OK so the title is corny as heck but for New York Ranger fans, Christian Thomas (2010 2nd) is fast becoming the best story of the 2010-11 season. While everyone is excited about Chris Kreider and rightfully so; how about the Rangers put Kreider, Stepan and Thomas together and look out.
We say Thomas is tougher than Zuccarrello and if he can make the NHL there is no reason why not Thomas. These days only bad weather is keeping Thomas from scoring as the Owen Sound Attack found out on Sunday.
In a game postponed from Saturday, the game's first star Thomas scored his 45th goal of the season added his 35th assist and then made his shootout attempt as the Oshawa Generals edged the Attack 4-3.
With Oshawa already up 1-0 entering the 2nd period, Thomas scored goal number 45 just 31 seconds into the game for a 2-0 lead. Owen Sound though came back to tie the game at 2-2 in the 3rd period .
Thomas combined with Calvin De Haan (NYI 2009 1st) to set up Alain Berger for a power play goal at 13:51 and a 3-2 Oshawa lead. Berger though took what turned out to be a costly slashing penalty right after Oshawa just finished killing another penalty but Owen Sound converted to tie the game and send it first to overtime then to the shoot out.
In the shootout, Thomas shot 2nd for the Generals and converted for his 2nd shootout goal of the season (2 for 6) and teammate Andy Andreoff finished off Owen Sound for the win. The Generals extended their winning streak to 4 games.
In one week's time the Generals have defeated both conference leaders as they pull within 5 points of division leading Ottawa. Thomas extended his goal scoring streak to 5 games (8-3-11) as he also moves up to 5th in OHL overall scoring.
Calvin De Haan had the one assist for his 33rd assist and 35th point of the season. Dan Maggio (NYR 2009 6th) was scoreless but twice got called for roughing while Tony DeHart (NYI 2010 5th) was scratched.
It was supposed to be a key match as Casey Cizikas (NYI 2009 4th) and his Mississauga St. Michaels Majors took on Jason Wilson (NYR 2010 5th) and his Niagara IceDogs. At stake was first place in the OHL's Eastern Conference as well as the Central Division.
What it wound up being was a great day for the Majors and an embarrassing loss for the IceDogs as the Majors blew them out 10-1 to open up an 8 point lead with 13 games left.
This was a game for about 49 seconds as Mississauga set the tone really quick when the Major's Rob Flick took on Jason Wilson in a fight that one has to give the deciding edge to Flick who landed some strong shots. Wilson never got his balance set and his IceDogs played just like that.
The Majors jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 1, expanded it to 6-0 after 2 then added 3 more before the IceDogs scored then ended the game with one last goal for a 10-1 win. Cizikas had a goal (28th) and an assist (31) to go along with a +3 but his points came way after of this game was well decided.
Wilson like his teammates were non-factors as the only thing coming out of this game will be some questions about how good the IceDogs dropped their 3rd straight game. The Majors on the other hand have now won 2 straight after a 3 game losing streak of their own.
Roman Horak (NYR 2009 5th) and his Chilliwack Bruins have only themselves to blame after they let a 3-1 third period lead slip away and wound up with a 4-3 shoot out loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Bruins have all of 1 point to show from a 3 game in 3 night stretch that has also turned into a 4 game winless streak.
The Bruins are barely alive in the race for the 8th spot in the WHL's Western Conference after losing 4 players to injury and their captain to a 7 game suspension. Horak was scoreless but a +2 as he also missed on his shoot out attempt.
Kirill Kabanov (2010 3rd) did not finish the game between his Lewiston Maineaics and the Rimouski Oceanic as he was suffering from sort of illness. The Maineaics won 4-3 but Kabanov was not a factor
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