Garand Earns Third Straight Win

Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)

Dylan Garand stopped 23 out of 24 shots to lead his Kamloops Blazers to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Giants. Friday night Garand came within 48 seconds of earning a shutout over these Giants but on Saturday the Giant broke through just 2:35 of the first period.

While it would be the only goal allowed by Garand, he really didn't have to work any harder than he did on Friday night. Other than the first period when Garand would face 14 shots, the rest of the game was pretty easy for him. 

Garand only faced two shots in the second period followed by eight more in the third period. For the season, Garand improves to 11-2 with the 11 wins as tops in the WHL, he lowered his goals-against to 1.86 (fourth-best), his save percentage is 0.925 (also fourth WHL), and his two shutouts are fifth-best in the WHL.

While one has to credit Kamloops for being one of the best defensive teams in the WHL, Garand is the guy who keeps the puck out so the question becomes; what does he have to do in order to earn a contract?

Brett Berard (Providence Friars)

Brett Berard broke a four-game goal-scoring drought as his 13th-ranked Providence Friars defeated the UConn Huskies 6-4. Berard earned his team-leading eighth goal of the season on the power play.

The sophomore forward took a feed from linemate Nick Poisson right in front of the UConn goalie then deked left and fired a backhanded shot over the goalie's glove side. It was Providence's sixth goal of the game coming at 15:32 of the third and pretty much put the game away for the Friars.

Berard is second on Providence in scoring with an 8-5-13 record but the eight goals do lead the Friars.

In a matchup of Ranger prospect defensemen, Hank Kempf's 12th-ranked Cornell "Big Red" spanked Simon Kjellberg's Rensselaer Engineers 11-3. Both prospects recorded primary assists for their respective teams as Kjellberg got his on Rensselaer's first goal and Kempf's was on Cornell's third goal.

Kjellberg was 0-1-1 on three shots with a -1 while Kempf was 0-1-1 with no shots recorded but he was a +2 for the game. Kjellberg is 2-6-8 in 11 games while Kempf is 0-3-3 in six.

Ryder Korczak had a secondary assist as his Moose Jaw Warriors lost via the shootout to the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3. Korczak's assist came on Moose Jaw's first goal of the game, an even-strength goal at 4:22 of the first period.

Korczak had a mixed game as besides the assist, he took two shots with a +1 but he took a cross-checking minor late in the second period which led to an Edmonton goal just seconds into the third period. Overall Korczak leads all New York Ranger prospects in scoring with a 6-14-20 record after 15 games.

Evan Vierling and his Barrie Colts dropped a 5-4 overtime loss to the Peterborough Petes. Vierling had a primary assist on a night where he was 3-8 on his faceoffs while being credited for two shots and was a -2.

Vierling is now 5-7-12 after 14 games this season.

Forward Will Cuylle and his Windsor Spitfires lost to the Soo Greyhounds 4-3 as Cuylle was held scoreless. Cuylle was credited with three shots, was a +1 with a minor for "delay of game" and was 1-4 on faceoffs.

Brennan Othmann was scoreless on seven shots as his Flint Firebirds lost to the Kitchener Rangers 4-2. Othmann was credited with seven shots with a -1 and was 0-1 on faceoffs

Center Matt Rempe was scoreless as his Seattle Thunderbirds lost to archrival Everett 3-2. Rempe was 10-7 on his faceoffs, credited with one shot while a -2, and had a minor for tripping.

Brody Lamb was held scoreless as his Green Bay Gamblers lost to the Cedar Rapids Roughriders 5-3 in USHL action. Lamb did not register a single stat in this game

Did Not Play

Talyn Boyko was the backup goalie for his Kelowna Rockets after starting Friday night

Hugo Ollas was the backup goalie for his Merrimack Warriors