Sunday, December 16, 2012

Saturday stepping up

Mitchell Theoret (OHL Images) 
It wasn't as wild as Friday night but Saturday night was entertaining as New York Ranger and New York Islanders players were stepping up for missing teammates or in the case of one helping his team break a slump. It was also Teddy Bear night in several places as hockey and their fans stepped up to help children in their local areas.

Tonight's First Star Mitchell Theoret Niagara IceDogs

The Niagara IceDogs lost their top 3 scorers to Team Canada's Under-20 squad so the IceDogs needed someone to step up his game and on Saturday it was Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) who answered the call. Theoret earned the game's first star after a 1-1-2 performance led the IceDogs to a 4-3 overtime win over the Sudbury Wolves.

Theoret got the IceDogs going early when he and Joel Wigle won a puck battle and Wigle was able to skate towards the net and score. Theoret got the primary assist on the goal that went in just 1:10 into the game.

The goal was also the "Teddy Bear Toss" goal as over 1000 bears hit the ice and will be distributed in the St. Catherine's area. Niagara would get a 2-0 lead but Sudbury would fight back and eventually would tie the game to force overtime,

We have the highlights of this one thanks to the folks at TVCogecoOntario.



Yes that was right Mitchell Theoret with the overtime winner for the IceDogs. It was Theoret's 16th goal of the season and his 3rd game winner on the season. Theoret is now 16-22-38 on the season and his 2 point night also extended his scoring streak to 7 games (5-7-12) as well as recording points in 17 out of his 18 games (12-18-30).

Cristoval Nieves (MGoBlue.com)
Second Star Cristoval Nieves Michigan Wolverines

Cristoval Nieves (NYR 2012 2nd)
and his Michigan Wolverines badly needed a win on Saturday or they would being heading into their holiday break with a very Un-Michigan like record. Michigan entered the game with just 1 regulation win in their last 8 games.

Nieves and his linemates made sure that they would head off to their holiday break on a good note. The game was scoreless after 2 periods but in the 3rd, it was Nieves who got things going as he teamed up with linemate Andrew Copp to set up Brennan Serville's 1st goal of the season at 1:18 and a 1-0 lead.

It would prove to be the game winner but Michigan was not done as Nieves earned the primary assist on Michigan's 2nd goal. The goal at 12:29 was scored by Jacob Trouba gave Michigan a 2-0 lead that would wind up as the final score.

Nieves with his 2 assists and a nice 7-3 record on faceoffs earned him the game's 3rd star as he improves to 3-9-12 on the season. Nieves leads Michigan with his 9 assists and has a modest 3 game scoring streak (1-3-4).

Third Star Shane McColgan Saskatoon Blades


I hope that Shane McColgan (NYR 2011 5th) sends Dave Shapiro of the Blueseat Blogs a finders fee for bring McColgan some really good luck lately. McColgan had 2 more assists to help his Saskatoon Blades earn a 5-2 win over the Kootenay Ice.

The win for the Blades was their 6th straight win (8-2 in last 10) and moved them into 5th place in the WHL's Eastern Conference. McColgan had 2 primary assists on Saskatoon's 4th and 5th goals.

The assists were McColgan's 24th and 25th of the season as he is now 9-25-34. McColgan is also 2-5-7 in his last 3 games and his luck has been so good lately that the Blades scored a shorthanded goal with McColgan sitting in the penalty box.

The Rest Of the Prospect Report

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th)
saw his 4 game scoring streak end (0-4-4) but his Niagara IceDogs won their game 3-2 thanks to Mitchell Theoret's heroics. Graham was a +1 for the game.

Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) scored his 5th goal of the season as his Erie Otters defeated the Kitchener Rangers 4-3 in the shootout. The Otters have a 3 game winning streak going as they took both games of the "home and home" series from the Rangers.

Pelech improves to 5-22-27 on the season.

Micheal St. Croix (NYR 2011 4th) and his Edmonton Oil Kings used a 5 goal outburst in the 2nd period to defeat the Victoria Royals 5-2. St. Croix scored the Oil King's 2nd goal of the game which tied the score at 2-2.

It was St. Croix's 15th goal of the season and he is now 15-25-40 on the season.

Scott Mayfield (NYI 2011 2nd) and his 10th ranked Denver Pioneers felt the affects of playing without a full lineup as they dropped a 5-1 decision to Bemidji State.

Denver only dressed 7 forwards for the 4th straight game and like last week it cost them in the 2nd game of the series. Mayfield was scoreless on 3 shots and was a -1.

3rd ranked Notre Dame traveled to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons in CCHA action. Notre Dame came away with a 4-1 win to improve to 14-4 on the season as well as 10-1 in CCHA conference play.

Anders Lee (NYI 2009 6th) had a secondary assist on Notre Dame's 4th goal to bring his team leading totals to 11-6-17. Robbie Russo (NYI 2011 4th) and Steven Fogarty (NYR 2011 3rd) were both scoreless in the game.

Andrey Pedan (NYI 2011 3rd) and his Guelph Storm took on the hottest junior team in the CHL the London Knights trying to end London's 19 game winning streak. The Storm tried but the best they could do was force the game to overtime and the shootout before losing 4-3.

Pedan had the primary assist on what turned out to be the tying goal in regulation for his 15th assist and 24th point of the season. Pedan did take 2 minors but neither wound up hurting the Storm.

Brenden Kichton (NYI 2011 5th)
had a secondary assist on his Spokane Chiefs only goal of the game as they lost 2-1 to the Tri-City Americans. It was Kichton's 5th assist in his last 3 games to bring him to 9-31-40 on the season.

It was Spokane's "Teddy Bear Toss" and kudos to the Chiefs and their fans for collecting 6560 bear to be donated to various children's charities in the Spokane area.

Cody Rosen (NYI 2010 7th) got the start in net for his Clarkson Golden Knights as they hosted the Mercyhurst Lakers. It was just the 2nd start of the season for Rosen and while he lasted the entire game, Rosen still wound up on the short end of the score after giving up 3 goals on 28 shots.

Clarkson lost 3-1 which leaves Rosen as 0-2 on the season. Still hope that he gets more than a spot start here and there.

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