting to make his team’s national team is 2015 1st Rd pick Gabriel Carlsson who is in Sweden’s camp.
Gabriel Carlsson-Linkoping (SHL-Sweden)
Season Stats 24GP 1-4-5 -1 2PIM
After starting off without earning a point against Orebro, Gabriel picked up an assist on Andrew Gordon’s goal to make it 2-0 in a win over Kevin Stenlund and HV71. Then, after another point-less game against Skelleftea AIK, Gabriel found his way back on to the scoresheet in a blowout win over the “Black Bugs” of Karlskrona. In the game, Gabriel picked up an assist on Jen Jakobs goal to make it 5-1 in what would end as a 6-1 win. Carlsson also fired a wristshot in close that sent Victor Arronson to the tandlakare kontor (“dentist office.”)
As I said above, Gabriel is off to Sweden’s World Junior Camp where he is the second biggest player on the roster and could be part of a shutdown pair for Sweden.
Oscar Dansk-Rogle (SHL-Sweden)
Season Stats 21GP 7-9-3-2 .913SV% 2.49GAA 1SO
Oscar opened this stretch against Kevin Stenlund and HV71 and picked up his seventh win of the season making 23 saves in a 5-3 win. Oscar and Rogle were winless in their next three games, losing one game in overtime.
Markus Nutivaara-Karpat (Liiga-Finland)
Season Stats 32GP 4-12-16 +8 12PIM
Markus has been one of the Jackets busier prospects during this stretch. He started off going without a point against Ilves, but then bounced back against HIFK. In the second with Karpat leading 1-0, Markus skated into the slot and created a scramble in front resulting in Jusso Ikonen making it 2-0. Markus picked up another assist on Miro Aaltonen’s goal to make it 8-2.
Markus was again held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 overtime losses to Sport and Blues. Up next against KalPa (part owned by Jacket Scott Hartnell FYI), Markus had a breakout game in which he picked up four assists, including three in the third period, in a 5-3 win. In the win, Markus played a season high/team high 24:45.
It was also announced that Markus will play for Finland at the upcoming European Hockey Tournament.
Vladislav Gavrikov-Lokomotiv (KHL-Russia)
Season Stats 26GP 1-3-4 +7 8PIM
Vladislav opened the week by picking up an assist in a 3-1 win over Severstal but then went without a point in his next three games. In a 1-0 win over Slovan, Vladislav played a career high 19:09.
Elvis Merzlikins-HC Lugano (National League A-Switzerland)
Season Stats 28GP 17-7-2-1 2.48GAA .932Sv% 1SO 0-1-1 4PIM
Elvis has been the Panther’s workhorse of late but we’ll talk about that in a future post. Starting off against Kloten, Elvis made 45 saves in a 4-3 win. Up next in a game against Fribourg-Gottéron, Elvis was again solid with 25 saves in a 4-3 shootout win. He also stopped all four shootout attempts from the Dragon(?) shooters along with a run in with one time Jacket Dan Fritstche’s cousin John (see above photo). In a game against Bern, Elvis stopped 42 in a 4-2 victory. Up next against EHC Biel, Elvis made 36 saves in a 3-1 victory for his 15th of the season. In his next start against the SCL Tigers, Elvis stopped 22 of 23 in a 4-1 victory.
Closing out this stretch against Genève-Servette HC, Elvis made 31 saves in a 7-2 victory. Also in the 7-2 win Elvis picked up his first assist of the season.
There you have it folks – hopefully it’s a while before we have another two week update. As for next week, we’ll have the last week of action in the CHL before their Christmas break along with any updates out of Sweden and the US’s World Junior Camps.
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