Plenty of disappointing ends to their season for Boston Bruins prospects last week. But hey, they should be happy with the seasons they have had. Today I am going to do it a little different and break it down by day.
Monday
Jonathan Myrenberg was the only prospect playing and Mora was down 1 game to zero entering game two of the HockeyAllsvenskan semi final series against Modo. Modo, the top seed would defeat Mora, the third seed by a score of 3-0 to take a 2-0 series lead.
Tuesday
After losing their first two games at home, Brett Harrison and the Windsor Spitfires hoped things would be different at The Aud in Kitchener. Unfortunately, the Rangers team that we all expected to see in the regular season showed up for these playoffs. Kitchener sent Windsor reeling with a 6-3 victory and take a 3-0 series lead. Harrison assisted on two of the Spitfires goals.
Up 2-0 in their series, Jackson Edward and the London Knights travelled to Owen Sound for games 3 and 4 to face the Attack. This one required overtime and Ryan Humphrey (invited to Bruins’ camp last summer) did what he is accustomed to and scored the OT winner 13:18 into overtime. London took a commanding 3-0 series lead. Edward did not factor in the scoring.
After a disappointing overtime loss in game two to go down 2-0 in their series, Matthew Poitras and the Guelph Storm would go home for games 3 and 4 hoping to even up their quarter final series against Ryan Mast and the Sarnia Sting. Sarnia would take game 3 by an 8-4 score and the 3-0 series lead. Poitras would have a goal in this contest while Mast would be held off the board.
With their QMJHL quarter final series even at a game a piece, Frederic Brunet and the Victoriaville Tigres would face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in game three. This game was more lopsided than the 4-1 Drummondville score would indicate. The Voltigeurs outshot the Tigres 47-28. Brunet assisted on Victoriaville’s lone goal.
Wednesday
Modo would need overtime to defeat Mora by a score of 3-2 in the pivotal game three of their semi final series and would take a commanding 3-0 lead. Myrenberg would assist on the goal to put Mora up 2-1 but it wasn’t enough. It was Myrenberg’s third helper in 9 playoff games.
Thursday
It was do or die for the Spitfires as they trailed the Rangers 3-0 in their quarter final series but it just wasn’t meant to be. The Spits scored early in the second to take a 1-0 lead but the Rangers scored 5 unanswered goals for a 5-1 victory and a 4 game sweep of the series. Harrison finished the playoffs with a goal and 3 helpers in 4 games and will head to Providence of the AHL to finish out the season. Kitchener moves on to face the London Knights in the conference semi finals.
It was all London in this one outshooting the Attack 36-23 in the game and winning it 5-0 to sweep the 4 game series and move onto the conference semi finals. Edward did not factor in on the scoresheet and finished the series with one assist in the four-game set.
Guelph was looking to stay alive in game 4 of their series with the Sarnia Sting and built a 4-1 lead heading into the third. Sarnia pushed hard and pulled within one until Guelph notched an empty net goal on just their 4th shot on goal to seal the win. Sarnia would score a late one to make the final 5-4 and now take a 3-1 series lead back home. Both Mast and Poitras did not factor in on the scoring.
After being dominated by Drummondville on Tuesday, Victoriaville turned the tables tonight outshooting the Voltigeurs 32-24. But where it matters the most, Drummondville came out on top with a 2-1 victory and take a 3-1 series lead. Victoriaville will face elimination on Friday night. Brunet was held off the scoresheet tonight and has just 2 assists in 4 games.
With their Finnish Liiga semi final series tied at a game a piece, Matias Mantykivi – who has been hot these playoffs with 8 points in 7 games and Ilves would face the Pelicans in game 3. It was a back-and-forth battle as the two teams would exchange leads but it was the Pelicans scoring the last goal to take a 3-2 victory out of this game and a 2-1 series lead. Mantykivi did not factor in on either of Ilves goals.
It was a disappointing end to a rather surprising season for Ty Gallagher and the Boston University Terriers as they lost 6-2 to the Minnesota Gophers in the NCAA Frozen Four. I don’t think too many people had BU in the Frozen Four let alone winning a National Championship which it last won in 2008-2009. BU took too many penalties in this one and came out of the second period tied 2-2. Both Minnesota goals came with the man advantage. Then early in the third Minnesota would take the lead for good on yet another powerplay goal. Just 1:49 later they would notch an even strength goal followed by two empty netters. Gallagher would not hit the scoresheet and finished the season with 3 goals and 18 helpers in 40 games.
Friday
In the HockeyAllsvenskan Modo defeated Mora 3-0 and swept the best-of-seven semi final series putting an end to Myrenberg’s season. He would finish the playoffs with 3 assists in 10 games. I expect Myrenberg to join Linkoping of the SHL for next season and suspect he will be at Bruins Development Camp in the summer. In the meantime, he will join the Providence Bruins this week.
In the QMJHL it was disappointing for Brunet and Victoriaville as Drummondville defeat them 4-2 and took the series rather easily 4-1. Brunet did everything he could to spark his team tonight getting an assist and named the games 2nd star but it wasn’t near enough. He finished the playoffs with 3 helpers in 5 games. He will join the Providence Bruins to finish out the season.
Poitras and the Guelph Storm staved off elimination for the second time tonight as they defeated Mast and the Sarnia Sting 3-1 to bring the series back to Sarnia for game 6 on Sunday afternoon. Poitras had a typical Poitras assist on the opening goal bringing his total to 1 goal and 4 assists in 5 games. Mast, who has the task of trying to shut Poitras down for the most part, has done a decent job keeping him off the scoreboard in 2 of the 5 games.
Saturday
Trailing 2-1 in the series, Mantykivi and Ilves looked to even up their best of seven series with the Pelicans. This game didn’t start off well for Ilves as they fell behind 2-0. Midway through the second, Mantykivi would set up the goal that got Ilves rolling. Then in the third, two powerplay goals put Ilves ahead with Mantykivi setting up the GWG with 4:45 remaining. Mantykivi is up to 2 goals and 8 assists in 9 playoff games.
Sunday
Mast and Poitras went head-to-head for game 6 and it was do or die once again for Guelph: win and force a game 7, lose and go home. Things started out well for Guelph as Poitras gave them the lead but it was back and forth all day until it went to overtime. Just 4:05 into the extra frame Sarnia would win it and move onto the next round against either the Flint Firebirds or Saginaw Spirit. Mast finished the 6- game series pointless while Poitras had 2 goals and 4 assists and may very well join the Providence Bruins to finish out the season.
In other news, Dans Locmelis had the opportunity to represent Latvia in an exhibition series against Poland on Thursday and Friday as Latvia looks to name its roster for the IIHL Ice Hockey Championships. While Locmelis did not play in Thursday’s game, a 5-3 Poland win, he did play Friday and scored early in the third period to put Latvia up 2-0. That would also be the final score. The World Championships are set to begin on May 12, 2023.
Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders:
Coming up this week:
| PLAYER | MON 10 | TUE 11 | WED 12 | THU 13 | FRI 14 | SAT 15 | SUN 16 |
| MANTYKIVI | Vs PEL | Vs PEL | *Vs PEL | ||||
| MAST | TBD | ||||||
| EDWARD | Vs KIT | Vs KIT | At KIT |
* If necessary
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Dom - Hockey 