Thursday, October 24, 2013

Doing the Donnay

Troy Donnay (OHL Images)
The "hump day" version of the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospect report focused in on the red hot Erie Otters who led by Islander prospect defenseman Adam Pelech (2012 3rd) and Ranger prospect defenseman Troy Donnay (2013 UFA) were looking for their 8th straight win. The Otters were hosting Islander prospect center Victor Crus-Rydberg (2013 5th) and his Plymouth Whalers.

What a difference a year makes as the Otters who won all of 19 games (out of 68) last season were looking for their 10th win playing in just their 13th game. The Otters didn't disappoint as they used goals by Donnay and Pelech to break a 2-2 tie to win 5-2.

Got a clip of the goals scored but you cannot blink or you will miss them. First up is Donnay's goal, his 1st of the season which broke a 2-2 tie at 15:04 of the 2nd period was a blast from the point. The goal was just the 3rd in Donnay's career in 154 games and was his 1st career game winner. Donnay is a 6'7 project that the Rangers signed to a NHL contract and as you can see offense is not his game.

The Rangers are hoping to get a more physical Donnay back from the Otters and so far no complaints on the play of one of the Otter alternate captains. Donnay's goal starts at the 24 second mark while Adam Pelech's goal was tge very next goal starting at the 32 second mark. Give Pelech some style points as he undresses a Plymouth defender by going outside then inside to deke his way past him and give Pelech a clear lane to the Plymouth goalie. One backhand later and Pelech has his 3rd goal of the season.



Pelech earned the game's 3rd star for his play is 3-8-11 on the season as he too is one of the Otter alternate captains. Pelech's play just might earn him a spot on Team Canada as that blueline could be made up of 3 Islanders (with Ryan Pulock of Brandon and Griffin Reinhart of Edmonton the other 2).

The win was Erie's 8th and gives them an OHL best 10-2-1 for the season.

Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2013 7th) and his Regina Pats were looking to take on the Prince Albert Raiders with 1st place in the WHL's East Division on the line. The Pats came into this game with a WHL best 6th game winning streak. On this night the Pats saw their streak come to an end 3-1 despite a great effort from the Pats.

The difference in this game was goaltending and power plays as Prince Albert got some outstanding play from their goalie Nick McBride (stopped 42 out of 43) while Regina's Mac Engel stopped 17 out of 20. On the power play, it was Prince Albert going 2 for 4 while Prince Albert was 0 for 6. No need to say anymore except that Burroughs was scoreless.

Loic Leduc (NYI 2012 4th) and his Cape Breton Screaming Eagles earned a 5-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in QMJHL play. Leduc was scoreless and just a +1 to show for his night.

Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th)
and his Charlottetown Islanders dropped a 4-2 decision to the Saint John Sea Dogs. Graves was scoreless on 1 shot and a -1. It was just the 3rd regulation loss on the season for the Islanders who are 10-3-0-1.

Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) was not in the Edmonton Oil King lineup Tuesday night missing the game with an "undisclosed injury." Reinhart is listed as "day to day" by the Oil Kings who are already missing 2 other starting defensemen.

The Wild Wild Wacky West

When they said that the WHL was going to be wide open in terms of no clear cut favorite to win the league championship, they were not kidding. It may still be early but in the WHL's Eastern Conference after Wednesday's games; the standing had 5 points separating 2nd place from 11th place.

Even better was how the 4 teams in that conference that had Ranger or Islander prospects were 4th-7th.

4th Edmonton (Griffin Reinhart), 7-6-0-1 15 points

5th Brandon Wheat Kings (Ryan Pulock), 7-5-0-0 14 points

6th Regina Pats (Ryan Burroughs), 7-6-0-0 14 points

7th Kootenay Ice (Mackenzie Skapski), 6-5-2-0 14 points








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