A Really busy Friday night

With 11 Ranger prospects in action on Friday night, we are able to actually do the "3 stars of the night" for the first time this season

FIRST STAR

Ryan Hillier has been getting the Star of the Night quite a few times so far this season and with good reason, he has been earning them with his play this season with the Halifax Mooseheads.

Tonight was no different as Ryan netted his 11th goal of the season as his Mooseheads came from behind to defeat the Gatineau Olympiques 5-4 at home in QMJHL action. The 2nd period goal helped to pull the Mooseheads Mooseheads to within 3-2.

However in our eyes it was not the goal that earned Hillier his first star but rather his all around play tonight from his +1 to his 4 recorded "Good Hits". It is almost safe to say that Ryan has just about clinched the September/October Prospect Park Prospect of the Month award with his excellent play.

It seems that Ryan gets his share of criticism from his home fans for not having more assists as witnessed by this report. Kid is one of the top goal scorers in the QMJHL and yet people are complaining about his lack of assists?

Second Star

With just 3 NCAA games under his belt freshman Carl Hagelin is making both the Michigan Wolverines and the Ranger scouting staff look like a bunch of geniuses. Hagelin scored his 2nd goal in helping his Michigan Wolverines to a 3-1 win on the road against Northern Michigan.

Like Ryan Hillier, Carl Hagelin is catching our eye not for just his offense but his solid all-around play. The freshman from Sweden is showing little if any problem adapting to the North American style of Hockey.

For the game, Hagelin was a +1 and took 3 shots on goal for the Wolverines. His 3rd period goal was dagger that finished off the Northern Michigan Wildcats.

That Hagelin is playing for a coaching legend like a Red Bernson is going to help this young prospect develop and down the road the Rangers are going to reap some solid benefits.

THIRD STAR

Now Max Campbell can say his game counted as the true freshman playing for Western Michigan made his college debut a winner as his Broncos defeated visiting Bentley College 5-2.

Campbell centering the Bronco's second line had an assist along with a +2 as the Broncos got their season off to a good start. Campbell was expected to be an offensive threat but his defense has been an unexpected bonus.

As we mentioned when we first introduced Campbell to you, he is an offensive threat who in playing for the right NCAA program as the Broncos like to play an up tempo attacking style brand of hockey.

Let us all welcome Max to the Ranger world and wish him the best of luck today and tomorrow. We hope to have a profile on him in the December of the Blueshirt Bulletin .

OTHER ACTION

One of the reasons why Prospect Park really likes Coach Jamie Russell of Michigan Tech is because like Ranger fans he responds when he seeing hard working players in action.

Fresh off his Prospect of the Week honors, Coach Russell put Senior Jordan Foote on his first line as Michigan Tech won it's 2nd straight with a 2-0 shut out of Minnesota State at home. Foote's defense and hard work were a major part of why Tech held Minnesota State to just 23 shots for the entire game.

Senior Billy Ryan and his Maine Black Bears made their home debut a success as they defeated Mercyhurst 4-2. Ryan was held scoreless but like Russell is on the first line.

Tomas Zaborsky did not score but managed a +1 with 2 PIMs as his Saginaw Spirit pounded on the Kingston Frontenacs 7-1 in OHL action. Zaborsky will take the win but also seeing some offensive support from his teammates as it might help open up Zaborsky's game.

Also in OHL action, Bobby Sanguinetti was held scoreless for the 2nd game in a row but tonight his Brampton Battalion took the second half of a home and home from the Sudbury Wolves shutting out the Wolves on their home ice 3-0. Sanguinetti was exactly like Zaborsky again with a +1 and 2 PIMs.

In the USHL, Danny Hobbs and his Ohio Junior Bluejackets had their home opener spoiled as they were beaten by the Omaha Lancer 6-2. It was not the best of games for Hobbs as he was a -2 with 2 PIMs.

Out in the Northwest Eric Hunter had an assist as his University of Alberta Golden Bears had little trouble defeating the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns (no I have no idea what a Pronghorn is) 8-2. The Golden Bears improved to 3-1-1 in league play and are ranked as the 4th best college team in Canada.

Finally this was supposed to be the featured game of the evening having two of the 2007 Ranger draft picks going head to head. However it wound up being a game that both players would rather forget.

David Skokan and his visiting Rimouski Oceanic blew a 2-0 lead giving up 5 straight unanswered goals to lose 5-2 to Antoine Lafleur's Prince Edward Island Rocket. Now I am sure you are going "wait a second the Rocket won 5-2" but what the score does not tell you is that last night's Star was tonight's goat.

Lafleur got yanked for the 3rd time this season one day after replacing his replacement to earn win. Bizarre is the only way to describe how Lafleur gave up 2 goals on just 4 shots in just 10:43 of action. Words can not describe what happened so I am going to wait for a game report and let someone else try to explain this to you.

One night after rescuing his team I wonder if Lafleur was the victim of too quick a hook.

As for Skokan a -3 was his worst out of the season but in fairness he was asked to so much in this game as his Oceanic were missing 4 of their best players from their lineup.

It will be equally as busy on Saturday so check back with us as we will recap those games as well