King on CHL: Who’s hot & who’s not
Posted January 30, 2012 9:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Mark Visentin’s shutout win over the Finns in the bronze-medal game at the world juniors was a sign of things to come, as the Niagara IceDogs’ keeper posted his third straight goose egg last week.
The IceDogs are hot, and will put Visentin’s shutout streak on the line in a headline battle against London on Friday. It will be one of two potential league final previews, as the Shawinigan Cataractes will host the Saint John Sea Dogs this week.
Québec Major Junior Hockey League
Hot team: Saint John Sea Dogs
The defending MasterCard Memorial Cup champs responded nicely after losing to the hosts, Shawinigan, three weeks ago. Since then, Saint John reeled off five-straight victories and won eight of its last 10 contests. With their recent streak, the Sea Dogs overtook Shawinigan for top spot in the league standings, but are up by just one point with the Cataractes holding a game in hand.
Cold team: Gatineau Olympiques
The Olympiques knew they would take some lumps in a transition season, but perhaps no week was uglier than the one they just endured. Gatineau lost all four games by a combined 32-8 margin. No loss was more humiliating than the 12-1 whooping in Québec City on Saturday. They should still make the playoffs this season, but will need stronger efforts now that the league’s worst team, P.E.I., is rapidly improving.
Game of the week: Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Shawinigan Cataractes, Saturday
The Sea Dogs will make their first trip to Shawinigan this season after playing the first two games of the season series at home. Saint John won the first the game in overtime, then lost 4-1 on Jan. 12 which was the first time the two teams met after the trade deadline. Shawinigan looked like the better team the last time they played. This game could be of great significance to the playoff picture, as the Sea Dogs currently have a point lead on the Cats for top spot in league standings.
Canadian NHL team’s QMJHL prospects
Michael Bournival, Shawinigan (Canadiens) — drafted 71st overall in 2010 (acquired in trade with Avalanche)
The captain of the MasterCard Memorial Cup hosts had another consistent effort. In two games, Bournival had a goal and two assists with a plus-3 rating. He’s nearly scoring at a goal-per-game clip, with 22 goals in 24 games this season.
Morgan Ellis, Shawinigan (Canadiens) — drafted 117th overall in 2010
Ellis is making the most of his opportunity with a contender after a trade from Cape Breton. In two games, Ellis had a goal and one assist. His assist on Pier-Olivier Morin’s goal on Wednesday against Victoriaville stood up as the game-winner.
Alexandre Grenier, Halifax (Canucks) — drafted 90th overall in 2011
Grenier’s four-game goalscoring streak was snapped this week, but he maintained his point streak with at least one assist in all three games. Grenier picked up four assists and now has 29 in 44 games this season.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Chicoutimi (Senators) — drafted 96th overall in 2011
Pageau experienced his first sluggish week since being traded to Chicoutimi, but still ended the week on a positive note. After failing to pick up a point in either of his first two games, he scored the insurance goal in a 4-2 win over Val-d’Or on Sunday.
Ontario Hockey League
Hot team: Plymouth Whalers
A popular pick to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as league champions, the Whalers are turning into the dominant second-half team expected from a team coached by Mike Vellucci. Plymouth won all three games last week to extend its winning-streak to four. With seven wins in their last 10 games, the Whalers are within striking distance of the London Knights, who have four more points, for first in the Western Conference standings.
Cold team: Owen Sound Attack
The defending league champs were unable to find a way to win against some tough opposition recently. The Attack’s last win came on Jan. 18, a 5-4 decision over Plymouth, which was six games ago. Owen Sound lost to London twice, Kitchener, Guelph and Ottawa. They now sit fifth in the Western Conference standings, four points back of the Sarnia Sting for fourth.
Game of the week: Niagara IceDogs vs. London Knights, Friday
Two of the league’s top teams will meet for the second and final time this season. The Knights won the first contest, 7-3, on Oct. 6. The IceDogs are surging after a sluggish start to the season and no player is hotter than goaltender Mark Visentin. Since returning from the world juniors, Visentin won all seven starts, including the last three by shutouts. Visentin has a 0.86 goals against average and .964 save percentage since winning bronze with Canada’s world junior team. He will be tested by Greg McKegg and a potent London offence.
Canadian NHL team’s OHL prospects
Greg McKegg, London (Maple Leafs) — drafted 62nd overall in 2010
McKegg looks comfortable in his hometown. In three games last week, he scored once, the game-winner over Windsor, and had six assists. Since joining the Knights, he has 11 goals and 11 assists in 11 games.
Mark Scheifele, Barrie (Jets) — drafted seventh overall in 2011
Whether fatigued after the grueling schedule of the world juniors, Scheifele doesn’t seem his normal self since returning to league play. In three games last week, he had one assist. He’s been held off the score sheet in six of his 10 games since the world juniors.
Shane Prince, Ottawa (Senators) — drafted 61st overall in 2011
The little dynamo is perhaps making USA Hockey eat their words after cutting him from the world juniors. In three games last week, he had three goals and two assists. Prince is currently on a nine-game point streak, where he has 21 points.
Tobias Rieder, Kitchener (Oilers) — drafted 114th overall in 2011
Rieder is red hot the past two weeks. In three games last week, Rieder scored four goals and four assists with a plus-5. He has 13 points in his last six games. His 51 points this season are two more than he produced in 25 more games last season.
Frank Corrado, Sudbury (Canucks) — drafted 150th overall in 2011
Corrado strung together a three-game point streak for the third time this season after picking up one assist in each of his three games last week. His 25 points this season are five fewer than last season, but most impressive is his plus-28.
Western Hockey League
Hot team: Calgary Hitmen
The Hitmen made the most of a recent home-stand, winning all five games at home in the past two weeks. Calgary’s winning streak is now six games with wins in nine of their last 10. The Hitmen are surging up the standings, now third in the Eastern Conference and just seven points back of first-place Edmonton Oil Kings. They could be a dangerous team come playoffs.
Cold team: Prince George Cougars
The Cougars have been unable to find the win column since back-to-back victories over the Lethbridge Hurricanes earlier this month. Prince George lost its last five games while the two wins over Lethbridge were the only two in the last 10 games. The Cougars are sinking quickly and losing ground on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They trail eighth-place Victoria, who they will play on Tuesday, by five points.
Game of the week: Calgary Hitmen vs. Kootenay Ice, Friday
The Hitmen will take to the road this week with an impressive winning streak in their back pocket. The Ice are just three points back in the Eastern Conference standings, but have one game in hand. Playoff positioning will matter in meetings such as this with the playoff picture rather jumbled in the Eastern Conference at this point. The Ice lead the season series 2-1, but much is left to be determined since this is just the fourth of eight meetings between these two clubs.
Canadian NHL team’s WHL prospects
Brad Ross, Portland (Maple Leafs) — drafted 43rd overall in 2010
The gritty forward continues to turn in solid performances. In three games last week, Ross scored twice and had four assists with a plus-5 rating. He scored his second game-winner of the season when he lifted his team to victory in overtime against Spokane on Friday.
Michael Ferland, Brandon (Flames) — drafted 133rd overall in 2010
Ferland is quietly producing for the Wheat Kings with another strong effort. In four games last week, Ferland scored twice and had one assist. His second period goal in Red Deer stood up as the winner on Saturday night.
Sven Baertschi, Portland (Flames) — drafted 13th overall in 2011
Baertschi’s production is beginning to increase after returning from a concussion sustained while representing Switzerland at the world juniors. In three games last week, he scored two goals and one assist, but was a minus-1. He has 60 points in 31 games this season.
Zach Yuen, Tri-City (Jets) — drafted 119th overall in 2011
The normally steady and reliable defenceman produced offensively, but not defensively last week. In three games, he had a goal and two assists, but was a minus-4. It’s hardly going to make a difference on his season totals, however, as he’s still a plus-33.
Martin Gernat, Edmonton (Oilers) — drafted 122nd overall in 2011
The Slovakian sensation is picking back up his offensive game after a red hot start to the season. Gernat had a goal and four assists with a plus-5 rating in three games last week and is riding a seven-game point streak.
