USA invites Brady Skeji and more

Brady Skeji (USA Hockey)

USA Hockey announced who was getting invited to their World Under-20 selection camp that will held December 15th-18th in Minneapolis with Brady Skeji (NYR 2012 1st) receiving one of the invites. Skeji was no surprise as he is one of the top defensive prospects playing in the USA despite what some may thing.

Skeji is a solid defensive player who's offense has not caught up to his defensive skills just like Ryan McDonagh was at Wisconsin and he is turning out quite well. Because of his defense I would have to say Skeji is a lock for Team USA.

The only surprise to not earn a invite has to be Islander prospect Taylor Cammarata (NYI 2013 3rd) as his play this season suggested he deserved one. Why he did not get one is puzzling especially since the coach of Team USA is his own coach at Minnesota Don Lucia.

And before start throwing names out there wondering why "so and so" did not get an invite; the players that USA Hockey selected were the right picks (except for not taking Cammarata).

Wednesday Action

Anthony Duclair (NYR 2013 3rd) had another strong game for his Quebec Remparts going 1-2-3 but it wasn't enough to stop Loic Leduc's (NYI 2012 4th) Cape Breton Screaming Eagles who won 6-3. Duclair and his teammates fell behind 4-0 before they got on the scoreboard and quite honestly deserved to lose by more.

Duclair had 2 primary assists and his 23rd goal of the season for the Remparts who at 15-10-3-3 are 1 point better than Leduc's Screaming Eagles who at 16-11-0-3 hold a game in hand. Duclair is now 23-15-38 which is good for 11th in the QMJHL.

Leduc had a secondary assist on Cape Breton's 5th goal for his 6th point of the season (3-3).

Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th) was scoreless on 4 shots as his Charlottetown Islanders let a 2-0 3rd period lead slip away and lost 3-2 to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The loss extended the Islander's winless streak to 6 games (0-5-0-1).

Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) and his Brandon Wheat Kings hosted Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2013 7th) and his Regina Pats in a battle of Islander prospect defensemen. Burroughs though did not make it out of the 1st period as he was leveled by a hit then had trouble standing on his own and was helped off the ice not to return. (S/T Gregg Drinnan)

Pulock was scoreless as his Wheat Kings held off the Pats 5-4 scoring the game winner with just 29 seconds remaining in regulation.

Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) gave up 3 goals on 19 shots as his Kootenay Ice dropped a 3-2 decision to the Vancouver Giants. Skapski gave up a late power play goal in the 3rd period for the winner.

Go Otters

The only team in junior hockey to have a Ranger and Islander prospect playing for them is the new number one team in the weekly BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Otters feature Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) and Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) on their roster.

Congrats as they join the Minnesota Golden Gophers who top the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's Hockey Poll. The Golden Gophers feature Brady Skeji (NYR) and Taylor Cammarata and Jake Bischoff (NYI).