Prospect Weekly: Bearing Down

Biggest news of the week is Nick Henry was traded in the WHL to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. This was a move that was a long time coming since the Regina Pats burned up all their assets and futures last year as Memorial Cup hosts and were expected to eventually sell their remaining older players. Henry was fortunate enough to make the move from Regina with his center and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jake Leschyshyn. The duo remained paired together in their debut for Lethbridge with Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Jordy Bellrive. Henry immediately played a three-in-three with his new team and chipped in two assists. Enjoy some of #HustleHank’s best highlights below.

 

Over in the KHL Nikolai Kovalenko is still hanging around. He wasn’t used much in Lokomotiv’s 4-3 shootout win over Niznekamsk but Kovalenko was brought out to bury the winning goal in the shootout in what’s becoming his signature move. The coaching staff decided to reward Kovalenko with much more ice time in the following game in a 5-3 loss against Bars Kazan and he provided this superb pass seen below for his first assist in the KHL. And then again on Monday Kovalenko scored in the shootout in a 2-1 win over Kunlun. Kovalenko now has five points on the season as he has remained with the men’s team all season.

 

Shane Bowers is still alive on a floundering 4-7-2 BU squad but he is still making plays as evidenced below on a nice pass on the power play. BU fell 4-1 to Boston College in this contest and skated to a 0-0 tie the following night in the rematch. Someone send some offensive help up to Boston, please.

 

Cam Morrison picked up third star in the conference honors for a big week. He now has nine points in 11 games for the Fighting Irish.

 

Brandon Saigeon scoring isn’t anything new but he potted his 20th goal of the season in a 5-1 loss to Niagara. He gets his own rebounds and puts a quick backhander past the goaltender as seen below and is his third goal for a total of five points in the last week. It is the third consecutive season scoring at least 20 goals in the OHL. How much longer until he cracks 30 goals?

 

Colorado Eagles won 3-2 in another shootout against the visiting Iowa Wild. Travis Barron scored his first AHL goal as seen below. It was top shelf, just as expected how he would get his first. AJ Greer also added on to his scoring run with a goal as he holds on to second in team scoring and tops in points per game with 19 points in 18 games.

 

And again for the second game in a row Michael Joly and Martin Kaut converted in the shootout to seal the victory. Kaut’s shootout move seen below was kinda dirty.

 

The Colorado Eagles were not as fortunate the second night in the rematch falling this time 3-2 to Iowa. Initially the Eagles built up a 2-0 lead thanks to two greatly skilled efforts. Igor Shvyrev made a slick touch pass to Ty Lewis who buried the puck into a wide open net for his third goal in the last three games as seen below.

 

Shortly after AJ Greer would make a statement with this shorthanded goal for his second goal of the weekend as seen below. Two goals would not be enough however as the Eagles botched two extended 5v3 opportunities and went 0/7 on the power play as they gave up the lead in the third period and lost in the shootout. Better luck next weekend.

 

Petr Kvaca had an eventful week of his own winning his second game 4-1 for his new club Trinec over Pardubice and nearly capturing his first shutout in the Czech Extraliga, with only letting up a goal under a minute to go. Kvaca’s consolation was an assist on the team’s second goal and also an extension of his loan to the club until January 15th.

 

Credit Colorado Eagles for the photo