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Colorado Avalanche prospect report: Newhook, Helleson, Smirnov record NCAA milestones

And CHL prospects continue do things.

By LaurenKelly24
COLLEGE HOCKEY: JAN 19 Penn State at Michigan Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Five prospects had the week off (well, four had the week off and one’s season still hasn’t started), but luckily the prospects who did play had good weeks. For the most part, anyways. We got a lot of NCAA milestones, so enjoy!

Canadian Hockey League

WHL

#44 - Bowen Byram (D)
Vancouver Giants (7-7-0)

First, Byram was named to Team WHL for the Canada-Russia series as both countries begin their player evaluations for the 2020 World Juniors:

Byram had a goal and an assist in three games this week, and his second goal of the season was a beauty:

He now has 12 points in 12 games, and Vancouver has climbed up to 2nd in their division.

#34 - Sasha Mutala (RW)
Tri-City Americans (6-4-0)

It was just a one-goal week for Mutala, whose Americans played twice, but it was enough to extend his point streak:

Mutala now has 12 points in nine games and Tri-City sits second in the U.S. Division.

#27 - Luka Burzan (C)
Brandon Wheat Kings (4-7-0)

Brandon played three games last week, but Burzan went pointless (again). On the brighter side, he’ll also play for Team WHL in November!

QMJHL

#16 - Alex Beaucage (RW)
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (6-6-1)

Beaucage will represent Team QMJHL in the Canada-Russia series, giving Colorado three representatives! Go Avs!

Beaucage had another strong week, recording a goal and two assists in two games. He now has 15 points in 13 games to open the season, and Rouyn sits second in the conference.

NCAA

HOCKEY EAST

#18 - Alex Newhook (C)
Boston College Eagles (2-2-0)

Boston College was in Denver last weekend, which gave Avs fans plenty of opportunities to watch him (and Drew Helleson):

In case you missed it, Sportsnet (Canada) wrote about Newhook’s special bond with his sister, Abby:

And I guess I shouldn’t drag this out any longer. Newhook scored his first collegiate goal in BC’s second game of the weekend, and it was a shorthanded beauty:

Fellow MHH writer Scott was in attendance on Saturday and was able to talk to Newhook postgame:

#4 - Drew Helleson (D)
Boston College Eagles (2-2-0)

And not to be outdone, Helleson also got on the scoresheet for his first career NCAA goal!

Scott’s observations of Helleson from Saturday:

It’s kind of fitting that both Newhook and Helleson scored their first NCAA goals in Colorado, isn’t it?

BIG TEN

#26 - Cam Morrison (LW)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-0-0)

Notre Dame had the weekend off.

#4 - Nick Leivermann (D)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-0-0)

Keep scrolling.

#2 - Nate Clurman (D)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2-0-0)

SIGH.

#58 - Sampo Ranta (RW)
Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1-0)

The Gophers swept Niagara over the weekend, and Ranta scored! Well, at first it was credited to a teammate, but corrected after the game:

Here is the goal (you can spot Ranta as the net-front screen):

Minnesota is tied with two other teams for the top record in the Big Ten conference, and they’ll take on defending champion and rival Minnesota Duluth next weekend.

#25 - Denis Smirnov (RW)
Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1-0)

It was a three point weekend for Smirnov (one goal, two assists), who set a hit a career points milestone:

Here are all of the goals from that game (Smirnov scored the seventh goal and assisted on the second and sixth markers):

NCHC

#40 - Tyler Weiss (LW)
Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (3-1-0)

Another pointless weekend for Weiss, although he did dress for both of Omaha’s games (a split against Ohio State) this past weekend. The Mavericks have the second best record in the conference and look a lot stronger than last season.

ECAC

#20 - Matthew Stienburg (RW)
Cornell Big Red (0-0-0)

Cornell’s season starts in... 12 days. I hate this.

Europe

KHL

#51 - Nikolai Kovalenko (RW)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (8-10-0)

Lokomotiv only played once last week and Kovalenko didn’t record any points (although he did get a shootout opportunity, which he didn’t score on). Lokomotiv sits ninth in the KHL’s Western Conference.

#2 - Danila Zhuravlyov (D)
Ak Bars Kazan (14-4-0)

Bars gave their 19-year old defender the week off, as they currently still sit first in the conference and only played twice last week. Hopefully Zhuravlyov gets back into the lineup for the next game.

Statistics from the WHL, QMJHL, Flashscore, and the NCAA school websites.