Sleepy Sunday

Shane McColgan (Steve Hiscock)

A somewhat quiet Sunday for the New York Ranger and New York Islander prospects as we start the Thanksgiving week. With 4 games on the schedule, the prospects who played did some giving and a little scoring.

Shane McColgan (NYR 2011 5th) showed us a little slight of hand on Sunday as his Saskatoon Blades were in Vancouver for a game against the Vancouver Giants. McColgan had a goal and an assist while earning the first star of the game honors in leading the Blades to a 5-2 win.

The Blades really needed McColgan to step up his game as the Blades have been hammered by injuries over the last week. And it was nice to see McColgan to respond with the effort that he did.

In the 1st period, it was McColgan who got the Blades going as he came away from the side boards and actually looked like he lost control of the puck but put the puck between his skates and onto his stick and fired one past Giant's goalie Tyler Fuhr to score a power play goal at 7:49 and a 1-0 Blade lead.

It was McColgan's 6th goal of the season and it gave the Blades some momentum and McColgan was not done. Exactly 1:43 later at 9:32, McColgan started a play that led to teammate Matej Stransky scoring the 2nd goal of the game for the Blades and a 2-0 lead.

Those goals would be important as the Giants would tie the game before the 1st period would end but the Blades scored 3 in the 3rd period to win the game. The win was the 2nd straight for the Blades who improved their season's record to 10-10-0-1.

McColgan is now 6-17-23 on the season and is 2nd in scoring on the Blades.

Samuel Noreau (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Samuel Noreau (NYR 2011 5th) and his Baie-Comeau Drakkar dropped a 5-3 overtime decision to the Rimouski Oceanic but because it was an overtime loss, the Drakkar equaled a franchise record as they have not lost in regulation in 15 games (12-0-1-2).

Noreau set a new career highs in goals and points when he scored his 6th goal (and 18th point) at 18:47 of the the 1st period giving the Drakkar a 2-1 lead. Noreau's goal was also a power play goal which has been the only goals that he has scored.

Noreau has been something else during the Drakkar's hot streak going 4-10-14 during the last 15 games which in the past was an entire season for the 6'3 225 defender.

Loic Leduc (NYI 2012 4th) and his Cape Breton Screaming Eagles just can't find ways to go on any kind of winning roll. Sunday the Screaming Eagles were defeated at home by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6-2.

Leduc was scoreless and his normal -1, 1 hit and a minor for his output. The Screaming Eagles at 15th (out of 18) in the QMJHL mainly because they have the 2nd worst defense in the QMJHL (given up 105 goals in 24 games) and can't score on their power plays (1 for 6 in this one).

Finally we have the 3 headed Islander prospects otherwise know as the Niagara IceDogs as the IceDogs battled back from 2 three goal deficits (0-3 and 1-4) before eventually falling via the shoot out 5-4 to the Kingston Frontenacs.

Ryan Strome (NYI 2011 1st) had 2 primary assists (including setting up the goal that tied the game) to extend his scoring streak to 8 games (6-16-22) and his OHL leading 15-28-43. Strome even scored on his shootout attempt but it was not enough.

Mitchell Theoret (NYI 2011 7th) had a secondary assist to extend his own scoring streak to 8 games (5-10-15) and is 9-14-23. Theoret though missed on his shootout attempt which would have extended the shootout rounds.

Jesse Graham (NYI 2012 6th) even had an assist even if it was a secondary one on the game tying goal. Graham is now 1-4-5 for the season.