Liam Pettersson – Djurgardens IF – SHL
Pettersson has earned a spot on Sweden’s U20 roster for next month’s Five Nations Tournament. The tournament serves as a key evaluation opportunity ahead of the World Junior Championship, with many of Europe’s top prospects using the event to strengthen their case for a place on their respective national teams.
On Tuesday, Djurgardens suffered a lopsided 6-2 defeat to Frolunda HC. Back with the club after a stint in junior, Pettersson recorded his first point of the season, picking up an assist on Djurgardens’ second goal with the score already 6-1. While the result was one to forget, getting his first point of the campaign is a positive development for the young defenseman. Interestingly, Pettersson was one of three players with the surname Pettersson in the game and the only one to find the scoresheet, despite logging the least ice time of the trio at just 9:15.
On Thursday, the SHL squad lost 4-1 to Skelleftea AIK. Pettersson did not play.
On Saturday, Djurgardens defeated Lulea 3-2 in SHL action. Pettersson skated for 6:37 TOI as the seventh defenseman. He managed 1 SOG and was a minus-1 in limited action.
Kirill Yemelyanov, Matvei Kotkov – Loko Yaroslav – KHL
As is well known, Russia remains excluded from IIHF competition, including the World Junior Championship. In place of the event, the country’s top junior players compete in tournaments known as the Future Cup International Tournament, which serves as one of the premier showcases for Russian prospects. It came as somewhat of a surprise that neither Yemelyanov nor Kotkov was selected to the tournament roster.
On Tuesday, Loko was blanked 1-0 by Neftekhimik in KHL action. Obviously, our boys did not register a point. Kotkov had 1 SOG with 10:17 TOI. Yemelyanov was held to just 1:52 TOI.
On Friday, Loko pulled out a 2-1 overtime win over Dynamo Minsk. Kotkov earned an assist on the opening goal – his first in eight games. He had 1 SOG with 13:05 TOI. Yemelyanov did not register a point and had 2 SOG with 6:20 TOI.
On Sunday, Loko blanked Severstal 1-0 to move into a tie for top spot in the Western Conference with CSKA. Kotkov did not register a point and had 2 SOG with 11:02 TOI. Yemelyanov also didn’t register a point and was a plus-1 but held without a shot in just 2:35 TOI.
Nils Bartholdsson – Rogle BK – U20 Nationell
Rogle’s opponent for the Champions Hockey League playoff round has been set, with the club scheduled to face Skelleftea AIK on November 11 and 17. The playoff is a two-game, total-goals series, with aggregate scoring determining the winner if the clubs split the two contests. Should the teams remain tied after both games, the series will be decided by a 10-minute 3-on-3 overtime period. As of now, my understanding is that Bartholdsson will be with the team for the playoff round.
As noted here over the past couple of weeks, Bartholdsson appeared to be caught in a difficult spot developmentally, too advanced for the U20 level but not quite ready for a full-time role in the SHL. Complicating matters was the fact that Rogle lacked an affiliate in either HockeyEttan or HockeyAllsvenskan to provide the next step in his progression.
That situation has now been addressed, as Rogle reached an agreement with HockeyAllsvenskan club Almtuna IS that allows Bartholdsson to move between the two organizations. The young forward made his debut for Almtuna on Friday, skating primarily on the top line. He was held pointless in a 6-1 loss to Vimmerby HC and generated three shots on goal and finished with a minus-2 rating.
On Saturday, he dressed but did not play in Rogle’s 5-4 overtime win over Brynas.
Oscar Olsson – Orebro HK – U20 Nationell
Orebro blanked Herr National 5-0 on Saturday. Olsson missed his third game due to injury.
He then missed Sunday’s 5-3 win over Vaxjo Lakers.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – U20 Nationell
Blanar has been named to Czechia’s roster for the U20 Five Nations Tournament, which gets underway on Nov. 2. The event serves as an important proving ground ahead of the World Junior Championship, giving players an opportunity to solidify their standing in the national team hierarchy. Based on his play and body of work to date, Blanar appears well-positioned to earn a spot on Czechia’s final World Junior roster.
On Saturday, HV71 defeated Rogle BK 8-3. Blanar did not register a point, had 2 SOG and was a plus-1.
On Sunday, HV71 defeated Malmo 5-2. Blanar did not register a point and had 2 SOG.
Cole Spicer – Western Michigan
Western Michigan suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, falling 3-2 to Michigan to drop to 4-1-0 on the year. Despite the setback, Spicer continued his strong start to the campaign, recording a pair of assists. His first helper came on Western Michigan’s opening goal, while his second set up a shorthanded marker after the Broncos had fallen behind 2-1. The early-season production has been a welcome development for Spicer, who appears to be enjoying a resurgence offensively. Just five games into the season, he has already reached the halfway mark of his career high in points.
On Saturday, they dropped consecutive games with a 4-0 loss to Wisconsin. However, this was an exhibition game and the stats don’t count.
Casper Nassen – Lake Superior State
Lake Superior’s pattern of alternating wins and losses continued Friday, as the Lakers fell 6-2 to Bowling Green. The game started promisingly for Lake Superior, with Nassen scoring his second goal of the season just six minutes into the opening period to give his team a 2-0 advantage. From there, however, Bowling Green seized control of the contest, responding with six unanswered goals. Special teams proved to be a major factor, as three of those goals came on the power play, helping the Falcons turn an early deficit into a decisive victory.
The weekend ended with a second straight loss, as Bowling Green completed the sweep with a 4-2 victory on Saturday. Nassen was a bright spot in the defeat, recording a power-play goal and an assist. His goal came midway through the game with his team trailing 2-0, as he snapped a wrist shot from inside the right circle that beat the goaltender cleanly to the far side.
The early-season production has been encouraging for Nassen. Through six games, he is averaging better than a point per game, a significant step forward from last season when he totaled 18 points in 36 appearances. If he can sustain anything close to this pace, it would represent a notable offensive breakthrough in his development.
William Zellers, Cooper Simpson – University of North Dakota
Thursday brought North Dakota’s first loss of the season, as the Fighting Hawks fell 5-3 to Minnesota. After a strong start to his campaign, Zellers was held off the scoresheet for a third straight game despite generating four shots on goal. He finished the night with a minus-2 rating while logging 19:14 of ice time. Simpson was also unable to crack the scoresheet in the loss. The forward did not record a shot on goal and skated 14:19.
On Saturday, it was the same matchup and the same result, as Minnesota once again came away with the victory over North Dakota. Zellers was held off the scoresheet for a fourth straight game – the longest of his NCAA career to date, a reminder that some of the early-season reactions to his hot start may have been premature. Despite the drought, he remained involved offensively, recording seven shots on goal and finishing with a minus-1 rating. Simpson did not dress for the contest.
Dean Letourneau, Kristian Kostadinski, Will Moore, Roberto Henriquez – Boston College
Dean Letourneau has been selected to the U.S. Collegiate roster for this year’s Spengler Cup, which will be held during the holiday season. The Boston College freshman is one of four Canadian players named to the collegiate entry so far, earning an opportunity to compete in one of hockey’s most prestigious international tournaments.
Boston College’s struggles continued Friday night with a 4-2 loss to Denver, as the Eagles once again appeared out of sync for long stretches of the game. Despite the defeat, Letourneau provided one of the bright spots, scoring his third goal of the season. The forward beat his defender to the net, and capitalized on a loose puck around the crease. He finished with a game-high five shots on goal and won two of seven faceoffs. Kostadinski was held off the scoresheet and recorded one shot on goal. Henriquez did not dress, while Moore remains sidelined with an injury.
Boston College earned a 3-2 shootout victory over Denver on Saturday, though the result will officially be recorded as a tie, leaving the Eagles with a disappointing 1-3-1 record on the season. Letourneau continued his strong start, picking up an assist on the game-tying goal with just 46 seconds remaining in regulation. The helper extended his season-opening point streak to five games. He finished plus-1, led all skaters with five shots on goal, and won six of his 12 faceoffs. Kostadinski was held off the scoresheet and finished minus-2, while Henriquez did not dress for the game. Letourneau’s production has been one of the few bright spots early in the season as Boston College searches for consistency in the standings.
Chris Pelosi, Elliott Groenewold – Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac suffered an upset loss Friday night, falling 4-3 to Army in overtime. Despite the result, Chris Pelosi continued his strong start to the season, scoring his third goal of the year to tie the game 1-1. The play began when he collected a chip pass at center ice, drove wide on a defender, and powered his way to the net before finishing with a forehand move. Pelosi was dominant throughout the contest, finishing with a plus-5 rating, five shots on goal, and winning 13 of 19 faceoffs. Groenewold recorded one shot on goal but was held off the scoresheet for a third consecutive game.
Jonathan Morello – Boston University
Boston University suffered a 5-4 overtime loss to Connecticut on Thursday, but Morello picked up his first point of the season with an assist late in the opening period. The forward finished the night with a plus-1 rating, won 50 percent of his faceoffs (5-for-10), and was held without a shot on goal while skating 12:34.
BU returned the favor beating Connecticut with a 6-3 victory on Saturday. Morello was held off the scoresheet but remained involved offensively, recording three shots on goal while winning six of his 11 faceoffs.
While BU’s depth down the middle is certainly a luxury for the program, it has once again left Morello in a fourth-line, checking-role capacity. Given his skill set and offensive potential, it would have been interesting to see him receive a larger role this season, but the Terriers’ strength at center has limited those opportunities thus far.
Beckett Hendrickson – University of Minnesota
Minnesota handed North Dakota its first loss of the season on Thursday, skating away with a 5-3 victory while picking up its first win of the campaign. Hendrickson played a key role in the outcome, scoring his second goal of the season into an empty net with 1:04 remaining to secure the result as North Dakota pressed for the equalizer. He finished the night with two shots on goal and 12:50 of ice time.
On Friday, Minnesota completed another upset of North Dakota, earning an identical 5-3 victory over the Fighting Hawks. Hendrickson contributed an assist on the game’s opening goal, giving him four points through his first six games of the season. The forward recorded one shot on goal, finished with a plus-1 rating, and logged 11:11 of ice time in the win.
Ryan Walsh – Cornell University
Season finally gets underway October 30.
Cullen McCrate – Brantford Bulldogs – OHL
The Brantford Bulldogs cruised to an emphatic 8-2 victory over the Brampton Steelheads on Friday in a game dominated by special teams and penalties. McCrate capped off the scoring with his fourth goal of the season, finding the back of the net with just 22 seconds remaining in regulation to extend his point streak to three games. The goal came on a well-placed wrist shot from the left faceoff circle after he curled into open space. McCrate finished the night with a plus-1 rating and a game-high five shots on goal, continuing his strong offensive start to the season. He is on pace for 26 goals and 65 points.
Brantford came up short in the rematch on Saturday, falling 4-1. McCrate was held off the scoresheet, bringing his three-game point streak to an end, but continued to generate offensive opportunities with three shots on goal. Through 11 games this season, the right-shot defenseman is averaging nearly three shots per game, highlighting his consistent involvement in the offensive zone.
Cole Chandler – Cape Breton – QMJHL
Cape Breton earned its first consecutive victories of the season on Friday, rallying past the Halifax Mooseheads for a 6-3 win. Returning to the lineup, Chandler made an immediate impact with a pair of assists. He helped spark the comeback after Cape Breton fell behind 2-0 and later contributed on an insurance marker that helped put the game out of reach. Chandler also finished with a plus-3 rating in a strong all-around performance.
Cape Breton appears to have found its stride, rolling to a 6-2 victory over Charlottetown on Sunday and improving to 3-0-1-0 over its last four games. As Chandler goes, so do the Eagles. The forward led the charge with two goals, including what stood up as the game-winner late in the second period. With less than four minutes remaining in the frame, Chandler finished off a give-and-go sequence from the hash marks, wiring a wrist shot home to extend Cape Breton’s lead to 3-1. He capped the scoring in style in the third period, driving down the left wing before snapping a wrist shot from the faceoff dot that beat the goaltender high to the far side, providing the finishing touch on a dominant 6-2 win. Chandler was moved to the wing in this game.
Jacob Vandeven – London Knights – OHL
The London Knights slipped to 7-2-0-1 on the season after a 6-4 setback to the Sarnia Sting on Wednesday. Through 10 games, Vandeven is still searching for his first point of the campaign after being held off the scoresheet once again. Despite the offensive drought, the rookie blueliner continues to make a positive impact defensively, having yet to be on the ice for an even-strength goal against. His plus-15 rating remains tied for the best mark in the OHL.
The London Knights got their revenge against the Sarnia Sting on Friday, turning the tables with a 6-4 victory after suffering a 6-4 loss in the teams’ previous meeting. Vandeven was held off the scoresheet and did not record a point, goal, or assist, but he continued to excel in his own zone. Most notably, he was once again not on the ice for an even-strength goal against, extending an impressive defensive stretch to start the season.
Sunday was a difficult outing for the Knights, who dropped a 5-1 decision to the Owen Sound Attack on the road. Vandeven recorded his first point of the season, picking up an assist on London’s lone goal, and finished the game with one shot on net. The only even-strength goal against with Vandeven on the ice this season came with just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, as Owen Sound extended its lead.
Yuri Ivanov – Spartak – MHL
It was a familiar story for Spartak MHA on Tuesday, as the club dropped a 4-1 decision to Taifun. Despite the result, Ivanov once again turned in a strong performance, stopping 34 of the 38 shots he faced. The loss was hardly on the young netminder. While his numbers with Spartak’s MHL squad have taken a hit behind a struggling team, Ivanov continues to shoulder a heavy workload and remains one of the few bright spots in the lineup. His statistics with Spartak’s main club continue to rank among the MHL’s best, but there is only so much a goaltender can do. Spartak MHA has managed just three wins in 17 games this season, leaving Ivanov with little margin for error night after night.
For those unfamiliar with Spartak’s development structure, the organization operates two teams in the MHL. Spartak MHC serves as the club’s primary junior team, featuring mostly 18- to 20-year-old players who are considered the next wave of talent and is the feeder for Spartak’s KHL roster. Meanwhile, Spartak MHA functions as a developmental squad comprised largely of 16- to 18-year-old players, providing a stepping stone to MHC before prospects make the jump to the organization’s top junior team.
Providence Bruins
Providence’s offensive struggles were on full display again Friday night in a 2-0 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Despite controlling much of the play and outshooting Hartford by a 35-17 margin, Providence was unable to solve the opposing netminder. Special teams also played a role in the outcome, with Providence going 0-for-3 on the power play while Hartford capitalized on one of its two man-advantage opportunities.
Simon Zajicek turned aside 15 of the 16 shots he faced and gave Providence every chance to win. The bigger issue continues to be generating offense. When a goaltender is tied for fourth on the team in goal scoring 8 games into the season, it serves as a telling indicator of the challenges Providence is facing at the offensive end of the ice.
Mikey Eyssimont led the way with a pair of goals Saturday as Providence defeated the Utica Comets 5-2. Attilio Biasca and Billy Sweezey and Max Guenette added singles while Biasca and Sweezey also had a helper. Dans Locmelis may have had his best game of the young season and contributed a pair of assists. Jiri Patera stopped 28 of 30 shots he faced.
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:
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