Sunday, January 13, 2013

Saturday night delights

Brenden Kichton (Spokane Chiefs)
One of the lessons I have learned over the years is to watch how a New York Ranger or New York Islander prospect responded after being turned into a non-factor in his previous game. In this case the player I watched was Brenden Kichton a Islander prospect but right now the captain of the Spokane Chiefs.

After scoring a power play goal against the Portland Winterhawks on Friday, Kichton was not able to do anything else as his Spokane Chiefs lost 5-2 to fall 18 points behind the division leading Winterhawks. Saturday night Kichton and his teammates were back home against the Kootenay Ice and the Chiefs made the Ice pay.

First Star Brenden Kichton Spokane Chiefs

Brenden Kichton (NYI 2011 5th) did what most people hope the team captain will do after a disappointing loss; he went out and led his team to a win. Kichton with a goal and 2 assists helped Spokane to a 4-2 win over the Ice.

Kichton with a secondary assist on Spokane's first goal, scored Spokane's second goal and then set up Spokane's 4th goal as he was named the game's 2nd star for his efforts. It was Kichton's 3rd three point game of the season and helped Kichton pad his lead as the WHl's leading scorer among defensemen at 14-39-53.

Spokane is 2nd in the WHL's US Division and 4th overall in the WHL's Western Conference with a record of 28-14-1-0.

Mitchell Theoret (OHL Images)
Second Star Mitchell Theoret Barrie Colts

Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) got to face his former team the Niagara IceDogs in just his 3rd game with the Barrie Colts.

It was not really fair as Niagara has lost their 3 best players to NHL training camps as the Barrie Colts didn't have much trouble earning a 5-1 win. In the second period with Barrie up 2-1 and Niagara on the power play; it was Theoret who had the primary assist on a shorthanded goal which put the Colts up 3-1.

Niagara was not much of a threat after that and Theoret scored his first goal as a Colt when he scored his 19th goal of the season at 12:52 to make it a 5-1 lead for the Colts.

Overall Theoret is 1-3-4 with the Colts in just 3 games and overall is 19-27-46.

Samuel Noreau (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Third Star Samuel Noreau Baie-Comeau Drakkar

As I have said on several occasions sometimes what a prospect does won't show up on the scoresheet as is the case for Samuel Noreau (NYR 2011 5th) of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. It was the 2nd game of a back to back series against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Drakkar didn't have much trouble earning a 7-0 win.

Yes Noreau had a secondary assist, was +3 and had 2 hits but what stood out was 0 for 6 which is what the Huskies went on their power play opportunities. Noreau was a big part of why this was a butt kicking instead of a very close game.

Maybe it was putting the "A" back on Noreau's uniform but in any case, Noreau and the Drakkar are unbeaten in 9 straight games. Noreau is also 6-18-24 on the season.

The Rest of the Prospects

Scott Mayfield (NYI 2011 2nd) and his 9th ranked Denver Pioneers played to a 3-3 overtime tie with 13th ranked Nebraska-Omaha. Mayfield for the 2nd straight game had a 2 assist game recording a primary and a secondary assist.

The sophomore defenseman Mayfield is now 2-9-11 for the season.

Shane McColgan (NYR 2011 5th)
had a secondary assist for his Saskatoon Blades but while Michael St. Croix (NYR 2011 4th) was held scoreless; his Edmonton Oil Kings earned the 2-1 win. A frustrating loss for the Blades as their hold on 7th place in the WHL's Eastern Conference is only because they hold 2 games in hand over 8th place Medicine Hat.

McColgan is now 11-32-43 and has a 4 game point streak of 1-5-6. St. Croix has just 1 point in his last 6 games and teammate Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) is with the Islanders to attend training camp.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) was scoreless in his Niagara IceDog's loss to Mitchell Theoret's Barrie Colts.

Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) was scoreless as his Erie Otters lost in overtime to the Plymouth Whalers 4-3. Pelech was a -1 which came on the game winning goal.

Peter Ceresnak (NYR 2011 6th) and his Peterborough Petes dropped a 4-3 shootout loss to the Sudbury Wolves. A frustrating loss for the Petes as they had the lead but gave up the tying goal with just 1:03 remaining in regulation.

Ceresnak was scoreless and a -1 for the game as he is now the starting defenseman for the Petes. His plus/minus is going to take a beating having to go up against the best the OHL has.

Anders Lee's (NYI 2009 6th) unassisted goal was all the offense that 3rd ranked Notre Dame could manage as they were beaten by Michigan State 4-1. For Lee it was his 12th goal of the season as well as his 19th point.

Teammates Robbie Russo (NYI 2011 4th) and Steven Fogarty (NYR 2011 3rd) were both held scoreless.

Cristoval Nieves (NYR 2012 2nd)
was scoreless as his Michigan Wolverines were defeated 4-1 by the Alaska Nanooks. Nieves though continues his solid play at center on faceoffs going 10-5 after a 16-6 effort on Friday,

Brady Skjei (NYR 2012 1st) was scoreless but his top ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers had little trouble with the Alaska-Anchorage Sea Wolves defeating them 7-1. Skjei didn't score but was a +2 for the night.

Cody Rosen (NYI 2010 7th) was "DNP" in Clarkson's 3-1 loss to Yale.

Oh and John Tortorella's "dream team" the Portland Winterhawks won their 14th straight game 8-0 over the Everett Silvertips. Don't hate them because they are winning hate them because they play textbook hockey at both ends of the ice.

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