
For the New York Rangers prospects, the first half which started out with so much promise has mercifully come to an end for all buy one league on Saturday night. Six prospects dressed but the results were lacking as there was one goal and two assists to show on a night where only two prospects saw their teams earn wins.
Brody Lamb had the only goal on Saturday as his top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-3-2 Big Ten 1st 7-1-1-1) lost for the first time in regulation during Big Ten Conference play. The Gophers let a 3-1 second period lead slip away as Michigan State scored four unanswered goals in the third period to earn a 5-3 conference win.
Friday night it was Minnesota who rallied to earn a tie but Saturday they just fell apart in the third period. Lamb scored his prospect leading 12th goal of the season on the power play (his seventh) in the third period giving the Gophers a 3-1 lead .
But then Michigan State just took over the game, out-everything the Gophers to steal the win. Lamb was credited with five shots with a -2 as he was the second line right wing again.
The junior forward is tied for the NCAA goal scoring lead with 12 which is also matches his career best from last season. If Lamb reaches the 20 goal mark, it will be hard for the Rangers not to offer him a contract since he is the leading goal scorer this season.
Minnesota is now off until January 3rd when they will host Mercyhurst in non-conference play.
Nathan Aspinall had an assist as his Flint Firebirds (13-15-1-1 4th West Div.) shutout the Owen Sound Attack 4-0 in OHL play. Aspinall had a secondary assist on the Firebirds fourth goal which came at 17:09 of the third period.
The Rangers fifth round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry draft was credited with one shot and a +1 as he ends the first half with a 7-14-21 record. The Firebirds and the rest of the OHL will play until the 20th then take eight days off for their annual break.
Raoul Boilard had an assist but it did not prevent his Baie Comeau Drakkar (16-13-1-1 QMJHL EC) from dropping their fifth straight game. The Drakkar lost to the Rimouski Oceanic for the second straight night 3-2.
Boilard earned the secondary assist on the Drakkar’s second goal which at the time cut the Oceanic lead to 3-2 but they would get no closer than that. The Rangers 2024 fourth round pick was 0-1-1 on one shot with a +1 and one hit while going 9-8 on his faceoffs.
Boilard heads into the break as the Ranger prospects leading scorer and assists with a 7-19-26 mark. He also has a 53.4% faceoff win percentage.
The Drakkar are off until December 28th.
Noah Laba was scoreless as his 11th-ranked Colorado College Tigers (10-5-1 NCHC 4th 2-2-3-1) dropped the second game of their series with fourth-ranked University of Denver 2-1 in NCHC action.
Laba was scoreless on two shots while going 8-9 on his faceoffs. The Tigers are off until the 29th when they will host UNLV in an exhibition game.
Laba who missed five games with an injury finished his first half 1-10-11 which is tied for second on the team.
E. J. Emery was scoreless as his 18th-ranked North Dakota Fighting Hawks (11-7-1 NCHC 2nd 5-2-1-0) needed overtime before defeating ninth-ranked St. Cloud St 4-3. The win gave the Fighting Hawks a sweep of the weekend series and sent them into their holiday break with a five game unbeaten streak (4-0-1-0).
Emery who has just one point on the season was credited with five shots and a +2. His team is off until January 4th when they will host Manitoba in an exhibition game but Emery will be headed to USA Hockey’s selection camp on Tuesday.
Rasmus Larsson was scoreless as his Northern Michigan Wildcats (1-16-1 CCHA 9th 0-11-1-0) fell to Bowling Green 4-3 in CCHA action. The loss extended the Wildcats winless streak to 15 games (0-14-1-0).
The one thing that has to be said about NMU is that they try in each and every game. They just can’t catch a break but give them credit for not quitting on each other.
As for Larsson, he is still looking for his first NCAA point but he has been credited with 34 blocked shots. The Wildcats are off until the 29th when they will face most likely number one Michigan State in the opening round of the Great Lakes Invitational.
Vacation time
I too will be taking a break until most of the teams return on the 28th. For those who don’t know it but I also am writing for the Blue Line Station covering the prospects there as well.
Thank you for your support and I hope you and your family have a great holiday.
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