Ba ba boom

Ryan Strome (OHL Images)

Sunday was an interesting day as defense was not exactly the norm in the games involving New York Islander or New York Ranger prospects. Plenty of offense with a winning streak finally coming to an end; oops sorry becoming a "unbeaten in regulation" streak.

Ryan Strome (NYI 2011 1st) and Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) had a mostly fun-filled Sunday as their Sunday afternoon was spent playing hockey or in this case stat filling. Strome with a 1-3-4 +3 and Graham a 1-1-2 +5 led their Niagara IceDogs to a 9-4 beating of the Windsor Spitfires.

Let's go right to the video replay on this one as Strome shows off some of his skills here. Thank you TVCogeOntario



A rather impressive display of the Ryan Strome skill set as there really isn't much more one can add to these highlights other than to fill in what was missed. Strome had 2 primary assists and then a secondary assist during Niagara's 4 goal first period.

Jesse Graham (OHL Images)

In the second period after Windsor had pulled to within 5-4, Jesse Graham found the back of the net to increase the lead back to 2 goals. Graham had taken a "delay of game" penalty that led to one of the Windsor goals scored in the 2nd period.

If you had watched the video clips then you understand the title of this post as Graham did what most smart players do on the power play move a bit to get the defense to follow you then give the puck to the goal scorers. In this case the announcer's use of "Ba ba boom" fit the Strome shot quite well and if you didn't watch the video, it comes around the 3:54 mark of the clip.

Strome earned the game's 2nd star for his efforts and the 4 points extend his scoring streak to 10 games (4-14-18) and his overall numbers to 32-58-90 (6th in OHL). Graham tied his career high with his 4th goal of the season and the assist was his 30th (4-30-34) as the IceDogs have won 2 straight games.

Andrey Pedan (NYI 2011 3rd) showed the good and the bad to his game as his Guelph Storm survived the Sudbury Wolves 4-2. Pedan had a secondary assist on the Storm's 1st goal which was a power play goal coming at 7:44 of the 1st period.

It was his 40th point of the season (12-28-40) and it tied his OHL career best from last season and while it gave the Storm a 1-0 lead; they would wind up tied after the 1st period 1-1. The Wolves would take the lead in the 2nd but the Storm would answer back with 3 goals to regain the lead for good.

Pedan would take 2 minor penalties that would only result in 1 power play for the Wolves; the 2nd penalty is the one that bothers me as it was a boarding call that Pedan is lucky was only a minor. Pedan has to realize that at this point in the season if he takes a major penalty then odds are his season will be over via a suspension.

The Storm needs Pedan if they are going to have any chance of catching Kitchener for 4th place in the OHL's Western Conference (they trail by 3 points with game in hand and 7 games remaining). With Pedan in the lineup the Storm have a chance of making some noise in the OHL playoffs and the better he plays; the more he forces the Islanders to offer him a contract.

Few players who reenter the NHL Entry Draft are selected higher than they were the first time they were drafted.

Samuel Noreau (NYR 2011 5th) appears to have awaken from his mid-season nap. The 6'5 defender of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar played an active part in his Drakkar earning a 4-1 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes.

A secondary assist on the Drakkar's 2nd goal of the game (on the power play) coming with just 7 seconds in the 1st period wound up being the game winner. But that wasn't what was we liked as it was the 3 "dangerous" shots (read that as scoring chances) out of the 6 that Noreau took.

Noreau when he gets wood on his shot can cause an opposing team problems as they generate rebounds which lead to those "garbage" coaches love. For Noreau the assist was his 25th giving him a 7-25-32 for the season.

Shane McColgan (NYR 2011 5th) and his Saskatoon Blades saw their 18 game winning streak halted by the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-4 in overtime. The Blades fell back into an old bad habit of not playing a complete game as they blew a 4-0 lead in this one.

Moose Jaw scoring 4 goals in the 3rd period along with the game winner in overtime as they handed the Blades their first loss since January 23rd. The winning streak now becomes an "unbeaten in regulation" streak that I too have been guilty of using in the past.

McColgan was scoreless on a -1 and took a double minor that Moose Jaw did not score on. The Blades with a 10 point lead in the WHL's East Division and 6 games remaining have pretty much locked in the 2nd seed for the WHL Eastern Conference playoffs.

Finally while this is not about a Ranger or Islander prospect, congrats to Kurtis Mucha of the Calgary Golden Bears as the former Portland Winterhawk goalie helped the Golden Bear win their 50th W.G. Hardy trophy as Canada West champions.

Sometimes the good guys really do win.