It was an ugly night for all but one of the nine New York Ranger prospects who played on Friday night. Only two saw their team win and in part because one prospect’s team was facing another.
Just two assists to show for the night and if not for one prospect winning 80% of his faceoffs, then even those numbers would also be poor. This was a night to simply forget and move on to Saturday’s games as teams just did not play as good as they could have.
Raoul Boilard had the only assist on the only goal his Baie-Comeau Drakkar (14-6-1-0) would need as they shut out the Sherbrooke Phoenix 2-0 in QMJHL play. Boilard set up his older brother Jule’s goal at 14:33 of the second period.
It was part of a solid overall performance by the Ranger’s 2024 fourth-round pick. Boilard was 0-1-1 on three shots with a +1 with a cross-checking minor and a 20-5 faceoff stats line.
The leading scorer among the Rangers prospects, Boilard improved his season totals to 4-13-17 and a 56.4% faceoff win percentage.
Drew Fortescue had a primary assist, but his second-ranked Boston College Eagles (7-2 Hockey East 2-1) lost to UConn 5-4 in Hockey East play) Gabe Perreault saw his eight-game scoring streak end.
Fortescue earned the primary assist on Boston College’s second goal of the game coming at 0:31 of the third period which cut UConn’s lead at the time to 3-2. It was Fortescue’s second assist and point of the season as he was 0-1-1 on one shot, and he was a +1.
Gabe Perreault was credited with three shots with a +2 and a roughing minor as he remains the Eagles leading scorer at 5-8-13. Boston College is off until Tuesday night when they face Providence in a Hockey East contest.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU starting at 7:30 EDT/4:30 Pm PDT.
Noah Laba returned to his eighth-ranked Colorado College Tigers lineup, but they dropped a 3-2 overtime game to Ty Henricks’s 11th-ranked Western Michigan Broncos in NCHC play. Neither prospect scored nor offered any shots on goal.
Laba who had missed five games with a lower-body injury struggled with his faceoffs going 6-12. Henricks was a -1 as the Broncos fourth line left wing.
Colorado College suffered its first loss of the season dropping to 8-1 (1-0-1-1 NCHC) while Western Michigan improved to 6-1 (2-0-1-0 NCHC). Same two teams on Saturday night.
E. J. Emery was scoreless as his 10th-ranked North Dakota Fighting Hawks (5-5 NCHC 2-1) lost to top-ranked Denver University 5-2 in NCHC play. Emery was credited with no shots with a -2 and one blocked shot.
Rasmus Larsson was scoreless as his Northern Michigan Wildcats (1-10 CCHA 0-5) were shut out by 16th-ranked Minnesota State 3-0 in CCHA play. Larsson was credited with one shot and was a -2 as his team dropped their eighth straight game.
Hank Kempf was scoreless as his fifth-ranked Cornell Big Red (3-1-1 ECAC 1-1-0-1) lost to 17th-ranked Dartmouth College 4-3 in ECAC play. Kempf was credited with one shot and a -1.
Zakary Karpa was scoreless as his 19th-ranked Harvard Crimson (2-2 ECAC 1-2-1-0) lost to Colgate 4-2 in ECAC play. Karpa was credited with one shot and was 7-10 on his faceoffs.
Did Not Play
Nathan Aspinall missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury for the Flint Firebirds. Aspinall has been one of the top performing prospects this season, going 6-7-13 in 17 games before his injury. No word as to when Aspinall might return to the Firebird lineup.
