t's Hard Not To Really Like Dylan Garand

Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)

So I made the trip to Portland Oregon hoping to see Kamloops goalie Dylan Garand in net against the Portland Winterhawks. It didn't happen as Kamloops started rookie Dylan Ernest so got a game off or so I thought. 

Ernest struggled in the first two periods giving up three goals on 27 shots, I wondered what it would take for Ernest to be pulled. Instead, I saw something I don't have even seen before watching prospect goalies in action.

At first, I didn't pay attention to the sound of "thump, thump, and thump" but after a while, it became impossible to ignore and it turned out to be the sound of Garand banging his glove against the bench. Garand decided to play cheerleader for his fellow goalie. 

It was special to watch as soon Garand got his teammates joining him. Did it have an effect? Oh, you bet it did as it fired up the entire team. The next thing you knew it became 3-2 and then tied up at three up. 

Kamloops had turned all the momentum totally in favor of their team to when the Blazers took the lead for good.  And the credit belonged to the unsung leader who never left the bench.

In talking after the game, I asked Garand why he did what he and his response was awesome. "He (Ernest) was struggling and I wanted to show that there was one guy supporting him" A couple of Garand's teammates who were listening in said that was typical Garand. 

One said he would be skating up ice and he would hear Garand cheering him on in previous games. The team loves Garand and he loves them back. Saturday is going to be a major test for the Blazers as they face Everett with their 16-0-1-1 record.

Meanwhile up in Kelowna, another goalie prospect for the Rangers was having an effect on his team's performance. Talyn Boyko stopped 38 out of 39 shots in regulation and overtime plus five more out of eight in the shoot out to give his Kelowna Rockets a 2-1 shootout win over the Spokane Chiefs. 

Still once again Boyko surrendered a first period goal on just five shots. After that the Chiefs could not score again until the shootout as Boyko stopped 34 shots over the second, third, and overtime periods.

That earned Boyko the game's first-star as he improved to 3-1 as a Rocket with a 2.22 Goals against and a 0.922 save percentage. Overall Boyko is now 4-7 with a 3.55 GAA and 0.899 SV%. 

Brennan Othmann continues his hot streak with a three assist effort as his Flint Firebirds knocked off the Sarnia Sting 6-3. Othmann had two secondary assists as well as a primary assist to improve to 3-5-8 over his las three games. 

Othmann would earn his two secondary assists in the second period helping his Firebirds to a 3-0 lead early in the second period. In the third after his Firebirds had regained the lead, Othmann set up Sahil Panwar for the dagger goal which clinched the win for the Firebirds. 

A typical Othmann night with his 0-3-3 coming on a six shot performance which led his team. Overall Othmann after 16 games is 13-11-24 which is best among New York Ranger prospects.

Brett Berard keyed a second-period come back for his 14th-ranked Providence Friars as they came back from down 0-3 to earn a 7-4 win in non-conference action. Berard got his Friars going with his ninth goal of the season just 1:37 into the second period cutting the score to 1-3.

From there Berard set both the second and third goals to tie the game after two periods. Those assists were Berard's eighth and ninth on the season. Berard leads Providence in scoring with a 9-9-18 mark.

Brody Lamb has struggled offensively over the last 10 games with just a single goal to show for his efforts. Friday Lamb had a two-assist effort for his Green Bay Gamblers as they defeated Team USA NTDP 5-2. 

Lamb earned his first point as part of a power-play, a secondary assist on a power-play goal in the second period which tied the game at 2-2. In the third, Lamb earned the primary assist on the Gambler's final goal, an empty net goal which put the game out of reach. 

Lamb is 3-5-8 after 16 games this season.

Simon Kjellberg was scoreless on four shots as his Rensselaer defeated Northeastern 2-1 in non-conference action. 

Ryder Korczak was scoreless on two shots with a -2 and a minor for roughing while going 15-11 on faceoffs as his Moose Jaw Warriors fell to the Swift Current Broncos.

Jayden Grubbe was scoreless as his Red Deer Rebels lost to the Saskatoon Blades 3-1. Grubbe was scoreless on three shots with a -2, a double minor for high-sticking, and was 13-4on faceoffs.

Will Cuylle was scoreless on five shots as his Windsor Spitfires lost to the Saginaw Spirit 6-5.

Did Not Play

Ryan Hughes remains out for his Northeastern Huskies with a LBI (lower-body injury). Hughes last played on November 6yh and is listed on the injury report as "week to week"