Third Star Cuylle's Twin Helpers Give Windsor A Win

Will Cuylle (OHL Images)

Eight New York Ranger prospects hit the ice on Saturday night with six of them getting to see their team earn wins. While most of the talk has been about Brennan Othmann and his Flint Firebirds, there is another prospect whose team also plays in the same OHL division that could wind up facing each other early enough in the OHL playoffs that the loser could wind up joining the Hartford Wolf Pack for their playoff run.

Will Cuylle already has some AHL experience but because of his birthday is playing for the Windsor Spitfires. Cuylle and his Spitfires hosted their arch-rivals the London Knights and handed the Knights a 5-2 loss. 

The game's third star, Cuylle had a 0-2-2 night that included five shots on goal, a -1, a roughing minor at the end of the first period, and he was 3-2 on faceoffs. In other words, a typical day at the rink for the Spitfires captain. 

Cuylle's assists were both secondary ones with both coming on the power play and the second of the two were on the game-winning goal. It is hard not to like the 6'4 210 power forward who is 26-20-46 in just 35 games. 

Remember this is the prospect who scouts have called a "clean version of the Cap's Tom Wilson". Cuylle has tied his career-best in goals but in 28 fewer games and the same can be said for his assists except in 27 fewer games. 

With the win, Cuylle's Spitfires are in fourth place in the OHL's Western Conference, six points behind Brennan Othmann's Flint Firebirds. Cuylle and the Spitfires hold three games in hand and they will be facing Flint next week in a huge "home and home" series.

Brennan Othmann (OHL Images)

Speaking of Brennan Othmann and his Flint Firebirds, they have been a nightmare for the Erie Otters as after their 5-1 win, the Firebirds are 8-0 this season against the Otters. Othmann and company won their fifth straight game as they maintain a one-point lead over the Soo Greyhounds for first place in the OHL's Western Conference and West Division.

Othmann had two secondary assists including on the game-winning goal as he extends his scoring streak to five games (2-6-8). Flint's only loss in their past ten games has been in the only game that Othmann has not scored in. 

On the season, Othmann is now 31-31-62 good to lead his team and is seventh overall in the OHL.

Ryder Korczak's 18th goal at 7:49 of the second period would prove to be the game-winner as Korczak's Moose Jaw Warriors made it two straight wins over the Calgary Hitmen with a 4-1 win. The goal was an even-strength goal and it tied a career-best as Korczak also set a new career-high with his fourth game-winning goal of the season.

Ryder Korczak doesn't miss from there. That's his 17th of the season!#AllInTogether | @Korzy19 pic.twitter.com/AoiyBZsPWv

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) February 13, 2022

As the tweet said if Korczak gets the puck at that spot in the slot then he is not going to miss from there. One thing of concern is that Korczak has been struggling with his faceoffs as of late as he was 5-10 for the night which is nothing like he has been doing this season. 

The goal gives Korczak an 18-38-56 mark in the WHL as he is second in scoring on his team.

Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)

In a matchup of the top two teams in the WHL's Western Conference, Dylan Garand, and his Kamloops Blazers traveled to Everett to face the Everett Silvertips. It was as expected a battle of heavyweights that went to the shootout before Kamloops would earn the win 5-4. 

Everett dominated the game over most of the first two periods, earning themselves a 3-0 lead as Garand had one deflected past him in the first period. Everett was able to score a shorthand goal in the second to make it 2-0 and added a power-play goal to make it 3-0.

Garand faced 33 shots over the first two periods stopping 30 of them but he kept Kamloops in a game they were getting pushed around all over the ice. Kamloops would get on the scoreboard late in the second on a power play to send the game into the third period with Everett up 3-1. 

In the third Kamloops found their offensive attack as they scored twice in 21 seconds to tie the game at 3-3. They would take the lead at 4-3 at the mid-point of the third period and looked like they would win in regulation. 

But a questionable penalty on Kamloops gave Everett a power-play with 2:10 left in regulation and Everett scored to force overtime at 4-4. Neither team was able to score in overtime forcing the game to the shootout and Garand was perfect stopping four Everett shots before Kamloops would put one in to earn the win. 

Overall Garand stopped 38 out of 41 shots to earn his WHL best 25th win of the season to go 25-7. He leads the WHL with a goals-against of 2.06 and is second in save percentage with a 0.923.

The win pulled Kamloops to within five points of Everett in the race for the WHL's Western Conference championship.

Matthew Rempe and his Seattle Thunderbirds had little trouble with the Victoria Royals earning a 7-3 win. Rempe scored his 11th goal of the season in the second period scoring Seattle's fifth goal of the game. 

Rempe is 11-3-14 on the season as he was 1-0-1 on two shots and was 6-2 on faceoffs. Seattle won their fourth straight as they chase Portland for third place in the WHL's US Division. They were able to pull to within four points of Portland in the standings with the win.

Brody Lamb and his Green Bay Gamblers dropped their second straight to the Youngstown Phantoms 5-2. Lamb had a secondary assist on one shot as the Gamblers fell four points behind the Phantoms for fifth place in the USHL's Eastern Conference.

For Lamb, the assist gives him a 12-9-21 mark in 39 games.

Hank Kempf was scoreless as his Cornell Big Red spanked Union College 5-2. Kempf didn't register any kind of stats in this matchup.

Simon Kjellberg and his Rensselaer Engineers dropped a 3-2 decision to the Colgate Red Raiders in ECAC action. Kjellberg was held scoreless on one shot with a -2 and a high-sticking minor.

Did Not Play

Evan Vierling of the Barrie Colts missed his sixth game due to a shoulder issue.

Talyn Boyko was the backup goalie for his Kelowna Rockets as they faced the Tri-City Americans.