Texas Stars
Texas is back on a good roll again with a pair of wins last week. They’ve now won four of their last five games and are steadying the ship with just three weeks left in the season.
Jack Campbell started both games last week and had a whirlwind adventure. He allowed six goals in a wild OT 7-6 win against Houston before stymieing the Grand Rapids Griffins to just one goal.
Campbell ended up with 65 saves on 72 shots last week. He’ll be the main horse the rest of the year for Texas so he just needs to stay healthy and sharp.
With 10 goals last week, there were a good number of folks that had multiple points. Justin Dowling ended up leading the way with four points (three goals, one assist), and nine other guys had multiple points.
Texas reclaimed the league lead in points with their two wins and now sits atop all with 89 points.
There’s going to be some roster turnover in the coming weeks with the OHL winding down and the usual call-ups to the NHL so things might be in flux for Texas.
Apr. 05 – Oklahoma City @ Texas Stars
Apr. 06 – Hamilton Bulldogs @ Texas Stars
Apr. 07 – Texas Stars @ San Antonio Rampage
CHL Prospects
Radek Faksa – Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener played three games last week and closed out their series with the Guelph Storm. The Rangers won their series 4-1 and will be taking on the OHL’s best in the London Knights in their next series.
Faksa had himself a great week with three goals and an assist. He’s been solid thus far in the playoffs with five total points and has been great in leading his team.
If Kitchener wants to get by the Knights in their next series, he’ll have to have a great week.
Season totals: 39 games, 9 goals, 22 assists, 26 PIM, -1 rating
Playoff totals: 5 games, 3 goals, 2 assist, 4 PIM, -1 rating
Apr. 05 – Kitchener Rangers @ London Knights
Apr. 07 – Kitchener Rangers @ London Knights
Apr. 08 – London Knights @ Kitchener Rangers
Apr. 10 – London Knights @ Kitchener Rangers
Apr. 12 – Kitchener Rangers @ London Knights
Apr. 14 – London Knights @ Kitchener Rangers
Apr. 16 – Kitchener Rangers @ London Knights
Brett Ritchie – Niagara IceDogs
Ritchie and the IceDogs were unceremoniously taken out by the Oshawa Generals in the past week. Niagara won one game last week but ended up losing the series 4-1.
Ritchie had one goal and two assists and ended his playoff run with one goal and three assists in four games. He ended his year quite well with points in 10 of the last 12 games
Ritchie ended up 16th in the OHL with 76 points and sixth in goals with 41.
Ritchie will probably end up with the Texas Stars in the next week and will be a big boost for them.
Season totals: 53 games, 41 goals, 35 assists, 40 PIM, +35 rating
Playoff totals: 4 games, 1 goals, 3 assist, 9 PIM, -1 rating
Gemel Smith – Owen Sound Attack
Smith and the Attack had a very busy week with four games against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound. The Attack split the games with the Greyhounds, but that was more than enough as they won the series 4-2.
A gigantic part of those wins was Smith. He exploded for five goals and two assists and carried the Attack into the next round. It was Smith’s best week since the very first week in October and came at the perfect time for his week.
He’s above a point-per-game pace right now in the playoffs and will need to be huge in the next round against the Plymouth Whalers.
Season totals: 61 games, 23 goals, 29 assists, 54 PIM, +17 rating
Playoff totals: 6 games, 6 goals, 2 assists, 4 PIM, +2 rating
Apr. 05 – Owen Sound Attack @ Plymouth Whalers
Apr. 07 – Owen Sound Attack @ Plymouth Whalers
Apr. 09 – Plymouth Whalers @ Owen Sound Attack
Apr. 10 – Plymouth Whalers @ Owen Sound Attack
Apr. 12 – Owen Sound Attack @ Plymouth Whalers
Apr. 14 – Plymouth Whalers @ Owen Sound Attack
Apr. 16 – Owen Sound Attack @ Plymouth Whalers
Matej Stransky – Saskatoon Blades
Stransky and the Blades ended the playoffs with a gigantic thud as they were swept by the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Stransky ended the playoffs with no points and really struggled at the end of the year. He didn’t score in the last five games of the regular season and only had three in the last nine games of the year.
Stransky ended the year 16th in the WHL in scoring with 85 points and 12th in goals with 40.
Season totals: 72 games, 40 goals, 45 assists, 88 PIM, +32 rating
Playoff totals: 4 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 4 PIM, -2 rating
Mike Winther – Prince Albert Raiders
Winther and the Raiders were swept out of the playoffs by the Red Deer Rebels this past week. The Raiders lost both games and Winther had only one goal.
Winther had an absolutely miserable last couple months of the year with only 10 points in 21 games to close out the season and really only had one good month the entire season.
In eight playoff games with the Raiders in the past three years, Winther has only one point so it doesn’t look like he’s producing when it really counts.
Season totals: 68 games, 22 goals, 28 assists, 61 PIM, +15 rating
Playoff totals: 4 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, 6 PIM, -5 rating
Branden Troock – Seattle Thunderbirds
Troock played no games due to injury and won’t be back the rest of the year.
Season totals: 19 games, 5 goals, 6 assists, 19 PIM, -5 rating
Troy Vance – Prince Edward Island Rocket
Vance had what could be considered an explosion with two assists in the three games last week. P.E.I did lose two of the three games though and will be in a struggle fighting back from a 3-2 deficit.
The assists were Vance’s first points of the postseason and his first points since the last week of February.
P.E.I gets two games at home this week against Val-d’Or and will try to fight back from a 3-2 disadvantage.
Season totals: 39 games, 3 goals, 15 assists, 41 PIM, -6 rating (With Victoriaville)
28 games, 1 goal, 7 assists, 16 PIM, +18 rating (With PEI)
Playoff totals: 5 games, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 PIM, +1 rating
Apr. 01 – Val-d’Or Foreurs @ P.E.I Rocket
Apr. 02 – Val-d’Or Foreurs @ P.E.I Rocket
Maxime Lagace – Prince Edward Island Rocket
Lagace had no games last week and is firmly on the bench behind Antoine Bibeau. He won’t be getting significant time unless Bibeau gets hurt.
Season totals: 33 games, 13-12-1-0, 106 goals allowed, 4.05 GAA, .869 SV%, 1 shutout
Playoff totals: 1 games, 0-0-0-0, 1 goal allowed, 2.19 GAA, .857 SV%, 0 shutout
