Liam Pettersson – Vaxjo Lakers – J20 Nationell
Vaxjo squared off against Vashek Blanar and HV71 on Friday but fell short, dropping the contest 4–2. That’s strike one for Växjö. Strike two: Pettersson was absent from the lineup, and as of now, there’s no official word on whether it’s due to injury.
*Special note: I am a little annoyed that some folks tweeted about this game as if they were watching it when it was clear they weren’t. Not a single person I saw tweeting about this game even acknowledged that Pettersson wasn’t even playing. In fact, some even tweeted that “Bruins’ prospect Liam Pettersson scored.” When I pointed out it was Hugo Pettersson that scored and that he is not a Bruins prospect, they deleted their post.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – J20 Nationell
As stated above, HV71 defeated Vaxjo 4-2 in the head-to-head matchup between Blanar and Pettersson on Friday. Blanar set up the empty net goal with 12 seconds remaining to secure the victory and raising his totals to 2 goals and 2 assists in just 3 games. Blanar had 3 SOG with 1 blocked shot and 20:48 TOI.
Saturday was a rough outing for HV71, as they were soundly beaten 5–1 by Frölunda in a lopsided affair. Blanar, holding his spot on the top defensive pair, didn’t contribute to HV71’s lone goal. He finished the game with a minus-1 rating, recorded one shot on goal, one blocked shot, and logged 20:21 of ice time.
Kirill Yemelyanov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
Loko skated past HC Kapitan with a 4–2 victory on Wednesday, but for the second straight outing, Yemelyanov didn’t register a point. Still, his impact was felt all over the ice. He fired 7 shots, landing 2 on goal, won 4 of 10 faceoffs, logged 18:11 of ice time, and added a block and two takeaways to his stat line. Despite the quiet scoreboard, Yemelyanov’s defensive instincts were on full display. He consistently disrupted Kapitan’s breakout attempts and shut down passing lanes in his own zone, showing sharp positional awareness and anticipation. It was a standout performance in the trenches—proof that you don’t need points to dominate a game defensively.
Early Sunday morning (in North America), Loko rolled past AKM-Junior with a commanding 5–0 win, and Yemelyanov was the driving force behind the offensive surge. He opened the scoring with a gritty, heads-up play—his relentless forecheck kept the puck alive in the zone, and he finished the sequence by crashing the slot and burying a short-range feed. He followed that up with two more goals to complete the hat trick. The second came from sheer hustle, cleaning up a loose puck at the crease. The third was classic Yemelyanov: parked near the circle on the power play, he unleashed a quick-release shot that beat the goalie clean. After a two-game drought, this was a statement performance—and a reminder of just how dangerous he can be.
Cooper Simpson – Youngstown – USHL
Statement made. If Cooper Simpson had a point to prove in the USHL season opener against his former squad, he delivered it loud and clear. Youngstown blanked Tri-City 5–0, and Simpson was at the heart of it all. He opened the scoring with a dazzling solo effort, toe-dragging past a defender before finishing backhand-forehand for the game-winner. From there, he turned playmaker, assisting on three of the next four goals to cap off a 4-point night. Simpson fired five shots on goal, finished +3, and logged 19:13 of ice time in a dominant performance that set the tone for the season.
On Saturday, Youngstown edged out Cedar Rapids in a 4–3 shootout thriller, notching another win to keep their momentum rolling. It was a quieter night statistically for Simpson, who was held off the scoresheet, but his presence was still felt. He registered four shots on goal, logged 19:48 of ice time, and finished with a minus-1 rating. Despite the lack of points, Simpson continued to generate chances with his sharp offensive instincts—whether threading passes to teammates or creating chances for himself. It may not have been a headline performance, but it’s clear he remains a consistent threat. All in all, a solid continuation to an impressive start to the season.
Cole Chandler – Shawinigan – QMJHL
Shawinigan’s QMJHL campaign kicked off with a tough 5–4 shootout loss to Victoriaville—not the start they were hoping for. Chandler chipped in with an assist, went 50% on faceoffs (7-for-14), delivered two hits, and logged 18:41 of ice time. He also led the team in penalty minutes with six, including a double minor for roughing—bringing plenty of edge to an already intense opener.
On Sunday, Shawinigan cruised past Drummondville with a commanding 5-1 win. Just 40 seconds after extending their lead to 2-0 early in the third period, Chandler made his mark. Positioned to the right of the crease, he dropped to one knee and buried a crisp cross-ice pass for his first goal of the season. He later chipped in with an assist, bringing his total to three points through the first two games of the young campaign
Coming up this week:
Dom - Hockey 