Just the three Canadian junior prospects in action on Super Bowl Sunday. Just one saw his team come away with a win.
It has been way too long since we could say Maxim Barbashev was the prospect of the night but Barbashev earned second star of the game honors. Barbashev was 1-1-2 as his Rimouski Oceanic defeated the Cape Breton Eagles 5-2 in QMJHL play.
The Rangers 2022 fifth round draft pick has struggled offensively this season scored just his tenth goal of the year. With the game tied at 1 in the second period, Barbashev saw his teammates battling for the puck behind the Cape Breton goal so he set himself up just to the top of the slot area where he was wide open for a quick shot that the Cape Breton goalie had no chance to stop.
An strength goal that gave his Rimouski team a lead that they never relinquished at 16:19 of the second period. His first goal since January 20th and he really needed it.
In the third period, Barbashev earned a secondary assist on the Oceanic’s third goal which proved to be the game winning goal. A two-point game for Barbashev as he improved to 10-16-26 on the season.
Barbashev is way off the pace from last season’s 32-33-65 and it looks like the Rangers do not intend to sign Barbashev. By now the decision is normally made as to whether or not a prospect is offer an entry level contract.
A shame too as Barbashev has all the required tools to be an NHL player like his older brother Ivan but something went wrong this season for Barbashev.
Dylan Roobroeck scored his 16th goal of the season but his Oshawa Generals blew a 3-0 lead and lost in overtime to the London Knights 4-3 in OHL action. In the second period with his team up 1-0 and on the power play, Roobroeck deflected a shot from teammate Matthew Buckley for the goal and a 2-0 lead.
It is a new career best for the Generals center as he is making a strong case to get the Rangers to sign him to an entry level contract. Roobroeck is the current prospect leader in scoring at 16-32-48 and his 16 goals ties him for the prospect goal scoring lead.
But the Generals surrendered three third period goals and then one in overtime to lose the game and that will sting.
Bryce McConnell-Barker and his Soo Greyhounds blew an opportunity to make up ground against the leader of the OHL’s West Division the Saginaw Spirit as they were shut out 3-0 by the Spirit. McConnell-Barker had three shots and an impressive 16-5 mark on his faceoffs.
But instead of cutting the Spirit’s lead to two points in the standings, the Greyhounds now trail by six.
