Lamb Helps Gamblers Win Third Straight

Brody Lamb (Green Bay Gamblers)

It is the Friday before the annual holiday break in junior and NCAA hockey but this year is as most are aware very different. Some players and their teams are starting their holiday breaks earlier than planned because of the number of positive Covid-19 test results.

It is hitting both the Canadian Major juniors as well as the US NCAA teams and it is a fair question if there won't be drastic changes needed to insure that the second half of the season will be played. Not to mention there is some serious concern about the status of the 2022 IIHF World Under-20 Hockey Championships set to begin on December 26th in both Edmonton and Red Deer.

As of this writing, Team USA was in the second day of a team-wide quarantine period. Brett Berard is the only New York Rangers prospect on the USA roster. So far the plan is to play the games with fans in the stands but that could change on a moments notice.

Will Cuylle and Dylan Garand are the Ranger representatives on Hockey Canada's roster. Kalle Vaisanen is on Finland's roster and for the Rangers no other prospect is represented on any of the other teams in the tournament

Brody Lamb scored his fifth goal of the season as his Green Bay Gamblers defeated the Muskegon Lumberjacks 6-3. It was the Gamblers' third straight win as they even their record at 11-11-0-1 good for fifth in the USHL's Eastern Conference.

Lamb scored Green Bay's fourth goal, a power-play goal coming at 9:04 of the third period, a goal that would prove to be the game-winning goal. It was Lamb's first game-winner in the USHL as the future Minnesota Golden Gopher is starting to discover his offense.

Lamb should have goals in three straight games but the scorer in last night's game against Madison took away a goal from Lamb. Overall Lamb is 5-5-10 in 23 games.

Matt Rempe was scoreless as his Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Everett Silvertips 5-3 in the start of a "home and home"series between the two Seattle area rivals. Rempe was credited with five shots on goal with a +1 and a minor that I have to call a BGY (big guy penalty) as well as 7-11 on faceoffs.

After a slow start to the season, Rempe's play has improved and despite getting hit with penalties that anyone not 6'8 would get called for, Rempe is earning more playing time. Seattle's coach Matt O'Dette used Rempe on both special team units, defensive zone faceoffs. 

It was good to see a much more active Rempe as he was attacking the net and if not for a couple of very good saves by Everett's goalie, Rempe could have had a couple of goals. Now he has to become more consistent with his play over the second half

Jayden Grubbe was scoreless as his Red Deer Rebels shut out the Calgary Hitman 3-0. Grubbe was scoreless on four shots and was 8-9 on faceoffs. 

The Red Deer captain last scored a goal on November 5th, a span of 15 games in which he has gone 0-3-3.

Ryder Korczak and his Moose Jaw Warriors dropped a 6-5 decision to the Regina Pats. The Warriors gave up four first-period goals and spent most of the game trying to catch up. 

Korczak would earn the primary assist on the Warriors' fourth goal extended his point-scoring streak to three games (3-7-10) was 0-1-1 -2 on five shots and was 17-9 on his faceoffs. 

Overall Korczak is 10-23-33 which is good for 14th in the WHL. His 23 assists are the 8th best in the WHL.

Did Not Play

Will Cuylle (Windsor) and Dylan Garand (Kamloops) did not play for their respective teams as they are getting ready for the World Under-20 Championships as part of Team Canada.

Evan Vierling's Barrie Colts did not play against Kingston due to the OHL shutting down Kingston due to Covid -19.

Brennan Othmann's Flint Firebirds have been shut down by the OHL after 11 members of the organization tested positive for Covid-19. Those who tested positive were not identified by the OHL so no idea whether Othmann was one of the 11 or not.

Hugo Ollas served as the backup for his Merrimack Warriors in their non-conference game with Dartmouth.