While the New York Rangers were having struggles at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, their prospects were having a much better evening. Three prospects delivered big goals that helped their team earn wins and there was good news on the injury front as Bryce McConnell-Barker made his return after being out with an “upper-body injury” (read that as a serious concussion).
It was also matchup weekend among the Rangers college prospects with four games involving both teams being ranked in the college polls. Including a matchup of number one versus number two but going to start with the prospect who is quickly becoming “Mr. Clutch” for Colorado College, sophomore Noah Laba.
Laba who was the Rangers fourth-round selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft scored 15 seconds into overtime to lead his 17th-ranked Colorado College Tigers to a 2-1 win over 12th-ranked Western Michigan University in NCHC play. It was the third time this season that the sophomore center scored the game-winning goal in the overtime period.
The goal was all Laba as he carried it end to end just taking the puck right to the Western Michigan goalie and scoring to give his team the huge road win.
WOW, just WOW!! Noah Laba scores his third OT GWG this season!!#CCTigers pic.twitter.com/rtByWdB8jh
— CC Hockey (@CCTigerHKY) January 27, 2024
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Twitter is being funk tonight so here is the link to Laba’s goal
And if you want here is the hero on postgame
It was a big win for Laba and his teammates as they earned their 13th win of the season as Colorado College is enjoying their best start since the 2012 season. Laba is the leading scorer thanks to his team best 12 goals (new career best) which has him with 20 points along with five game-winning goals, two power play and two shorthanded goals as well.
The first line center almost from the moment that he arrived on campus last year, he play at both ends of the ice is raising some eyebrows. His faceoff skills are pretty solid as he was 10-9 in this game. Same two teams will meet on Saturday for the finale of this series.
In all the years that Boston College and Boston University have been rivals in ice hockey, until Friday never before had the two teams faced each other when the teams were ranked first and second in the polls. Friday night Gabe Perreault and Drew Fortescue led their second-ranked Boston College to a 4-1 home ice win over top-ranked Boston University in Hockey East play.
Perreault scored his eight goal of the season in the second period with his team already up 1-0. It was a nice finish off a odd-man rush as the “Magic Man” makes it look so easy with just a nice accurate shot that he has. Perreault got the pass from his linemate and put the shot top shelf for the 2-0 lead.
Gabo goes 🔝 shelf
💻 https://t.co/5s2DsDrJfa pic.twitter.com/OCAdZuDGZH
— BC Men’s Hockey (@BC_MHockey) January 27, 2024
In case the clip doesn’t work then use this link
The goal extends Perreault’s scoring streak to eight games (5-10-15), Perreault has scored in 19 out of the 22 games he has played in (8-27-35) to lead Boston College and the Hockey East conference in scoring. Nationally Perreault is third overall in scoring and second in assists.
As for teammate Fortescue, he had a secondary assist on Boston College’s first goal for his second assist of the season and fifth overall point. The same two teams will face each other on Saturday afternoon but they will swap locations and it will be a road game for Boston College. Game will be streamed on ESPN+ starting at 7PM EDT/4 PM PDT.
Dylan Roobroeck had a goal as his Oshawa Generals held off the Erie Otters 6-5 in OHL play. The leading scorer among the Ranger prospects, Roobroeck scored his 14th goal of the season when in the first period and his team already up 1-0, Roobroeck off the forecheck created a turnover that put the puck on teammate Matthew Buckley’s stick who quickly fed it back to Roobroeck who beat the Erie goalie for the goal and a 2-0 lead.
Probbbbbbably not the duo you should turn the puck over to 🤠 pic.twitter.com/u8O9ZCFsK8
— Oshawa Generals (@Oshawa_Generals) January 27, 2024
Really hating twitter about now as here is Roobroecks goal
The Rangers 2023 sixth-round pick, Roobroeck is the last prospect anyone would have expected to be the leader in goals and points but at 14-26-40 that is exactly what is happening. Roobroeck scored his goal on the only shot that he took in the game while going 11-9 on his faceoffs.
Bryce McConnell-Barker made his return to the Soo Greyhounds as they defeated the Kitchener Rangers 4-2 in OHL play. McConnell-Barker had missed the last 14 games recorded a secondary assist on four shots with a +1 with a tripping minor while going 9-12 on his faceoffs.
The captain of the Greyhounds improved his season totals to 12-19-31.
Victor Mancini and his Omaha Mavericks upset 14th-ranked St. Cloud State 7-6 in overtime in a wild scoring affair in NCHC play. Mancini was scoreless on three shots as the teams combined for eight goals in the second period while Omaha won the game just 39 seconds into overtime.
Maxim Barbashev was scoreless as his Rimouski Oceanic rallied to defeat the Val-d’Or Foreurs 3-2 in overtime in QMJHL play. Barbashev was credited with two shots while a -1 as his Oceanic rallied from down 2-0 to earn the win.
Brody Lamb was scoreless as his ninth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers dropped a 3-2 decision to seventh-ranked Michigan State in Big Ten conference play. Lamb took only one shot and was a -1 for the game. he has got to be more active on the offensive side of the game.
Hank Kempf was scoreless as his 13th-ranked Cornell Big Red defeated Zakary Karpa’s Harvard Crimson 2-0 in ECAC action. Kempf was credited with one shot as was Karpa who was 9-8 on his faceoffs.
Ty Henricks was scoreless as his Muskegon Lumberjacks lost to the Des Moines Buccaneers 2-1 in USHL action. Henricks was credited with three shots as he has been in a bit of a slump with just one point in his last eight games.
Rasmus Lawsson was scoreless as his Green Bay Gamblers fell to the Sioux City Musketeers 6-4 in USHL play. Lawsson did not record any stats in this game.
Did Not Play
Hugo Ollas was the backup for his Merrimack Warriors.
Jaroslav Chmelar is recovering from wrist surgery.
