Courtesy of the Utica Comets Fan Club
Welcome to this week’s Canucks weekly prospect report, in which it seems like the Comets have been playing the exact same as the Canucks as they have not yet won a game in 2014. Then again, with all of the recalls to the Vancouver Comets Canucks one can’t expect too much else. 
There’s still good news in the other leagues, though, so make sure to keep on reading. As always, follow @nuckprospects on Twitter for the latest in prospect news and feed free to send me any feedback on anything prospect related you wish me to cover.
Let’s get to it, shall we?

Utica

Games

Friday’s game vs. Rochester, 5-2 Loss

On Friday the Comets started their week by playing the Rochester Americans in Utica. Despite outplaying Rochester through most of the game the Comets ended up falling by a 5-2 score with shots in favour of the Comets, 35-26. It was Cannata in net, as Eriksson had just returned from his backup stint in Vancouver, and Cannata only made 21 of 26 saves. Lain and Pelletier were the only goal scorers from Utica while DeFazio, Archibald, Grenier and Huskins notched assists. The Comets went 0 for 5 on the PP and 3 for 4 on the #POWERKILL.

Saturday’s Game @ Toronto, 5-2 Loss

Heading to Toronto for back to back games, Utica played the Toronto Marlies on Saturday.  While the game was much more evenly matched with the final shot count in favour of the Marlies 30-27, the Comets once again lost 5-2. Canucks prospects Lain and Grenier earned the only Comets goals. Sauve, Pelletier, Archibald and Mallet earned the assists. Eriksson returned to the net, untrumphiantly, make 25 of 29 saves. The Comets failed to score a goal again on the PP going 0 for 5 while the #POWERKILL went 3 for 5.  

Wednesday’s Game – Delayed

Wednesday’s game @ Oklahoma City was delayed due to weather until Thursday night.

Players Performance

Players stats who have played at least one game with the Comets, (X) indicates not currently on the active roster, so far are:
#PlayerPosAgeGPGAPTSPPGSOGSh/G+/-PIMSH%
78
Benn Ferriero (X)
R
26
32
10
12
22
0.69
89
2.78
-10
10
11.2
10
Colin Stuart
L
31
28
10
4
14
0.50
74
2.64
-4
26
13.5
28
Alexandre Grenier
R
21
32
10
11
21
0.66
75
2.34
0
32
13.3
25
Darren Archibald (X)
L
23
24
6
7
13
0.54
54
2.25
-2
48
11.1
17
Nicklas Jensen
C
20
26
1
3
4
0.15
52
2.00
-5
12
1.9
23
Pascal Pelletier
C
30
28
7
21
28
1.00
54
1.93
1
26
13
24
Brandon DeFazio
F
24
32
2
9
11
0.34
60
1.88
3
57
3.3
7
Henrik Tommernes
D
23
25
4
5
9
0.36
45
1.80
-13
2
8.9
14
Patrick Mullen
D
27
26
6
5
11
0.42
45
1.73
-4
9
13.3
15
Jeremy Welsh
C
25
5
0
0
0
0.00
8
1.60
-4
2
0
26
Frank Corrado (X)
C
20
29
2
3
5
0.17
43
1.48
-2
20
4.7
4
Yann Sauve
D
23
28
0
6
6
0.21
41
1.46
-10
35
0
16
Cal O’Reilly
C
27
18
2
10
12
0.67
24
1.33
3
0
8.3
3
Alex Biega
D
25
30
1
7
8
0.27
36
1.20
1
29
2.8
19
Kellan Lain
C
24
32
7
4
11
0.34
37
1.16
0
80
18.9
29
Kent Huskins
D
34
22
0
1
1
0.05
20
0.91
1
9
0
40
Peter Andersson
D
22
26
1
6
7
0.27
21
0.81
2
8
4.8
12
David Marshall
F
28
25
0
1
1
0.04
18
0.72
-6
9
0
27
Alex Mallet
C
21
26
1
2
3
0.12
16
0.62
0
13
6.3
8
Alex Friesen
F
22
10
0
1
1
0.10
6
0.60
-1
4
0
Goalies so far:
#GoaliesGPMinsWLSLSOGAGAASVSSV%
30
Joacim Eriksson
21
1206:05:00
8
11
1
2
57
2.84
540
0.905
35
Joe Cannata
13
719:23:00
3
8
1
0
38
3.17
308
0.89

Transactions:

  • Ferriero was called up to Vancouver
  • Eriksson recalled back to Vancouver
  • Corbeil called up from Wheeling to Utica
  • Archibald recalled to Vancouver

Other:

Currently the Comets are in 15th place with 25 points (11-18-1-2), only 2 points away from not-last-place with three games in hand. They have been out-scored 76 to 100 (-24), and have been outshot 886 to 948 (-62). They are controlling 48.31% (acknowledging score effects) of the shots with an on ice shooting percentage of 8.5% and a save percentage of 89.6%. A simple version of PDO puts them at 98.1% which has regressed this week due to goaltending and special teams. Their PP is currently at 18.75% (9th place) and their PK is at 74.02% (30th place), both of which continue to get worse. Puck possession rankings put them at 18th which is not as bad as their current record.
Corrado had played two good games with Vancouver with a positive corsi, but with the California road trip he posted some horrible numbers (as did the rest of the team) and he is down to 35% Corsi For. That will change with more games, most likely for the better.
Utica will play @ Oklahoma on Thursday, then they are off to Texas, where they will play the top rank possession team, the Stars on Saturday. On Monday the Comets will play San Antonio before heading home.

OHL

Bo Horvat spent the week with Canada at the World Junior Championships. All said, he scored 3 points (1G, 2A) in 6 games with 11 SOG. Unfortunately, as the tournament went along he didn’t exactly shine.. 
An interesting point to note is that McEneny has almost twice as many PPG in 17 games with Kingston as he did with Kitchener. Just goes to show you what happens when you get more ice time and run on the special teams. 
NamePositionGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Bo Horvat
C
0
0
0
0
0.00
0
0
Dane Fox
C
2
4
2
6
3.00
2
8
Brendan Gaunce
C
2
1
0
1
0.50
1
2
Cole Cassels
C
2
0
1
1
0.50
-2
7
Jordan Subban
D
1
1
0
1
1.00
0
0
Evan McEneny
D
3
0
3
3
1.00
5
7
Miles Liberati
D
2
0
0
0
0.00
-2
4
And so far this year the stats of these players are:
NamePositionTeamGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Bo Horvat
C
London
28
16
28
44
1.57
18
22
Dane Fox
C
Erie
40
46
29
75
1.88
31
81
Brendan Gaunce
C
Erie
15
9
6
15
1.00
12
2
 
 
Belleville
22
10
16
26
1.18
-5
27
Cole Cassels
C
Oshawa
35
13
28
41
1.17
8
62
Jordan Subban
D
Belleville
38
8
22
30
0.79
4
37
Evan McEneny
D
Kingston
17
3
10
13
0.76
9
33
 
 
Kitchener
15
2
5
7
0.47
-11
23
Miles Liberati
D
North Bay
16
1
0
1
0.06
-2
4
 
 
London
22
1
3
4
0.18
5
18

WHL

It is quiet in the WHL with Shinkaruk still hurt and Cederholm not doing anything noteworthy. Portland is 2nd in the West with 54 points, while Medicine Hat is 4th in the East with 49 points.
NamePositionGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Hunter Shinkaruk (IR)
L
0
0
0
0
0.00
0
0
Anton Cederholm
D
2
0
0
0
0.00
0
2
And so far this season the players stats in the WHL are:
NamePositionTeamGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Hunter Shinkaruk (IR)
L
Medicine Hat
18
5
11
16
0.89
-2
29
Anton Cederholm
D
Portland
40
2
8
10
0.25
14
48

NCAA

Hutton earned a +1 with 5 SOG in a 2-1 defeat this weekend. Maine plays Saturday vs Boston U and then on Tuesday vs St. Francis Xavier. LaBate earned 5 SOG and a -2 in two games this weekend; Wisconsin will play on Friday and Saturday. Penn State did not play this past week, and will play two games this coming week on Sunday and Monday.  Beattie did not play in Yale’s game; Yale will play on Saturday night. Harvard played two games this week, and McNally earned 2A, +1 and 2 SOG.  Harvard plays on Saturday night as well.
Statistics of NCAA players:
NamePositionSchoolGPGAPPPG+/-SS/GPIM
Ben Hutton
D
uMaine
19
7
7
14
0.74
10
61
3.21
2
Joseph LaBate
F
uWisconsin
17
7
6
13
0.76
-3
50
2.94
2
Mike Williamson
D
Penn State
8
1
2
3
0.38
-1
13
1.63
13
Matthew Beattie
F
Yale
12
2
2
4
0.33
3
18
1.50
0
Patrick McNally
D
Harvard
9
1
8
9
1.00
1
22
2.44
2

ECHL/CHL

Steven Anthony played two games this week earning 2Pts (1G, 1A) and 2 SOG. St Charles plays tonight and Friday. Guimond played four games earning no points. Gwinnett plays Friday, Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No news on Blain and his injury. Blomstrand and Pacan both had 1A in two games this week. Kalamazoo plays tonight, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
Statistics of players in the ECHL so far are:
ECHLPositionTeamGPGAPPPG+/-SOGS/GPIM
Blain (IR)
D
K-Wings
11
1
4
5
0.45
4
21
1.91
33
Pacan
RW
K-Wings
28
4
9
13
0.46
-1
48
1.71
10
Blomstrand
LW
K-Wings
28
8
5
13
0.46
-2
56
2.00
10
Anthony
F
CHL St Charles
22
4
9
13
0.59
-9
37
1.68
10
Guimond
D
Gwinnett
24
1
4
5
0.21
-11
56
2.33
10

Europe

Ronalds Kenins came back from his broken jaw injury. He played in two games and earned two assists. Good news for him as he was named to the Latvian Olympic team. He should be in Utica next year but was unable to join this year as he is under contract with Zurich.
NamePositionTeamAgeGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Anton Rodin
W
SHL Brynas
22
29
9
17
26
0.90
-4
22
Ronalds Kenins
LW
Swiss ZSC
22
27
5
13
18
0.67
11
12

Other:

It’s been a month but here are the Canucks prospects updated NHLE numbers:
RankNameLeagueGPPointsTranslationNHLE
1
Anton Rodin
SHL
29
26
0.76
56
2
Dane Fox
OHL
40
75
0.3
46
3
Bo Horvat
OHL
28
44
0.3
39
4
Cole Cassels
OHL
35
41
0.3
29
5
Brendan Gaunce
OHL
37
41
0.3
27
6
Patrick McNally
NCAA
9
9
0.3
25
7
Alexandre Grenier
AHL
32
21
0.44
24
8
Ronalds Kenins
Swiss
27
18
0.43
24
9
Hunter Shinkaruk (IR)
WHL
18
16
0.3
22
10
Darren Archibald (X)
AHL
24
13
0.44
20
11
Jordan Subban
OHL
38
30
0.3
19
12
Joseph LaBate
NCAA
17
13
0.3
19
13
Ben Hutton
NCAA
19
14
0.3
18
14
Evan McEneny
OHL
32
20
0.3
15
15
Henrik Tommernes
AHL
25
9
0.44
13
16
Kellan Lain
AHL
32
11
0.44
12
17
Peter Andersson
AHL
26
7
0.44
10
18
Mike Williamson
NCAA
8
3
0.3
9
19
Matthew Beattie
NCAA
12
4
0.3
8
20
Yann Sauve
AHL
28
6
0.44
8
21
Frank Corrado (X)
AHL
29
5
0.44
6
22
Anton Cederholm
WHL
40
10
0.3
6
23
Nicklas Jensen
AHL
26
4
0.44
6
24
Alex Mallet
AHL
26
3
0.44
4
25
Alex Friesen
AHL
10
1
0.44
4
26
Miles Liberati
OHL
38
5
0.3
3
27
Blain (IR)
ECHL
11
5
N/A
N/A
28
Pacan
ECHL
28
13
N/A
N/A
29
Blomstrand
ECHL
28
13
N/A
N/A
30
Anthony
CHL
22
13
N/A
N/A
Some extra reading for you. 
  • Meet Darren Archibald [Utica]
  • Top Canucks Prospects of December [Canucks]
  • Comets Rewind [Canucks]
It’s been another interesting week with the goalie carousel affecting all the leagues.  There’s still been some good news with the play of Dane Fox, Ronalds Kenins to the Latvian Olympic team and the success of the NCAA players.  Make sure to follow me at @nuckprospects for all the latest in Canuck Prospect news.  Until next week!