Good News Bad News

Samuel Noreau (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Monday was one of those "we have some good news, we have some bad news" from the prospects in the 2 games that were played by New York Ranger prospects. The New York Islander prospects can't say anything since none of their prospects were in action on Monday.

The good news came from Baie-Comeau Drakkar defenseman Samuel Noreau (NYR 2011 5th) who played perhaps his best all-around games of the year in helping the Drakkar skate to a 3-0 win over the Victoriaville Tigre. Noreau had a goal on 1 shot with a +1 with 2 hits and he took an unsportsmanlike conduct minor for his role in a scrum during the 3rd period.

For Noreau, the goal was a power play goal scored at 18:14 of the 3rd period which sealed the win for the Drakkar who now hold a 3-0 lead in the series. It was Noreau's 1st career point in the QMJHL playoffs having played a total pf 11 playoff games.

This one was a penalty filled affair as the Drakkar and Tigre combined for 18 power plays but only the Drakkar took advantage of any of theirs. With the 3-0 series lead the Drakkar can go for the series winner and sweep on Wednesday.

The bad news was in Kitchener as the Kitchener Rangers dominated game 3 of their series with Tommy Hughes (NYR 2013 UFA) and the London Knights as the Rangers won 6-2. Hughes didn't make it to the end of the game as he was called for a "slew foot" match penalty which under OHL rules is an automatic one game suspension and OHL review.

Hughes isn't a dirty player in any way but the call wasn't hard to argue so at the very least depending Hughes will sit out game 4 of the series between his Knights and the Rangers. In this game the Knights were their own worst enemy as the Rangers took advantage of the 10 power plays that they were given by scoring on 4 of them.

It was without question London's worst game so far in the OHL playoffs and really if London doesn't want to extend this series past the 5 games it currently is scheduled to go then it starts by playing a much more disciplined game on Wednesday.

You give any team 10 power plays and even if they don't score on any of them, the penalties disrupt a team's line and defensive rotations. The win as it is cuts the Knight's lead in the series to 2-1 with game 4 on Wednesday.