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To speak of future prospects to start things off, on Thursday night the CHL held their annual Top Prospects game - the best draft prospects play an all-star game essentially, and it’s great because it matters to the players.
I recapped it here, and spoke with a few of the players here.
You can check out the highlights of the game here.
Ontario Hockey League
#21 - Conor Timmins (D) - Did Not Play
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds - 40-5-2-1
Jan. 26th: vs Windsor Spitfires
L 6-4 - Did Not Play
Jan. 27th: vs Barrie Colts
W 4-3 - Did Not Play
Jan. 28th: @ Saginaw Spirit
W 5-2 - Did Not Play
Timmins is still sitting out games, but he should be back in the next couple weeks. The Greyhounds ended their season high three game losing streak with a win over the Barrie Colts. The Greyhounds clinched a playoff spot with their win over the Spirit, with twenty games left to play.
#19 - Travis Barron (F) - 0G, 3A, -4
Ottawa 67’s - 19-21-5-3
Jan. 26th: vs North Bay Battalion
L 6-5 OT - 0G, 3A
Jan. 27th: vs Kingston Frontenacs
L 5-4 OT - 0G, 0A, -3
Jan. 28th: @ Oshawa Generals
L 4-3 OT - 0G, 0A, -1
The 67’s walked away with three points after three straight overtime losses. Barron had one busy night but couldn’t put the puck anywhere he needed it to be the other two. The 67’s are in a perilous position with the Peterborough Petes chasing them for a playoff spot, and they have just three points more than the ninth place team.
Western Hockey League
#21 - Nick Henry (W) - 1G, 0A, +1
Regina Pats - 25-22-5-0
Jan. 24th: vs Saskatoon Blades
W 7-3 - 1G, 0A
Jan. 27th: @ Swift Current Broncos
L 3-1 - No Points
Jan. 28th: vs Swift Current Broncos
L 4-1 - 0G, 0A, +1
Henry is playing at the same pace as the rest of the Pats. Scoring occasionally, but not enough to be secure in the season standings. Henry is playing well enough but like the rest of the Pats there’s an urgent need to play better, and soon.
#3 - Josh Anderson (D) - 0G, 1A
Swift Current Broncos - 35-12-3-1
Jan. 23rd: @ Spokane Chiefs
L 4-2 - 0G, 1A, -2
Jan. 27th: vs Regina Pats
W 3-1 - No Points
Jan. 28th: @ Regina Pats
W 4-1 - 0G, 0A, +2
Anderson is playing his role, as the defensive defender. The Broncos are sitting solidly in second place in the East division, seven points behind first place Moose Jaw, and 13 ahead of third place Brandon.
#14 - Ty Lewis (F) - 2G, 2A, -1
Brandon Wheat Kings - 28-17-3-2
Jan. 23rd: @ Seattle Thunderbirds
L 6-5 SO - 2G, 2A, +1
Jan. 26th: @ Kootenay Ice
L 6-2 - 0G, 0A, -1
Jan. 27th: @ Kootenay Ice
L 3-2 - 0G, 0A, -1
Lewis had the type of game we’ve come to expect from his against Seattle but the double header against the Ice we less than pleasing.
Junior A
#4 - Nick Leivermann (D)
Penticton Vees, BCHL
Leivermann has had surgery and will be out for the next 2-3 weeks.
USHL
#27 - Nathan Clurman (D) - No Points
Des Moines Buccaneers - 13-18-2-1
Jan. 26th: vs Sioux Falls Stampede
L 2-1 - No Points
Jan. 27th: vs Green Bay Gamblers
W 3-0 - Did Not Play
Clurman’s season isn’t the best he could have, and he was sat in the second game over the weekend. The Buccaneers are seven points out of a playoff spot at the moment and their chances of closing the gap aren’t great.
NCAA
#16 - Cale Makar (D) - Did Not Play
UMass-Amherst Minutemen
Overall: 11-14-1 / Conference: 5-10-1
Jan. 23rd: @ Boston College
L 2-1 - Did Not Play
Jan. 26th: vs Maine
L 3-2 - Did Not Play
Jan. 27th: vs Maine
L 3-2 - Did Not Play
Makar is still sitting out, nursing a small injury. He last played January 19th against Northeastern.
#25 - Denis Smirnov (F) - 3G, 0A, -1
Penn State Lions
Overall: 13-11-4 / Conference: 6-8-4
Jan. 26th: @ Wisconsin
L 4-2 - 1G, 0A, -3
Denis Smirnov is ridiculous. His 11th goal of the year puts the Nittany Lions back in front 2-1. pic.twitter.com/VcRrKL5HvP
— Patrick Burns (@PatrickBurns_) January 27, 2018
Jan. 27th: @ Wisconsin
T 4-4 - 2G, 0A, +2
Denis Smirnov gives Penn State hockey a 1-0 lead in the first period in Madison. pic.twitter.com/njpz3MrOmA
— Black Shoe Diaries (@BSDtweet) January 28, 2018
Nate Sucese and Brandon Biro get the assist on a Denis Smirnov goal that gives Penn State a 4-2 lead. pic.twitter.com/LSIMIkjg6P
— Black Shoe Diaries (@BSDtweet) January 28, 2018
Not a great weekend for the Lions, but Smirnov is back on form after a couple scoreless games. Three goals in two games is the pace we enjoyed before his absence.
#26 - Cameron Morrison (F) - 0G, 0A, -1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Overall: 20-5-1 / Conference: 14-2-0
Jan. 26th: @ Minnesota
L 1-0 OT - 0G, 0A, -1
Jan. 27th: @ Minnesota
W 4-1 - No Points
The Irish took a win as they ended their trip to Minnesota, and remain one of the top teams in the NCAA.
#15 - Shane Bowers - 2G, 0A, +4
Boston University Terriers
Overall: 13-11-2 / Conference: 9-7-2
Jan. 26th: @ Arizona State
W 8-0 - 1G, 0A, +3
Jan. 27th: @ Arizona State
W 4-3 - 1G, 0A, +1
After a lengthy review with 11:12 the @TerrierHockey add a fourth goal by Shane Bowers for 4-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/mVjjHZRpdo
— Ice Time Hockey SW (@icetimesw) January 28, 2018
The Terriers ran roughshod over Arizona State, winning by a combined 12-3 over the weekend. Bowers got a goal in each game, keeping him on a pretty good pace.
Prospect PPG tracker
Player | League | Points | Games | PPG | NHLe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | League | Points | Games | PPG | NHLe |
Ty Lewis | WHL | 95 | 67 | 1.42 | 31.39 |
Connor Timmins | OHL | 37 | 33 | 1.12 | 29.42 |
Denis Smirnov | Big 10 | 27 | 29 | 0.93 | 26.72 |
Nick Leivermann | BCHL | 38 | 45 | 0.84 | 15.93 |
Shane Bowers | Hockey East | 30 | 36 | 0.83 | 25.28 |
Travis Baron | OHL | 52 | 64 | 0.81 | 21.32 |
Cale Makar | Hockey East | 21 | 34 | 0.62 | 18.74 |
Cameron Morrison | Big 10 | 20 | 34 | 0.59 | 16.88 |
Nick Henry | WHL | 27 | 50 | 0.54 | 11.96 |
Josh Anderson | WHL | 14 | 51 | 0.27 | 6.08 |
Nathan Clurman | USHL | 6 | 38 | 0.16 | 2.98 |