Colorado Avalanche prospect report: A five-point game for Alex Beaucage

It’s that time of year! World Juniors selection camps kick off this week, NCAA teams begin wrapping up their fall schedules and, well, the CHL teams finish up their Teddy Bear tosses. Over the last week, nine of ten countries (the USA will announce their roster later today) announced their selection camp rosters, and there will be a whopping five Colorado Avalanche prospects fighting for spots on the countries’ final teams.

Canada’s selection camp opens this week (their first on-ice session is this afternoon, actually). We’ll see Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook there (and I’ll be at camp Wednesday and Thursday to fill you in on all the action, so please let them not be cut before I get there).

Sampo Ranta and Justus Annunen will be attending Finland’s camp. The timing worked out great for Ranta, as Minnesota’s fall game schedule wrapped up this weekend. Although the Gophers play one more game on December 28th, if Ranta makes Team Finland, he’s probably going to miss that one.

And finally, Danila Zhuravlyov will be battling for a spot on Russia’s blueline. He hasn’t left for Russia’s camp just yet (and honestly I’m not even sure when it takes place), but he’s definitely got a good shot to make the final team.

Now, onto why you’ve really clicked on this article. Here’s what our Avalanche prospects were up to last week.

Canadian Hockey League

WHL

#44 - Bowen Byram (D)
Vancouver Giants (14-13-2)

It looked like Byram was going to go pointless in three games last week, until he put up two assists in Sunday’s game against Tri-City. Sunday’s game was Vancouver’s Teddy Bear toss game, typically a game that Byram shines in:

The Giants have had some fun, festive jerseys over the years, and this season’s was no exception:

Byram also got physical:

Now, Byram will travel cross-country to Oakville, where Hockey Canada will hold its 31-player selection camp this week. I am very excited to finally get to see him play in person. Byram has 18 points in 27 games so far this season, and the Giants sit first in the Western Conference wild card race.

#34 - Sasha Mutala (RW)
Tri-City Americans (12-12-3)

Just two games this week for the Americans, and Mutala registered one assist. He has 28 points in 26 games this season. Tri-City sits one spot behind Vancouver, for second in the conference wildcard standings.

#27 - Luka Burzan (C)
Brandon Wheat Kings (13-15-2)

Although Burzan wasn’t named to Canada’s selection camp roster, he picked up an additional two points in two games last week, maintaining his point-per-game pace. Burzan has exactly 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 30 games, and Brandon sits second in the Eastern Conference wildcard.

QMJHL

#16 - Alex Beaucage (RW)
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (16-12-3)

So, did anyone else hear about Beaucage’s stellar Saturday?

I’m not sure how many of you guys can read French, but the numbers don’t lie. It was one wild game between Rouyn and Rimouski, and Beaucage exploded for the first five point game of his career.

The CHL named Beaucage its player of the night:

Now, that’s how you respond to a WJC camp snub, am I right? Beaucage is up to 41 points in 31 games this season, and the Huskies remain second in the conference.

NCAA

HOCKEY EAST

#18 - Alex Newhook (C)
Boston College Eagles (11-4-0)

Okay, first of all, Boston College is on an absolutely ridiculous run, because they haven’t lost in over a month:

The Avalanche actually happened to be in Beantown this weekend (playing and defeating the Bruins), and got a chance to catch up with their two Boston-based prospects:

In fact, just as they arrived at Friday’s game, Newhook and Helleson happened to assist on the same goal:

Newhook has left the Eagles (who are on their winter break) and arrived in Oakville for Canada’s World Junior selection camp.

#4 - Drew Helleson (D)
Boston College Eagles (11-4-0)

There is also a chance Helleson gets named to Team USA’s selection camp later today (the announcement comes at 4pm ET/2pm CT on NHL Network). After sweeping Notre Dame in convincing fashion over the weekend, Boston College won’t play again this season until January 4th against Vermont.

BIG TEN

#26 - Cam Morrison (LW)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-6-2)

So, erm, it was kind of a rough week for the Irish. The team scored a total of one goal. No points for Morrison.

#4 - Nick Leivermann (D)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-6-2)

No points for Leivermann, either.

#2 - Nate Clurman (D)
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-6-2)

And the same goes for Clurman. Notre Dame will wrap up their 2018 schedule with two games against Penn State next weekend, looking to get back in the win column.

#58 - Sampo Ranta (RW)
Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-9-4)

Minnesota lost their first game to Ohio State, but settled for a tie against them in game two. Ranta had one goal and another good scoring chance:

Ranta will head to Europe at some point in the coming days to join Finland for their World Junior camp. Fingers crossed he makes the team!

#25 - Denis Smirnov (RW)
Penn State Nittany Lions (12-5-0)

The Lions split two games against Michigan State over the weekend. Smirnov contributed one goal, an empty-netter in their second game. The broadcast did think teammate Nate Sucese scored, but upon closer inspection, it was Smirnov who hit the empty cage.

Penn State still has a few games left to play. They’ll travel to Notre Dame next weekend to play the Fighting Irish.

NCHC

#40 - Tyler Weiss (LW)
Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (6-6-2)

Two losses for Omaha against the always difficult-to-beat Minnesota-Duluth. Weiss contributed one assist in a strong performance:

Omaha will travel to play St. Cloud State next weekend. They’ve still got a few more games before their winter break.

ECAC

#20 - Matthew Stienburg (RW)
Cornell Big Red (10-1-0)

Cornell finally lost for the first time this season, dropping their final game of 2018 to Dartmouth. Stienburg once again went pointless in two games. Cornell will return to the ice in January to play Ohio State.

Europe

KHL

#51 - Nikolai Kovalenko (RW)
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (20-16-1)

In three games last week, Lokomotiv picked up two more wins. Kovalenko contributed a nice assist:

Lokomotiv did drop one spot in the standings, to eighth place in the conference.

#2 - Danila Zhuravlyov (D)
Ak Bars Kazan (27-7-2)

And to wrap, Zhuravlyov scored his first KHL goal!

What a beautiful rush. Zhuravlyov will, at some point, leave Bars to join Russia for their selection camp. Bars remains first in the conference.

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