The Duke Duclair to the rescuse

Anthony Duclair (Metronews.ca)

A pretty busy Friday night for the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects as their teams jockey for positions in the standings before the holiday break. As many as 4 of the prospects in action on Friday could see themselves heading to Europe to play in the World Under-20 championships. Anthony Duclair (NYR 2013 3rd) once again finds himself earning a star for his efforts.

Tonight's Star Anthony Duclair Quebec Remparts

Seriously it is hard to find new ways to praise Anthony (The Duke) Duclair as he has been the only Ranger prospect to show any serious offensive game this season. Duclair has been playing as if he wants to prove that last season was a fluke and he should be seen as a serious NHL prospect. Duclair earned the game's 2nd star with a 1-1-2 effort as his Quebec Remparts defeated the Halifax Mooseheads via the shootout 4-3.

Duclair had an almost perfect night as besides the points, Duclair was a +3 on 4 shots with going 0-4 on his faceoffs and missing on his shootout attempt as the only blemishes to his game. Duclair had the only assist on Fabrice Herzog's shorthanded goal at 14:13 of the first period which gave the Remparts a 2-1 lead that they took into the 1st intermission.

In the 2nd period after Halifax had scored twice to take a 3-2 lead until Duclair scored his 24th goal of the season at 14:14 to tie the game. The win moved the Remparts into 7th place overall in the QMJHL while Duclair's 1-1-2 improved him to 24-16-40 which is 10th in the QMJHL.

And while all of us (myself included) have been raving about Duclair's offense, it would be unfair not to mention the improvements in other areas of his game. After starting the season with 26 PIMS in his first 12 games, Duclair has just 8 PIMs in his last 12 games.

Duclair has earned time on the penalty kill as his defensive game has shown solid improvement since the beginning of the season. The Duke is doing very well for himself.

The Rest Of the Prospects

Taylor Cammarata (NYI 2013 3rd) had a goal, Jake Bischoff (NYI 2012 6th) an assist and Brady Skeji (NYR 2013 1st) also had an assist as their top ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers played to a 2-2 overtime tie against Michigan State (who earned the shootout point). Cammarata returned to the Minnesota lineup after missing last weekends games with an injury got Minnesota going with his 4th goal of the season which the primary assist went to Bischoff (his 2nd).

Skeji earned his 3rd assist and 5th point (2-3-5)of the season with the primary assist on Minnesota's 2nd goal. Cammarata is 4-8-12 and Bischoff 3-2-5 as the two teams will face each other on Saturday.

In a rematch of last year's WHL finals, Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) and his Edmonton Oil Kings hosted the Portland Winterhawks on Teddy Bear Toss night in Edmonton. Reinhart earned a secondary assist on Edmonton's 3rd goal but this game went to the shootout before Edmonton came away with a 5-4 win. A shame that because of travel distance that these 2 teams only face each other once a season unless they meet in the playoffs.

It was an entertaining game as Edmonton built up a 3-1 lead in the 3rd period only to see Portland come back with a goal with just 56 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Portland dominated the first period with Edmonton dominating the second. The 3rd was a wild crazy shootout with both teams putting up 17 shots each. Reinhart's assist gives him a 2-9-11 mark on the season.

Robbie Russo (NYI 2011 4th) had a primary assist on 11th ranked Notre Dame's 3rd goal as they defeated Umass-Amherst 5-3 in Hockey East action. For Russo it was his 8th assist and 11th point of the season as Notre Dame improves to 3-3-1 in Hockey East action.

Teammate Steven Fogarty (NYR 2011 3rd) remains out with a lower body injury with no timetable for his return.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) had a primary and a secondary assist but his Saginaw Spirit fell behind 3-0 in the 2nd period and eventually would lose 5-3 to the Kitchener Rangers. The Spirit are winless in their last 4 games (0-3-1-0) as Graham is now 0-4-4 with the Spirit and 6-14-20 overall this season.

Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) was scoreless as was his teammate Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) as their Erie Otters won their 6th straight game 2-0 over the Ottawa 67's. The Otters defense got the job done helping goalie Oscar Dansk earn his 4th shutout in 18 games played this season.

The Otters are a CHL best 25-4-1-0 and have gone 9-1 in their last 10 games.

Victor Crus-Rydberg (NYI 2013 5th) was scoreless as his Plymouth Whalers lost to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4-3. The Whalers dug themselves a 0-3 hole and could not recover.

Adam Tambellini (NYR 2013 3rd) was scoreless on 1 shot as North Dakota defeated Western Michigan 3-2. Tambellini was the 4th line center and for the most part was not in the flow of the game through no fault of his own.

It seemed like every time Tambellini's line would hit the ice there would be a stoppage of play or TV timeout which led to his line being replaced. In the 3rd, I got to see Tambellini used on the North Dakota power play being used as the body in the crease trying to screen Western Michigan's goalie. Tambellini did a good job staying as a shadow setting screens but his teammates could not get the puck on net.

They list Tambellini at 6'3 but he looks bigger than that height-wise but seriously needs to hit the weight room. This could be a diamond in the rough as he skates quite well for a big man.

Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) had one of those nights where little went right as his Brandon Wheat Kings lost to the Swift Current Broncos 4-3. Pulock was scoreless but a -3 on the night.

Goalies Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) and Stephon Williams (NYI 2013 4th) were both "DNP" for their respective teams. Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2013 7th) was not in the Regina Pat's lineup as he has to go through the WHL's concussion protocols. Burroughs was injured Wednesday night after taking a nasty hit from Brandon Wheat King Jayce Hawryluk.

Hawryluk received a 2 game suspension for the hit and I wish the major juniors and the NCAA would adopt a rule where if a player is injured as the result of a dirty hit then the offending player is suspended for as long as the injured player is unable to play plus his suspension.

To me it is wrong that a player can be punished for a dirty play but could wind up playing while the player he injured remains out of action. Make the punishment fit the crime.

Fearing the mighty (Erie) Otter

Adam Pelech (OHL Images)

As we start the next to last weekend of prospect hockey before the holiday break, the dynamic duo of Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) and Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) were back at it as the Erie Otters hit the road to face the Peterborough Petes. The OHL leading Otters were looking to extend their winning streak to 5 games and the Petes were more than happy to help, gifting a 6-1 win for the Otters.

Adam Pelech tied a career high with his 8th goal of the season to go along with a +2 as he is going to make it very tough on Hockey Canada to cut him from the World Under-20 squad. Pelech opened the scoring for the Otters when he deflected a Connor David pass into the net at 8:25 of the first period. Pelech is 8-13-21 0n 29 games.

Teammate Donnay was scoreless, a +1 and a minor for holding that the Otters killed off. The Otters in winning their 5th straight have opened a 5 point lead for the best record in the OHL.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) was scoreless as his Saginaw Spirit fell to the Windsor Spitfires 5-2 in the battle for 2nd place in the OHL's West Division. The Spirit are in a bit of a funk as of late winless in their last 3 games.

It may have been only an exhibition game but sorry no way should Cristoval Nieves (NYR 2012 2nd) and his 3rd ranked Michigan Wolverines lose to the US Under-18 team 5-4 in overtime. Nieves was a -1 on 1 shot and again it is frustrating to see a talented player like Nieves just not put it together like he should.

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).

Hockey Canada has a surprise or 2

Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton Oil Kings)

Hockey Canada had a few surprises for the hockey world when they announced the names of those invited to their World Under-20 selection camp. The camp which begins Dec. 12 at the MasterCard Center for Hockey Excellence in Etobicoke, Ontario will only have 25 players to tryout for 22 spots. While the New York Rangers won't have anyone at the camp, the New York Islanders will have 2 players.

The first is Griffin Reinhart (2012 1st) was a lock from a talent standpoint but from a manpower that was a different story. Reinhart still has 3 games of a 4 game suspension to serve from last year's tournament. Reinhart was handed a 4 game suspension as the result of a high stick he was called for in last year's semifinal.

Reinhart because of the suspension would have to miss Canada's first 3 games and there was some question if Canada would take him or not. It is a gamble for Canada to take a player who leaves them shorthanded if another defender gets injured.

The other invite was Adam Pelech (2012 3rd) of the Erie Otters and while I am happy for Pelech because he has worked very hard for this, the selection remains a bit of a surprise considering who Canada did not invite.

One of those was Ryan Pulock (2013 1st) who was a surprise that he did not earn the invite. Pulock has more offense than Pelech and perhaps a little more on the defensive end as well. How any national team thinks remains a mystery as every year someone gets snub.

One other surprise that I happen to like is the smaller numbers invited as there won't be this daily parade of players who got cut at 6:30 in the morning and then have to walk the media scrum trying to explain why they were cut. I like this because too often my peers in the media forget that we are dealing with teenagers who for the most part have almost no experience in dealing with the number of media folks at these camps.

Monday hockey

Why yes there was a game played on Monday evening as Cristoval Nieves (NYR 2013 1st)and his 3rd ranked Michigan Wolverines were on the road to play Ohio State. Michigan would need overtime but they defeated Ohio State 5-4 to earn their 4th straight win.

Nieves got the primary assist on Michigan's first goal and if the video works here then you will see why I get down on Nieves. The play starts at the 28 second mark and looks innocent enough as one Michigan player chases down the puck while Nieves skates behind the goal line. The puck comes to Nieves who is already starting to pass it to his other teammate who is coming off the sideboards.

Puck is right on the stick, puck winds up right behind the goalie for a 1-0 Michigan lead. Nieves 7th assist and 8th point of the season. But it was a "bang bang" play that Nieves made look easy and that is why I want to see him do more.

Team USA Wednesday

Team USA will announce who will be invited to their selection camp on Wednesday. I only expect Brady Skeji to earn an invite as Steven Fogarty has been hurt and Adam Tambellini has not really done much at North Dakota.

The shortest Sunday report ever (sort of)

This really will not take very long as Sunday was not a bad day but it wasn't a good day for the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects.

Loic Leduc (NYI 2012 4th) and his Cape Breton Screaming Eagles doubled up Ryan Graves (NYR 2013 4th) and his Charlottetown Islanders 6-3 in penalty filled game. Neither Leduc or Graves scored for his team but Graves did find himself in his 4th fight of the season.

Anthony Duclair (NYR 2013 3rd) was scoreless as his Quebec Remparts defeated the Rimouski Oceanic 3-2 in overtime. Duclair was scoreless on 2 shots.

Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) and his Edmonton Oil Kings held off the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the 2nd time in 3 days defeating them 3-2. Reinhart was scoreless for the game.

Eamon McAdam (NYI 2013 3rd) fell to 0-4 on the season after giving up 4 goals to Union College as Union defeated McAdam's Penn State Nittnay Lions 4-3. McAdam has a 4.57 goals against and a 0.878 save percentage.

The two headed monster strikes again

Adam Pelech (OHL Images)

Saturday night saw a bit of everything from big goals to defensive stands to ejections from the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects. The story leading us off has to be the Erie Otters who won their 4th straight game to increase their hold on the best record in all of the CHL.

The Otters have Adam Pelech and Troy Donnay (who will be featured in the next issue of the Blueshirt Bulletin) patrolling the blueline for the Otters and yes they are more than getting the job done.

First Stars Adam Pelech and Troy Donnay Erie Otters

There are several reasons why the Erie Otters have the best record in major junior hockey, they have the "wonderkid" Connor David, they have solid goaltending from Oscar Dansk and Devin Williams, and they have a rock solid blueline corp starring Adam Pelech (NYI 2012 3rd) and Troy Donnay (NYR 2013 UFA) who get the job done at both ends of the ice. Pelech is a strong 2 way defender who's play this season should earn him serious consideration from Hockey Canada for the Under-20 team.

Donnay is the "stay at home" defender who is using his 6'7 frame to turn the defensive crease into a "no-man's land" for opposing teams. Saturday the Erie Otters were hosting the Mississauga Steelheads in the 2nd half of a "home and home" series but were not very nice hosts. A scoreless first period was highlighted by the Otters holding the Steelheads to just 3 shots on goal.

Troy Donnay (OHL Images)

In the second period, the Otters would blow the game open with a 5 goal outburst that included Adam Pelech scoring his 7th goal of the season as the Otters would go on to win 7-1. Pelech's goal was a shot that went in off the skate of a Steelheads defender was the Otter's 2nd of the game and would prove to be the game winner (Pelech's 4th of the season).

In the meantime Donnay was scoreless but a +2 as part of a defensive effort that held the Steelheads to just 19 shots for the entire game. Pelech improves to 7-13-20 as the Otters win their 4th straight to improve to 23-4-0-1 and to think this was the same team that won only 19 games last season.

Victor Crus-Rydberg (OHL Images)

Second Star Victor Crus-Rydberg Plymouth Whalers

Victor Crus-Rydberg (NYI 2013 5th) had a goal and an assist but it wasn't enough to prevent his Plymouth Whalers from dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Owen Sound Attack. Crus-Rydberg did his best to try to get his team a win but got little help. Crus-Rydberg got the Whalers on the board first when he set up
Gianluca Curcuruto's 2nd goal of the season at 7:13 of the first period cashing in a Whaler power play.

In the 2nd period with the score tied 1-1, Crus-Rydberg would register his 7th goal of the season when Curcuruto returned the favor and set him up for a power play goal at 12:14 to give Plymouth a 2-1 lead. Owen Sound would tie the score and the 2 teams played through the 3rd period and overtime before the shootout. Crus-Rydberg shooting 2nd would miss on his attempt which was the only thing he didn't do right for Plymouth.

Crus-Rydberg is 7-17-23 which is 2nd on the Whalers.

The rest of the prospects

Brady Skeji (NYR 2012 1st) and his top ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers would earn a series sweep when they held off the 13th ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Skeji scored his 2nd goal of the season on a laser shot from the blueline that somehow made it through a bunch of traffic. Check out the video highlights starting at the 52 second mark: (courtesy Minnesota Golden Gophers)



The more I watch of him the more I see a Ryan McDonagh clone with a more developed offensive game. Skeji is 2-2-4 on the season.

Kyle Burroughs (NYI 2013 7th) had 2 secondary assists as his Regina Pats whipped the Moose Jaw Warriors 7-1. Burroughs is 2-19-21 on the season for the Pats.

Ryan Pulock (NYI 2013 1st) had a rough night of it with 1 assist but a -4 as his Brandon Wheat Kings lost to the Prince Albert Raiders 5-4 in overtime. Pulock had the primary assist on Brandon's 2nd goal of the game for his 16th assist of the season (10-16-26).

However Pulock was on the ice for all 5 Raider goals (not that he was at fault for all of them).

Griffin Reinhart (NYI 2012 1st) would have the primary assist on what turned out to be the game winning goal to help his Edmonton Oil Kings earn a 5-1 win over the Kootenay Ice. Edmonton would score their 5 goals on 32 shots on goalie Mackenzie Skapski (NYR 2013 6th) who fell to 7-6-2 3.17 goals against and a 0.898 save percentage.

Reinhart registered his 8th assist and 10th point of the season.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) recorded his 2nd assist as a member of the Saginaw Spirit but was also a -2 as the Spirit lost to the Oshawa Generals 5-2. Oshawa scored 4 goals in the 1st period and cruised from there. Graham is 6-12-18 overall on the season.

Adam Tambellini (NYR 2013 3rd) barely lasted to the 5 minute mark of the 1st period as he was ejected for a "contact to the head" major and the resulting game misconduct. Tambellini's North Dakota would gone to defeat St. Lawrence 3-2.

Robbie Russo (NYI 2011 4th) was scoreless on 3 shots and a -1 as his 10th ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell in the finals of their own Shillelagh Tournament to Northeastern 3-2. Notre Dame simply could not stay out of the penalty box giving Northeastern 8 total power plays.

Steven Fogarty (NYR 2011 3rd) missed his 5th straight game due to his undisclosed injury.

Doyle Somerby (NYI 2012 5th) and his Boston Terriers got to play in the annual "Red Hot Hockey" game at Madison Square Garden defeating 14th ranked Cornell 3-2. Somerby was scoreless on no shots with minors for tripping and holding.

Eamon McAdam (NYI 2013 3rd) was "DNP" for his Penn State Nittnay Lions as they lost to Union 4-3.