Forward Progress

Ryan Pulock (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Friday offered up 6 games involving New York Islander and New York Ranger prospects with a mixed bag of results to show for the night. One thing did stand out and that was the play of Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) as for the second straight game, Pulock was an impact player.

Gordie Clark the New York Ranger's Director of Player Personnel taught me that a prospect should dominate at the level he is currently playing at before being advanced. That a prospect needs to show forward progress from where he was on draft day and if that is the case then Ryan Pulock is making an early statement about sticking with the New York Islanders for the 2014-2015 season.

Ryan Pulock set up John Quenneville for a goal at 11:43 of the third period giving Brandon a 4-2 lead as the Wheat Kings would go on to win their second straight game 4-3. Pulock the captain of the Wheat Kings had that assist as well as another for a 2 point night.

Just 2 games but Pulock is already 2-4-6 and 3rd on the Wheat Kings in scoring. It has been a very impressive 2 games for Pulock and you can see the energy he has brought to the Wheat Kings is spreading among his teammates. Monday Pulock will turn 19 years old but his play and leadership makes you think that Pulock is much older and way more mature for his age.

Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) is playing like he is suffering from "training camp hangover" as for the 3rd time this season, Skapski let a 3rd period lead disappear as his Kootenay Ice lost in overtime 4-3 to the Calgary Hitmen.

Skapski gave up a goal with 3:34 remaining in the 3rd period which allowed Calgary to tie the game before they ended it with a power play goal in overtime at 2:37. The blame is not all on Skapski's shoulders as 2 of the Calgary goals were power play goals but he has to find ways to stop these 3rd period breakdowns. Skapski falls to 1-2-1 with a 3.94 goals against and a 0.890 save percentage.

Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2013 7th) had a secondary assist on his Regina Pat's only goal as the Pats were spanked 6-1 by the Swift Current Broncos. This won was over after the first period as Swift Current jumped on Regina for 3 goals in the period and cruised from there.

Burroughs assist was his 3rd point of the season (all assists) as Regina fell to 1-5 on the season.

Loic Leduc (NYI 2012 4th) and his Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are 4-0-0-1 in their last 5 games after a 5-3 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs. So much for calling the Screaming Eagles "hapless" as they are working hard and bringing 60 minutes of effort.

Leduc may not be scoring but he is the defenseman who Screaming Eagle's coach Marc-André Dumont is sending out to start games.

That "thud" you heard was quite possibly the Charlotte Islanders as they fell from the ranks of the unbeaten after getting spanked 9-4 by the Val-d'Or Foreurs. Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th) was scoreless on 2 shots, a -2 with 2 hits which doesn't look bad on the stat sheet but the Islanders were a horror story over the first 2 periods giving up 7 goals on 26 shots.

Don't let the final score fool you the Islanders got spanked big time in this one.

Victor Crus-Rydberg (2013 5th) was not in the lineup for the Plymouth Whalers in their 5-2 loss to instate rivals the Saginaw Spirit. No word has been given as to why or what Crus-Rydberg's status is.