Good News Not So Good News

Adam Pelech (OHL Images)

Saturday night had a mix of news for the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects as the US colleges began play which is always good news. The not so good news is Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) missed his Brandon Wheat Kings game against the Red Deer Rebels with an undisclosed injury that he reportedly suffered during Friday nights game.

Undisclosed means they won't say why he is hurt or how long he will miss. Victor Crus-Rydberg (NYI 2013 5th) missed his second straight game but we still have not heard whether it was injury or not.

Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) did play as his Erie Otters doubled up the North Bay Battalion 8-4. Pelech had a primary assist on Erie's 4th goal for his 3rd assist of the season (0-3-3) and was a game high +5 on the night.

Teammate Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) was scoreless and a -2 for the night. Erie improves to 3-2-1-0 on the season.

For a while it looked like Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th) was going to have himself a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" but they took away the goal Graves appeared to have scored. In any case, Graves and his Charlottetown Islanders got right back on the winning track with a hard fought 5-4 shootout win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Graves earned a primary assist on the Islander's 4th goal of the game while dropping the gloves for the first time. The 6'4 Graves squared off with the Huskie's 6'2 Dillon Fournier but of course each team says their player won the fight so we will have to wait for the video to see.

Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) stopped 26 out of 28 shots to help his Kootenay Ice earn a 4-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen. The win was just the 2nd of the season for Skapski who lowered his goals against to 3.56 and improved his save percentage to 0.897.

It was Skapski's best outing of the young season but his game still needs some sharpening to it. Want to see him focus on his positioning as well as his confidence as both areas to me still look shaky.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2013 6th) scored his 2nd goal of the season but his Niagara IceDogs needed the shootout before earning a 4-3 win over the Sarina Sting. Graham's goal was Niagara's 3rd goal of the game but they could not hold the lead and wound up in the shootout as the IceDogs earned just their 2nd win of the season.

It won't count but Taylor Cammarata (NYI 2013 3rd) scored a goal in his first game as a member of the 5th ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers as they defeated the Lethbridge Pronghorns 5-1 in exhibition play. Cammarata scored his goal on 4 shots as an even strength goal in the 3rd period which at the time made the score 4-1.

Brady Skjei (NYR 2012 1st) had a secondary assist on Minnesota's 5th and final goal of the game. Skjei was the starting defenseman and was +1 on 1 shot. Jake Bischoff (NYI 2012 7th) also made his debut as a member of the Golden Gophers but was scoreless on 1 shot and a +1.

Finally Doyle Somerby (NYI 2012 5th) made his debut as a member of the Boston University Terriers as they defeated St. Francis Xavier 2-1 in exhibition hockey. Somerby is a 6'5 228 defensemen from Marblehead MA. Wow this kid is huge and he is learning the game so with the right breaks the Islanders may have gotten a steal here.