Flames Weekend Guide, December 7 2012
Ryan Pike
December 07 2012 09:55AM
The lockout may or may not be ending soon. (Spoiler: probably not.) Nevertheless, there's some big games this weekend for Flames prospects.
THE HEAT
After a couple games this week, the Heat are on a three-game (0-2-1) losing streak. They head to Toronto on Sunday to play the Marlies. Abbotsford will most likely be without Sven Baertschi and five other forwards who are currently out with injuries. They have struggled to score of late, but a large amount of that was because San Antonio goalie Jacob Markstrom is really good. Despite hitting the skids recently, the Heat are still comfortably in first place.
The ECHL's Utah Grizzlies head north to play a pair of games Friday and Saturday in Anchorage, Alaska against the Aces. Alaska is among the league's best teams, while the Grizzlies are fairly mediocre so far this season.
COLLEGE
It's a clash of the titans on Friday night, as the Boston College Eagles travel to Providence to visit the Friars in the only game of the weekend for either team. The Eagles are among the best teams in the United States and boast the offensive mastery of Johnny Gaudreau and the three-zone compete of Bill Arnold. The Friars have the superb netminding of Jon Gillies and the energetic play of Mark Jankowski (who may miss the game due to a sore hip).
The game can be watched via paid stream at the Friars website.
Elsewhere, John Ramage captains Wisconsin against Michigan Tech on Friday and Saturday, and two Flames prospects collide as Matthew Deblouw's Michigan State Spartans tangle with Nick Larson's Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Friday and Saturday.
JUNIOR
Before he comes to Calgary for World Junior selection camp next week, Tyler Wotherspoon bids farewell to his Winterhawks teammates with three games in less than 48 hours. Portland hosts Tri-City on Friday, visits Seattle on Saturday and then visits Tri-City on Sunday.
The Vancouver Giants and Brett Kulak have a similarly insane schedule. They host Coda Gordon's Swift Current Broncos on Friday, then visit Everett on Saturday before returning home to play the Kamloops Blazers on Sunday. Whew. Gordon and the Broncos conclude their weekend on Saturday in Victoria.
The red-hot Red Deer Rebels and captain Turner Elson try to keep their streak alive during a road trip to Moose Jaw on Friday and Brandon on Saturday. Laurent Brossoit hopes to rebound from a sub-par effort earlier this week when the Oil Kings play the Hitmen in a home-and-home on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are likely still available for the WHL version of the Battle of Alberta on Saturday night at the Dome.
Ryan Culkin and the Quebec Remparts visit Acadie-Bathurst on Friday and Saint John on Saturday. Meanwhile, Patrick Sieloff's Windsor Spitfires visit Sarnia on Friday and then host Oshawa on Sunday.
EUROPE
Karri Ramo continues to help push Avangard Omsk towards the top of the KHL standings, which are in Siberia or some such place. Anyhow, Avangard plays HC Vityaz Chekov, a team from just outside of Moscow. After this game, they're off for two weeks for the European Cup.
Roman Cervenka may (or may not) be back from his upper-body injury on Saturday night as HC Lev Praha heads into battle against HC Slovan Bratislava, a team from Slovakia. Fun fact: Slovan's logo is a kick-ass red, white and blue eagle.
In Sweden's secondary league, VIK Vasteras HK (and Mikael Backlund) plays IF Troja/Ljungby on Saturday night. Troja/Ljunby plays in the south of Sweden and their logo is a sweet horse. Meanwhile, Chris Butler and Karlskrona HK play Orebo HK on Friday and the IF Malmo Redhawks on Sunday. After this week, all of the teams are off for a couple weeks, also for the European Cup.
Reminder to send Ryan Lambert any questions you might have about the BC/Providence game tonight since he'll be in attendance.
Also, the Gaudreau shirts have been ordered and the shipment went out yesterday. Hope to have them in my hands next week.
Speaking of Gaudreau, I was just looking at his percentage of team offense...with 21 points in 13 games and with 38 total goals for, he has been in on 55% (!!) of their offense.
That's bonkers. It's so good it's almost certain to shrink, but...holy cow. It's a number that very few sophomores in college in even a 10-game sample I suspect.
So, it's always refered to as Gaudreau being part of a good team in BC. Is that the case or is it maybe more that Gaudreau really makes them that good. Between him and Kreider last year, they would have had most of the goals last year; perhaps more than 50%. How good would BC continue to be without Johnny G?
@T&A4Flames
Gaudreau account for about 28% of the offense last year. Kreider was in on about the same amount.
this year, Johnny has driven the bus so far for sure.
Did a quick check on Winterhawks playoff run last year. Sven was at about 39%. 34 points on 87 goals in 22 games.
@Steve
I did this for Baertschi in the regular season:
http://flamesnation.ca/2012/5/14/breaking-down-sven-baertschis-incredible-season
He was at 42.3% in the games he played.
A much more ambitious endeavour!
On a different note, what's up with Jankowski? He does not appear to be in the lineup tonight.
@Steve
He's hurt.
Hmmm. Missed that first time through.
Dammit!
And Gaudreau is on the board!
@Steve
Woo!
so Gaudreau's lengthy 1 game scoreless drought finally comes to an end.
1 goal and 1 assist for G-unit.
It's in overtime, jankowski with 0 points
@Vowswithin
Providence outShooting them 37-29
Looking at the game sheet, Gaudreau was playing C? Is this correct? If so, how was he on the draws? ** Edit....both Boston College and Hockey East websites, have him listed a Center, and Mullane as LW....error on their behalf..
Jankowski's goose egg might have something to do with the fact that he didn't play today.
For some reason, Gaudreau was listed as a center for this game, in spite of the fact that he's still playing with Pat Mullane, and didn't take a single draw. Weird error.
Oops my bad, good catch lol.
is janko's injured hip a precursor of things to come. this early into the campaign and sore my hip. hmmmm hope he ain't made of glass.