Playing Catchup with Fights and More

Mackenzie Skapski (Kootenay Ice)

Excuses are just that excuses so I won't bother making one for not posting Tuesday's scores involving the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects. I had a ton of homework and just didn't do a good job managing my time so I will apologize for that.

The news was not good Tuesday evening as Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) left the game between his Kootenay Ice and the Calgary Hitmen after the first period with what appears to be a lower body injury. Skapski who had stopped all 8 shots he had faced so it is hard to suggest how severe this injury is.

Don't hold your breath waiting for an injury update as few if any give any out these days so let's hope that the injury is not serious and Skapski will be back in net really quick.

As for the skaters, for some reason it has been captain fight night the last 2 evenings so let's start with Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Reinhart doesn't drop his gloves very often but he kind of sort of did with Tim Traber of Vancouver.



Reinhart was trading crosschecks with Traber in front but went after Traber when he saw his goalie exchanging shots. Of course the fight gets interrupted by Henrik Samuelsson (yes son of Ulfie) who jumped in. Now while people will get on Ulfie JR. for 3rd man in, I won't. Reinhart is Edmonton's Captain as well as the glue who holds the blueline together.

Samuelsson was protecting his captain so that works for me. Sammuelsson was ejected for 3rd man but Reinhart stayed in the game and while he did not score, Reinhart was a +2 with 9 PIMS. Edmonton earns a 3-0 win over the Vancouver Giants.

Wednesday, Edmonton was in Victoria for a game with the Royals and while Reinhart did not get into any fights, he was rock solid on the blueline helping his team earn their 2nd straight shutout 5-0 and 3rd straight win. Oh and yesterday's villain Henrik Samuelsson was today's hero with a 1-2-3 effort that earned him the game's first star.

Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2012 7th) was a goal short of earning a "Gordie Howe" hat trick but his assist did help his Regina Pats earn a 5-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Burroughs, the captain of the Pats and the captain of Lethbridge Josh Derko dropped the gloves just 1:16 into the game. It looked as if it was a mismatch with Derko having the size and reach on Burroughs.

Someone forgot to tell that to Burroughs as he took two shots and then dropped Derko with one right on the button.



Burroughs would serve 5 minutes for the fight and then would have the primary assist on a shorthanded goal that the Pats would scored at 15:43 of the 1st period giving the Pats a 2-0 lead. It was Burrough's 16th assist and point of the season.

Anthony Duclair (NYR 2013 3rd) scored his 16th goal of the season but he was a -2 on 6 shots and 2-2 on faceoffs as his Quebec Remparts could not hold a 2-1 lead falling 5-3 to the Shawinigan Cataractes. Duclair is now 16-8-24 on the season.

Finally you be the judge and tell me if this was 2 fights worth a double game misconduct.