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Canucks Weekly Prospect Report – January 22nd, 2014
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Josh W
By Josh W
Jan 22, 2014, 14:22 ESTUpdated: Jan 21, 2014, 12:03 EST
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Courtesy of the Utica Comets
Welcome to this week’s Canucks Prospect Report. Some things definitely happened on this front over the past 7 days, but I’m not going to dish out any of the goods until you click past the jump. That’s what we call a tease, folks..

Utica

Games

Friday’s game, 8-3 Loss vs Albany Devils

The Comets must be learning from their parent club, as the first game of the week was an 8-3 loss to the Albany Devils. The Devils outplayed the Comets pretty thoroughly (as the score would indicate), leading 7-1 at one point. Thanks to score effects the Comets actually wound up outshooting the Devils 34-33, but that’s a rather empty statline.
The Comet goals came from Ferriero, Grenier and DeFazio. Assists were credited to Corrado, Pelletier (x2), Archibald, Friesen and Kennedy. Corbeil started in net but was pulled after letting in four goals (on 20 shots) and then Cannata, not to be out-done, let in another 4 goals on 13 shots. Ugly stuff in net for the Comets.  
The PP went 0 for 1 and the #POWERKILL went 0 for 0 (!).  Archibald got in a fight with 30 seconds left in the game and as a result he earned himself a 1 game suspension. Friesen had a much more noticable game, really standing out for once.

Saturday’s Game, 3-1 Win @ Hamilton Bulldogs

The Comets went into Saturday’s game with a depleted roster (missing Eriksson, Lain, Archibald, Stuart, O’Reilly) and were looking to end a 6-game losing streak. And they did just that. While the final score was 3-1, the game was fairly even between the two teams. 
The Utica goals came from Ferriero (x2), and Grenier. Assists were from Pelletier (x3), Andersson, Tommernes and DeFazio.  Cannata started this game, earning himself a Quality Start, only allowing 1 goal against on 34 shots.  The PP went 1 for 6 and the #POWERKILL went 5 for 5.
On a positive note, Grenier is now tied for 10th in rookie AHL scoring. While the #JensenTrain is gaining some steam to see him called up to the NHL, Grenier has some nice underlying #fancystats and has been consistent all season. I’d like to see him given a chance in the NHL soon. Probably even before Jensen, quite frankly.

Tuesday’s Game, 2-1 Win vs Chicago Wolves

The final game of the week was against the Canucks’ old farm team, the Chicago Wolves. Chicago entered as the 3rd best possession team in the league but they did not play like it in the first period. The Comets dominated the opening frame, only to have the Wolves come back in the second with a vengeance. The score was 1-1 for most of the game with the Wolves tender Jake Allen stopping almost everything coming his way. 
The final score wound up being 2-1 for the Comets with shots in their favour, 30 – 22, as well. Goals were scored by Jensen and Corrado, with assists from Ferriero (x2) and O’Reilly. Eriksson played, his first game back since his little NHL stint, making 21 of 22 saves (another Quality Start) with the PP going 0 for 3 and the #POWERKILL going 3 for 3.  

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:
#PlayerPOSAgeGPGAPTSPPGSOGSOG/G+/-PIMSH%
78
Benn Ferriero
R
26
38
13
17
30
0.79
109
2.87
-11
16
11.9
10
Colin Stuart
L
31
31
10
4
14
0.45
83
2.68
-7
28
12
28
Alexandre Grenier
R
21
38
13
12
25
0.66
88
2.32
-4
36
14.8
17
Nicklas Jensen
C
20
32
6
4
10
0.31
71
2.22
-2
12
8.5
25
Darren Archibald
L
23
26
6
8
14
0.54
55
2.12
-2
65
10.9
24
Brandon DeFazio
F
24
38
4
10
14
0.37
76
2.00
3
57
5.3
4
Yann Sauve
D
23
34
0
8
8
0.24
62
1.82
-13
37
0
7
Henrik Tommernes
D
23
31
4
7
11
0.35
55
1.77
-19
2
7.3
23
Pascal Pelletier
C
30
34
7
27
34
1.00
60
1.76
0
33
11.7
44
Patrick Kennedy
F
25
3
0
1
1
0.33
5
1.67
-2
2
0
14
Patrick Mullen
D
27
30
6
6
12
0.40
49
1.63
-5
11
12.2
15
Jeremy Welsh
C
25
11
0
0
0
0.00
17
1.55
-10
2
0
26
Frank Corrado
D
20
33
3
4
7
0.21
49
1.48
-3
22
6.1
3
Alex Biega
D
25
36
1
7
8
0.22
50
1.39
2
29
2
16
Cal O’Reilly
C
27
21
3
13
16
0.76
28
1.33
4
0
10.7
22
C.J. Severyn
L
24
6
0
0
0
0.00
7
1.17
-5
4
0
19
Kellan Lain (X)
C
24
35
7
4
11
0.31
39
1.11
0
84
17.9
8
Alex Friesen
F
22
16
0
2
2
0.13
15
0.94
-3
6
0
29
Kent Huskins
D
34
28
0
2
2
0.07
26
0.93
-1
9
0
40
Peter Andersson
D
22
32
1
7
8
0.25
27
0.84
4
8
3.7
27
Alex Mallet
C
21
32
1
2
3
0.09
24
0.75
-2
13
4.2
12
David Marshall
F
28
31
0
1
1
0.03
23
0.74
-6
11
0
Goalies so far:
#GoaliesGPMinsWLSLSOGAGAASVSSV%
30
Joacim Eriksson
22
1265:53:00
9
11
1
2
58
2.75
562
0.906
34
Mathieu Corbeil
3
116:33:00
0
1
1
0
6
3.09
54
0.9
35
Joe Cannata
17
907:43:00
4
10
1
0
50
3.31
395
0.888

Transactions:

  • Patrick Kennedy, signed to a PTO
  • C.J. Severyn, signed to a PTO
  • Joacim Eriksson, returned to Utica
  • Guimond moved to Ontario Reign (ECHL)
  • Corbeil return to Gwinnett

Other:

Currently the Comets are in 15th place with 31 points (13-20-2-3). They have been outscored 91 to 121 (-30), and have been outshot 1081 to 1131 (-50). They’re controlling 48.87% (acknowledging score effects) of the shots with an on-ice shooting percentage of 8.3% and a save percentage of 89.5%. 
A simple version of PDO puts them at 97.8% which has regressed over the last week. Their PP is currently at 17.05% (14th place) and their PK is 75.89% (28th place). By not allowing a single PK goal against the Comets have jumped two place in the rankings. Puck possession rankings put them at 19th which is not as bad as their record.
Lain had his first game as a Canuck, which lasted only 2 seconds (as you’re probably familiar with by now). He did break the 50 year old NHL record for fastest to fight from start of career, shaving of a total of 10 seconds of John Ferguson’s time (Thanks to @Lain’s_Hockey). 
His second appearance was a much more successful one, as he wound up putting home his 1st career NHL goal (or as @CanucksArmy pointed out… His 8th goal against AHL competition this year). He also ties the NHL record for first goal on first shot. Quite a memorable start to a career, eh?
A few final notes:
  • Corey Pronman updated his ranking of prospects and Thomas Drance covered it nicely. Horvat is ranked 9th, Shinkaruk is at 18th and Frank(ie) Corrado is an honourable mention. Sorry, Blomstrand was forgotten about.
  • While he came up to Utica and I thought was going to take the backup role from Cannata, Corbeil did a good job in the last week but was ultimately sent back down to the ECHL. Learn more about the Utica Comets backup tender from The Utica Comets.
  • Hockey’s Future has a mid-season ranking for the Canucks Prospects but I wouldn’t put too much stock into it as they seem to evaluate players based on their +/- rating.  For example, on the rating of Tommernes: "If he can chisel away at the plus-minus rating, Tommernes’ first year of pro hockey could be considered a relative success." #k
  • Don’t forget to read the Comets Rewind from Canucks.com.
  • Interesting side note: the St. John’s Ice Caps, the Canucks old farm team before Chicago (when they were the Manitoba Moose) looks like they are moving to Thunder Bay. [CBC]
  • This weekend will see a pair of Comets games in Abbotsford, as they play Friday and Saturday night. Looks like the Heat will finally have people in the stands for the first time since the Comets visited. Next Tuesday the Comets return home to play the Lake Erie Monsters.

OHL

Bo Horvat was recently named as an Alternate Captain with the London Knights.  Watch Episode 4 of Quest for the Cup as London prepares for the Memorial Cup!
Meanwhile, Cole Cassels had another great week with his outputting rivaling that of Gaunce:
NamePositionGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Bo Horvat
C
3
1
0
1
0.33
-3
2
Dane Fox
C
2
0
1
1
0.50
0
4
Brendan Gaunce
C
2
1
1
2
1.00
1
2
Cole Cassels
C
2
3
3
6
3.00
5
0
Jordan Subban
D
2
1
1
2
1.00
2
2
Evan McEneny
D
3
0
2
2
0.67
-2
8
Miles Liberati
D
3
1
0
1
0.33
3
6
And so far this year the stats of these players are:
NamePositionTeamGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Bo Horvat
C
London
34
18
30
48
1.41
15
26
Dane Fox
C
Erie
45
51
31
82
1.82
35
89
Brendan Gaunce
C
Erie
20
11
10
21
1.05
1
2
 
 
Belleville
22
10
16
26
1.18
-5
27
Cole Cassels
C
Oshawa
39
17
31
48
1.23
10
62
Jordan Subban
D
Belleville
43
9
23
32
0.74
6
41
Evan McEneny
D
Kingston
23
3
14
17
0.74
6
41
 
 
Kitchener
15
2
5
7
0.47
-11
23
Miles Liberati
D
North Bay
22
2
0
2
0.09
-2
17
 
 
London
22
1
3
4
0.18
5
18

WHL

Not too much exciting coming out of the WHL. Cederholm was in another fight and notched a single assist this week. 
Portland is 2nd in the West with 67 points while Medicine Hat is 4th in the East with 55 points.
NamePositionGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Hunter Shinkaruk (IR)
L
0
0
0
0
0.00
0
0
Anton Cederholm
D
3
0
1
1
0.33
5
7
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
47
2
10
12
0.26
19
7

NCAA

-There were no games for Wisconsin this week, but they’ll play twice in the next seven days (on Friday and Saturday), both vs Ohio State.
-Penn State played twice this week losing both games to Michigan State and will be playing Saturday vs Boston College. Williamson played one game this week and did not notch any points. 
-Harvard played two games this past week losing to both Colgate and Cornell, where McNally earned 1 assist and 2 SOG.  Harvard will play on Friday at Union. 
-Yale played twice, losing to Clarkson, but beating St. Lawrence. They will play on Friday and Saturday in a home-and-home with Brown. Beattie has finally returned earning 1 SOG in 1 game.  
Statistics of NCAA players:
NamePositionSchoolGPGAPPPG+/-SS/GPIM
Ben Hutton
D
uMaine
23
9
11
20
0.87
7
70
3.04
2
Joseph LaBate
F
uWisconsin
18
8
7
15
0.83
-1
55
3.06
2
Mike Williamson
D
Penn State
10
1
2
3
0.30
-2
16
1.60
17
Matthew Beattie
F
Yale
11
2
2
4
0.36
4
18
1.64
0
Patrick McNally
D
Harvard
11
1
7
8
0.73
-4
20
1.82
6

ECHL/CHL

Guimond played 5 games in the last week putting up 2 assists, and he is now on his way to Ontario. Anthony played 1 game but was a scratch in the last two Chill games. Kalamazoo will play on Friday, Sunday and Wednesday. Neither Blain (IR) nor Blomstrand (MS) played this week but Pacan played 5 games earning 1 goal, 1 assist and 4 SOG.
ECHLPositionTeamGPGAPPPG+/-SOGS/GPIM
Blain (IR)
D
K-Wings
11
1
4
5
0.45
4
21
1.91
33
Pacan
RW
K-Wings
36
5
14
19
0.53
3
59
1.64
16
Blomstrand
LW
K-Wings
31
8
6
14
0.45
-4
68
2.19
10
Anthony
F
CHL St Charles
26
4
8
12
0.46
-12
40
1.54
10
Guimond
D
Gwinnett
31
1
6
7
0.23
-14
66
2.13
12

Europe

Anton Rodin played 2 games earning 2 assists while Ronalds Kenins played played three games scoring 2 goals, 1 assist and earning 10 PIM.
NamePositionTeamAgeGPGAPPPG+/-PIM
Anton Rodin
W
SHL Brynas
22
33
9
19
28
0.85
-2
28
Ronalds Kenins
LW
Swiss ZSC
22
31
7
15
22
0.71
13
22

Other:

As always, follow me @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. See you guys next week!

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