Big congratulations to Chris Pelosi as he was named to the preliminary roster for Team USA at the World Junior Championships on Monday!
Casper Nassen
Miami has now lost 9 in a row and have not won a game since October 26. Nassen continues to struggle offensively and did not factor into the 5-4 loss to North Dakota on Friday. He also failed to register a SOG with 15:42 TOI.
It became 10 losses in a row on Saturday as North Dakota won again, this time by a score of 4-2. Things are not going well for Miami and in turn Nassen. He, along with his linemates finished a minus-1 and were the only forwards with Miami to finish with a minus. Nassen had 1 SOG with 18:09 TOI.
Miami doesn’t play again until January 10 and will need to figure things out.
Dans Locmelis
U-Mass blanked Boston University on Saturday by a score of 4-0. Locmelis did not register any points and had one shot on goal. He won 9 out of 20 face-offs and played the most minutes among forwards with 20:42 of ice time. He is tied for the best plus-minus on the team with a plus-6, indicating his effectiveness at both ends of the ice. However, one area of concern is that among all U-Mass forwards who have played in every game, he has the second-lowest number of shots on goal, totaling just 26. With an 11.5 shooting percentage, it would be beneficial for him to increase his shot count.
Oskar Jellvik, Andre Gasseau, Dean Letourneau
It took overtime on Wednesday but Boston College improved to 11-3-0 with a 2-1 victory over Connecticut. Out prospects could not find the scoresheet but they weren’t without chances. Jellvik had 3 SOG but was a minus-1 with 16:32 TOI. Gasseau had 2 SOG with 18:52 TOI and was 5 for 12 on the dot. Letourneau also had 2 SOG with 10:59 TOI and was 0 for 1 on the dot.
On Friday, BC and UMass-Lowell battled to a 3-3 tie although UMass took the shootout. Down 1-0, Jellvik attacked his opponent on the forecheck, knocked him down and fed a pass to Gasseau in the left circle for his 8th of the season. Jellvik finished a plus-1 in 18:11 TOI and a game high 7 SOG. Gasseau also finished a plus-1 with 3 SOG and 50% on the dot with 16:49 TOI. Jellvik missed his shootout opportunity. Deal Letourneau had 1 SOG and 4 for 5 on the dot with 8:50 TOI.
BC will play Monday against U-Mass Lowell and are then off until January 10.
Jake Schmaltz
As mentioned earlier, North Dakota defeated Miami 5-4 on Friday. Schmaltz did not figure in the scoring and had no SOG with 19:02 TOI. He was 11 for 15 on the dot and had an even plus/minus. Schmaltz was back to centering the third line.
In Saturday’s rematch, North Dakota won 4-2. Schmaltz had no points, 1 SOG and had an even plus/minus with 17:36 TOI.
Beckett Hendrickson
Minnesota improved to 14-2-1 with a 6-0 romp of Michigan (10-4-1) on Friday. After some chances on the top two lines the last couple of games, Hendrickson was back on his usual third line left wing position. He did not register a point and had 1 SOG. Still enjoy watching him play with his high energy and compete level. As a freshman, I am not too concerned about production at this point.
For the second consecutive day Minnesota blanked Michigan, this time by a score of 2-0. Hendrickson had 3 SOG but could not find his way onto the scoresheet. He once again found himself on the left wing of the third line and with Minnesota’s depth, that’s where he belongs.
Ty Gallagher
Colorado College dropped a 4-3 decision to Providence College on Friday. There were no points from top pairing defenceman Ty Gallagher who had 1 SOG with a game high 24:08 TOI. How things change in one short offseason. Going from 7th defenceman who barely played to top pairing minute eater who plays in every situation.
The rematch on Saturday did not go Colorado’s way as Providence won 5-1. Gallagher assisted on Colorado’s lone goal, a powerplay marker that gave Colorado some life.
Chris Pelosi, Elliott Groenewold
Quinnipiac defeated RPI 3-1 on Friday. Pelosi failed to register a point and had 3 SOG and was 7 for 12 on the dot. Another player that I am more than satisfied with the intensity, energy and compete level he brings every night. Groenewold finished a plus-1 with 2 SOG with 19:06 TOI. You have to be satisfied with the maturity Groenewold has shown to date. This is a project player that is looking more and more like the Bruins made the right decision moving up in the draft to select him.
On Saturday, Quinnipiac defeated Union 3-1. It was Union that got on the board first just 15 seconds into the second before Quinnipiac scored 3 unanswered for the victory. All the scoring took place in the second period. Union outshot Quinnipiac 35-22 and obviously, goaltending was a factor. Pelosi finished a plus-1 with 2 SOG and 3 for 10 on the dot with 19:24 TOI. Groenewold was a minus-1 with 1 SOG and 16:30 TOI, his second lowest total of the season.
Ryan Walsh
Cornell defeated Colgate 3-2 on Friday but required overtime to do so. Colgate had a 2-1 lead midway through the third despite having just 10 shots on goal until Ryan Walsh scored his 5th of the season to pull Cornell even and then winning it in overtime. Cornell had 31 shots on goal. Walsh had 4 SOG himself and was 15 for 23 on the dot with 21:26 TOI which was a team high.
Cornell faced disappointment in their rematch on Saturday, losing to Colgate 6-3. Walsh struggled as well, failing to contribute to the scoring, finishing with a minus-2 rating, and winning only 50% of his face-offs. He logged just 17 minutes and 58 seconds of ice time, marking one of his lowest totals of the season.
Cornell doesn’t play again until January 3.
Mason Langenbrunner
Harvard dropped a 4-3 decision to Clarkson on Friday. Langenbrunner did not have a point and managed 2 SOG with an even plus/minus with 13:07 TOI. Langenbrunner is still the seventh defenceman for Harvard.
On Saturday, Harvard and St Lawrence battled to a 0-0 tie although Harvard won the shootout. Honestly, if the shootout doesn’t affect the official score, why bother with it? Langenbrunner had 2 SOG in 12:16 TOI as the seventh defenceman. That is still above his season average of 10:17.
Harvard’s next game is January 1.
Jonathan Myrenberg
Myrenberg is still out with an injury. As we approach the mid point of the SHL season, Myrenberg has yet to play a game and Linkoping HC is outside the playoff picture looking in. In fact, they are just 5 points up on HV71 and facing the relegation round. I believe Myrenberg can help his team, but only time will tell.
Loke Johansson
After weeks of being the top ranked CHL team and then dethroned by the London Knights, the Moncton Wildcats find themselves as the number 3 ranked team.
Moncton won their fourth in a row on Thursday by defeating Halifax 3-2 in overtime. Johansson finished with a minus 1 and 1 SOG while going pointless. Johansson finished with a minus for the third consecutive game and the fourth time in his last 5 games, which is uncharacteristic for him.
In a high-energy matchup on Saturday afternoon, Moncton outshot Rouyn-Noranda’s 44-39. However, the final score told a different story, with Rouyn-Noranda securing a 4-1 victory. Johansson, who finished with a plus-1 rating, managed only one shot on goal during the game. Despite being beaten on his off-side during a penalty kill that led to a goal, Johansson delivered a solid overall performance in the loss.
It was an action-packed game with great goaltending at both ends as Moncton and St John each had 39 shots on goal but Moncton came out on top by a score of 3-2. Johansson had an assist and was a plus-1 with 4 SOG. He was engaged physically, got shots through to the net and was his best in his own zone.
Kristian Kostadinski, Jonathan Morello, Cole Spicer
Dubuque defeated Waterloo 4-3 in overtime on Friday. Jonathan Morello missed the game. Kristian Kostadinski had no points and 2 SOG while Cole Spicer was also pointless with 1 SOG.
The two teams went head-to-head again on Saturday with the same 4-3 overtime result. Morello missed his second consecutive game while Cole Spicer also missed this game. Dubuque had to play with 11 forwards. Kostadinski did not register a point or a SOG and was a plus-1 in the victory.
Philip Svedeback
As you saw earlier, Providence College defeated Colorado College 4-3 Friday. Svedeback stopped 29 of 32 shots for the win and was especially good when Colorado was trying to mount a comeback in the third. He stopped 19 of 21 shots in the third period alone to preserve the win.
Svedeback got a rare (this season) back-to-back starts and defeated Colorado College again Saturday by a score of 5-1. Svedeback turned aside 22 of the 23 shots he faced for the win, his 4th consecutive.
The Providence Bruins edged out the Utica Comets with a 3-2 victory on Friday, continuing their unpredictable season. Georgii Merkulov ignited the scoreboard just over three minutes into the game with his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Matthew Poitras and Vinni Lettieri. After Utica equalized, Riley Tufte reclaimed the lead for Providence on a powerplay, thanks to a skillful setup by Fabian Lysell and Drew Bavaro. Utica leveled the score again, but Poitras responded with his first goal on the powerplay, executing a one-timer from an unfamiliar bumper position, assisted by Merkulov and Ian Mitchell. Brandon Bussi made 18 saves out of 20 shots, improving his record to 3-6-0 for the season.
On Saturday, the Providence Bruins fell behind 2-0 to Bridgeport but Mason Millman, Poitras and Michael Callahan would score three unanswered before the second period was over for the lead. Bridgeport would get one back but Riley Duran, Jeffrey Viel and Tufte would seal the 6-3 win. Michael DiPietro stopped 24 of 27 shots he faced to improve to 7-4-2. Patrick Brown and Lettieri had two helpers each.
Bussi got the start Sunday and stopped all 21 shots he faced as Providence blanked Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 5-0. Poitras, Lettieri and Viel each had a goal and an assist while Merkulov had a goal and Brett Harrison scored his long awaited first of the season. It was a lucky bounce off of Harrison, but they all count. Mason Millman had two helpers while Jackson Edward, Frederic Brunet and Ian Mitchell had singles leading the charge from the blueline. This was one of, if not the best games for Providence from start to finish this season.
Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders. You will notice a column called “Benchrates” This is provided by our friends at Benchrates. Created by a retired hockey player, Benchrates has created an algorithm that computes values in real time. The value you see is the cap hit value they’ve earned this season to date. Give them a look and check out their site.
Coming up this week:
Action is slowing down as we get closer to the holidays. Plenty of college teams will begin their breaks this week and not see action again until the new year.
AROUND THE GLOBE
WHO’S HOT:
Andre Gasseau has 7 goals and 1 assist in his last 9 games.
Philip Svedeback has won 4 straight and 6 of 7 with a .923 save percentage in those 7 games.
WHO’S WARM:
Ryan Walsh has 3 goals and 2 assists in his last 6 games.
Dans Locmelis has 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 6 games, non-consecutively.
Ty Gallagher has 1 goal and 3 assists in his last 6 games.
Oskar Jellvik has 1 goal and 3 assists in his last 5 games.
Chris Pelosi has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 5 games.
Beckett Hendrickson has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 4 games.
WHO’S COLD:
Casper Nassen is pointless in 10 games.
Dean Letourneau is pointless in 8 games.
Elliott Groenewold is pointless in 6 games.
Kristian Kostadinski is pointless in 6 games.
Jake Schmaltz has 1 goal and 0 assists in his last 5 games.
Mason Langenbrunner is pointless in 5 games.
Chris Nosek and myself will be on the Dom-Hockey Podcast discussing all the Bruins prospects live every Monday night at 6:30 PM ET on X and on YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please give us a like and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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