The start of both the CHL playoffs and the NCAA Tournament saw four New York Rangers prospects start the night. At the end of the night there were one fewer still alive and even in losing the New York Ranger fans still won as maybe it means Hartford will get one more defenseman to restock their depleted blueline.
The star of the show was the captain of the Soo Greyhound Bryce McConnell-Barker as DA BoMB led his team to a 4-3 game one win over the Guelph Storm to open the OHL playoffs. McConnell-Barker was 1-1-2 on four shots with a +1 and a 6-4 faceoff win rate.
With his team trailing 2-1 in the second period, McConnell-Barker made a hustling play to beat everyone to a loose puck and put it into the Storm’s net to tied the game up at 2-2. The puck was sent into the corner boards and McConnell-Barker just out-hustle everyone to the loose puck and it was in the back of the net before anyone could realize what he had done.
🚨HOUND GOAL🚨
BMB🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/Hfa7ILQZGe
— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) March 29, 2024
This is exactly what you want to see your players doing at playoff time. McConnell-Barker gets full props for going full out on what was a routine play and turning it into a goal to tie the game up. Still in the second period, McConnell-Barker would earn his second point of the night when he again outhustled the Storm players as they got caught on a bad line change, McConnell-Barker took advantage of it and fed Gavin Hayes for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
Tonight’s play of the game is presented by @DeltaSSM pic.twitter.com/BukSV2zZ4C
— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) March 29, 2024
Serious stick taps for the captain of the Greyhounds as twice his hustle led directly to two goals. Next year the fans in Hartford will get to enjoy the hustle that McConnell-Barker brings to his team. Game two will be Saturday night in Saulte Ste Marie Ontario.
Day one of the NCAA tournament saw just one upset as Cornell the third seed knocked off second seeded Maine in the Springfield Mass region 3-1 and advance to the region finals. You can say everything you want but truth be told, Cornell has been this good a team defensively that poor Maine really didn’t know what happened.
Maine held a huge 32-18 edge on shots but Cornell stuck with the formula that has them on a six-game winning streak. In fact if you go back the beginning of January and Cornell is 16-2-2-1 because as a team, they have embraced playing a defensive minded game.
Hank Kempf was scoreless with just one shot but his defensive play is why Cornell is one game away from a trip to the Frozen Four. He has come a long way from being the third pair defender as Kempf was first pair for this game.
I am unconvinced that Hank Kempf is NHL material as his skating needs a ton of work and his statistics are unimpressive (1-7-8). Next up for Cornell will be Denver University on Saturday, don’t bet against them.
In the Sioux Falls Regional, the host school, Victor Mancini and his third seeded Omaha Mavericks were facing Brody Lamb and his second seed the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Lamb and his Golden Gophers would dash the Mavericks upset hopes ralling in the third period for a 3-2 win and a spot in the regional finals.
Neither prospect would score as Lamb would register three shots and a +1 while Mancini would record one shot and a -1. Lamb and the Golden Gophers will take on top seed in the regional Boston University while Mancini ends a career best season for him offensively.
The numbers weren’t earth-shattering but the junior defender was 4-6-10 in 40 games with a +7. So the question for Mancini in today’s age of transfer portals and early signees what should he do if Chris Drury shows up with a contract?
In Mancini’s case while his offensive development still needs a lot of work, his work in the defensive zone was first rate. Mancini was top pair defense all-season long which means he played on both special teams and in every key defensive zone.
Won’t lie, Mancini isn’t going to win the Norris trophy and at best on the Rangers he would be third pair. But imagine if you will what might have happened if Ryan Lindgren would not have made his miracluous recovery to play against the Colorado Avalanche?
Toss in that the Rangers just gave a free agent defenseman a two year AHL deal to play at Hartford. Nothing against the young man but Hartford needs more bodies for the blueline both today and tomorrow.
Mancini can help the Wolfpack right away so if the Moose wants to leave Omaha then sign him.
