Mid Week Mind Games

As a kid Wednesday evening TV was typically the noght when all the doctor shows like Medical Center or St. Elsewhere on. For the New York Ranger prospects the evening was where they were playing like the patients.

Luke Walker (Traverse City) was an actual patient as he underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair an injury to his mouth area and is listed as "out indefinitely." The Winterhawks are not offering direct details about where exactly Walker is injured other than to say that his jaw is not broken.

As Gregg Drinnan reported yesterday at Taking Note; Walker's own coach Mike Johnson called the gash on Walker's face "very bad, one of the worst he had ever seen"

The timing of the injury could not have come at a worse time for Walker as he had just received an invite to attend Team USA's evaluation camp. Very doubtful that he will make it.

Scott Stajcer (2009 5th) and his Owen Sound Attack saw their 3 game winning streak come to an end at the hands of Luke Pither and his Barrie Colts as they lost 5-4 in overtime. It is hard to feel bad about losing to the Colts as they extended their winning streak to 18 games.

Still Owen Sound should feel bad about this loss as they held a 3-1 lead after the first period on the Colts and let them off the hook. The Attack gave up 3 goals in the second to trail 4-3 after the period needing a late goal to force overtime.

For Stajcer, this had to be a frustrating loss as he gave up 5 goals on 38 shots. The difference is more that the Colts are a very hot team at the moment and getting all the breaks. Luke Pither on the other hand recorded his 22nd assist on the season which extended his scoring streak to 5 games (2-4-6).

So you are the Brandon Wheat Kings and you have a 4-0 lead over Sam Klassen (2009 UFA) and his Saskatoon Blades. Sounds like you are going to wind up with an easy win right? Nope

Klassen and his team mounted a comeback scoring 4 unanswered goals to force overtime but Brandon scored in the overtime period to escape with a 5-4 win. Klassen had an assist during the comeback but also was a -2 and took 2 minors in the game.

Chris Kreider (2009 1st) may not be piling up the points but his 10th ranked Boston College Eagles are piling up the wins. Winners of 4 straight games and unbeaten in their last 6; the Eagles added the Harvard Crimson to their list of victims with a 3-2 win.

Kreider was scoreless but he remains on the Eagle's top line so he has to be doing something right for Coach Jerry York. The Eagles are now 9-3-2 on the season.

Tomas Kundratek (2008 3rd) and his Medicine Hat Tigers traveled to Red Deer to face the Rebels. For most of the game the Tigers held the Rebels at bay taking a 1-0 lead down to the final 30 seconds of regulation before the Rebels tied the game.

The Rebels just owned the 3rd period out shooting the Tigers 22-3 in the final period. Kundratek was quiet other than a hooking minor in the 3rd period. The Tigers wound up winning 2-1 via the shootout.

Roman Horak and his Chilliwack Bruins took the first half of their "home and home" against Craig Cunningham and his Vancouver Giants on Sunday 4-0. In the rematch on Wednesday Cunningham's Giants returned the favor by whipping on the Bruins 5-0.

Like his team, Horak was held in check as this game was over before it started. The Bruins were going with basically their 3rd goalie and while he was game against the Giants he had no chance.

Cunningham was not much better limited to just one assist on the power play for his 31st assist on the season and his 48th overall point. Cunningham sits in 4th place in WHL scoring with his 17-31-48.

(Walker courtesy of the Portland Winterhawks)