Not very friendly anymore

Mitchell Theoret (Barrie Colts)

Thursday night prospect hockey was highlighted by the matchup featuring New York Islander prospects and former linemates Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) and Ryan Strome (NYI 2011 1st). Theoret who was traded by the Niagara IceDogs at the OHL trading deadline to the Barrie Colts was making his first return to the arena that he called home for 3 1/2 season.

Besides the personal matchups, it was also a visit by the OHL's Eastern Conference leaders the Barrie Colts. The Niagara IceDogs have struggled as of late; the team lost defenseman Dougie Hamilton to the Boston Bruins, having Strome and Brett Ritchie gone at NHL camps and even the Theoret trade have affected the team.

The folks at TVCogecoOntario had the video highlights for us and even though Theoret didn't score, he was a factor on all 3 goals scored in the game as the Barrie Colts rallied for a 2-1 overtime win.



In cased you missed it, Theoret won a faceoff in his defensive zone but a teammate turned over the puck which led to the IceDog's only goal of the game. Theoret set one of the screens on the game tying goal for the Colts and right after the ensuing faceoff the 2 former linemates Theoret and Strome were called for slashing each other.

Normally the penalty would have resulted in 3 on 3 hockey in overtime but an IceDog player took a highsticking call during the final minute of regulation giving the Colts a 4 on 3 power play for the Colts. The Colts took advantage scoring 35 seconds into overtime for a 2-1 win.

Strome got the primary assist on the IceDogs only goal for his 43rd assist and 66th point. Defenseman Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) also did not score but was on the ice for both of the Barrie goals.

Graham is seeing increased minutes because of the loss of Hamilton to the NHL. It will be interesting to see how he handles it. Hopefully he can handle it because this loss extended the IceDogs's winless streak to 5 games (0-4-1-0).

Ssh don't look now but Peter Ceresnak (NYR 2011 6th) and his Peterborough Petes are on a roll (5-2-0-3). Taking on the Belleville Bulls who hold 2nd place in the OHL's Eastern Conference showed off a bit of the new version of the Petes.

The Bulls jumped out to a 2-0 lead which has been one of the Pete's worst traits but on this night the Petes rallied to tie the game and forced first overtime then the shootout where they came away with the 3-2 win.

Ceresnak did not score but his defense looked better than it had been. Going to show the game highlights because you have to see the shootout goal scored by Jonathan Tanus.

Want to talk about undressing a goalie; this one is worth watching.



Finally in the QMJHL, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles kind of sort of no not really gave an update on the status of Loic Leduc (NYI 2012 4th) who has not played since suffering a leg injury on December 28th.

The update you ask was? That the doctors were still assessing the injury. Really anyone who saw the 6'6 Leduc land awkwardly and had to be helped off the ice knows it is way more than "a lower body injury".

He has a serious injury, he has missed a month of games so where is the harm in saying that it is a serious injury. Cape Breton is 17th out of 18 teams in the QMJHL standings. League Champions they are not going to be.

Sheesh.