This Soup is Getting Better

Tonight's Star: Max Campbell

His scoring streak ended on Friday night but Max Campbell (2007 5th) got right back at it on Saturday as his Western Michigan Broncos made it a 4 point weekend with a 5-0 win over Nebraska-Omaha.

Campbell scored his 14th goal of the season, added an assist on what was the game winning goal, was a +2 on the game while being on the ice for 4 of the 5 WMU goals. This might have been Campbell's best game of the season from an offensive standpoint.

It started with Campbell, Greg Squires and Patrick Galivan teaming up for a goal just 1:36 into the game. The assist was Campbell's 7th on the season and it was all WMU needed for their 8th win of the season and their 5th win since Jan 1.

The same trio then teamed up for the game's final goal as this time it was a wide open Campbell who snapped the feed from Galivan at 16:21 of the 3rd period. It was a power play goal and Campbell's prospect leading 10th power play goal.

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The Rest of the Prospects

NCAAs

Call us dinosaurs because we do not care what silly computer simulation says as no computer is ever going to replace what on ice effort can ever do. In other words in our book after Derek Stepan's Wisconsin Badgers defeated 9th ranked Minnesota 5-4 for the weekend sweep, we say that the Badgers are heading to the NCAAs.

Derek Stepan (2008 2nd) had 2 assists (his 17th and 18th) as the NCAA's second best freshman scorer showed why we are so high on this young forward. As we said yesterday, Stepan is the speed that is missing from the roster.

Also headed to the NCAAs will be 4th ranked Michigan with Carl Hagelin (2007 6th) as Hagelin's 9th goal of the season tied the game at 1 and Michigan went on to defeat the Lake Superior Lakers 2-1 for their 7th straight win.

We loved this goal as Hagelin brought the puck into the offensive zone, did nothing fancy but as soon as he got to the high slot, he snapped off a wrist shot that appeared to fool Lake Superior goalie Pat Inglis.

You can see the replay of this game on the NHL Network Sunday at 12 EDT/9 PDT.

OHL

Michael Del Zotto (2008 1st) had a shorthanded assist but it was not enough as his London Knights dropped their 2nd in a row this time to the Barrie Colts 3-2 in overtime. Wonder what the Del Zotto critics are going to say about Del Zotto playing on the penalty kill?

Mitch Gaulton (2008 6th) struggled as did the rest of his Erie Otter teammates as they lost to the Saginaw Spirit 5-2. Gaulton was a -3 for the game but this was a team loss as nobody on the Otters looked good at all.

WHL

Tomas Kundratek (2008 3rd) had an assist as his Medicine Hat Tigers had no trouble with the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2. The assist to us was not important since it was a meaningless one at the end of the game.

What was important for us was some improved defensive play out of Kundratek who has been struggling as of late. We kind of expected Kundratek to hit a wall about this time of the season given this is his first year in North America.

The key is going to be how does his adjust to this "wall" and that is what we will be watching for.

Tysen Dowzak (2008 UFA) from what we know of him typically does not lose his cool so we will update this spot when we get a report but Dowzak earned himself 14 minutes in PIMs for responding to Kamloop's Tyler Shattock's hit from behind. Since we do not have details this is where we will stop other than to say that Dowzak's Kelowna Rockets whipped on the Kamloops Blazers.

(Sunday Update: We got double word that Dowzak took exception to Shattock's hit and it was a fight that did not get credited as one. And yes Dowzak won said fight so we will credit him with a fighting major)

We are going to interview Tysen next week so we look forward to letting the giant speak for himself.

Canada West

Greg Beller (2005 6th) was scoreless as his Manitoba Bison lost to the Calgary Dinos 4-3 in the shootout. Beller was a +1 for the game as the Bison continue to drive towards the CW playoffs.

Healthy Scratch

Danny Hobbs (2007 7th) was a healthy scratch for the UMass Minutemen as they lost to UMass Lowell 2-1. Hobbs now has been a healthy scratch in 3 of the last 4 UMass games.


(Max Campbell courtesy of WMU Broncos)