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Phantoms update:
12/20 - 5-4 OT LOSS
12/23 - 3-2 WIN
12/27 - 5-4 WIN
12/29 - 3-1 WIN
12/30 - 5-2 LOSS
Philippe Myers (D): 4 GP, 2 assists, 3 shots, 4 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
Myers is back from injury! He last played on November 25th. It’s been a injury-ridden year for Myers as he sits at just 18 games in his first professional season. He has 9 points (2 G, 7 A) so far, but remains the Flyers best defensive prospect not playing in the NHL.
Mark Friedman (D): 4 GP, 7 shots
2014 3rd Round Pick, 86th overall
I feel like a bit of a broken record here, but still no goals for Friedman who has put up 57 shots on goal in 32 GP.
Danick Martel (LW): 5 GP, 1 assist, 17 shots, 6 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
That certainly won’t help his shooting percentage this season. Despite the slow week, Martel is still 5th in AHL goal scoring with 17 goals in 32 games.
Mike Vecchione (C): 3 GP, 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, 2 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
Vecchione makes his return to the Phantoms lineup, being out since 12/9 with an injury. He picked up his 8th goal and 15th assist. I know its only been 29 games, but there should be a point this season where Vecchione gets another crack at the Flyers lineup.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (RW): 5 GP, 1 goal, 8 shots, 8 PIM
2014 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
NAK snags his 9th goal, tying his career-high from last season (though taking 36 less games to do so). The turnaround for Aubé-Kubel has been a bright spot among actual Phantoms prospects this year as his outlook was not looking too well entering the season.
Oskar Lindblom (LW): 5 GP, 4 goals, 3 assists, 13 shots
2014 5th Round Pick, 138th overall
After a slow start to the year, it might be time to start getting excited about Lindblom again. In his last 17 games he has 16 points (8 G, 8 A), which puts his overall season numbers (25 points in 35 games) into perspective.
Alex Lyon (G): 2 GP, 4 GA, 67 saves
Undrafted Free Agent
Alex Lyon makes his return to the Phantoms after serving as a permanent bench warmer for the Flyers the past couple weeks. More excitingly, he actually puts up two of his better performances of the season. His SV% creeps up over .900% for the first time since November.
Phantoms Notes: Samuel Morin (D) and Mikhail Vorobyev (C) both remain out with injuries.
Notable Canadian junior performers this week:
Connor Bunnaman (C/LW), Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
2016 4th Round Pick, 109th overall
- 12/28 - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 shot, 7 for 7 FOW
- 12/29 - 1 goal, 1 shot, 4 for 7 FOW
- 1/1 - 4 shots, 1 for 5 FOW
As Craig noted last week, Bunnaman is having a nice little season for himself. He is now up to 35 points (17 G, 18 A) in 35 games. You can see his 17th goal here.
Anthony Salinitri (LW/C), Sarnia Sting (OHL)
2016 6th Round Pick, 172nd overall
Salinitri keeping pace with his numbers for last season, sitting at 0.92 points-per-game after having a 0.88 pace in 16/17. His 35 points (16 G, 19 A) in 38 games puts him 5th in team-scoring for Sarnia.
Morgan Frost (C), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2017 1st Round Pick, 27th overall
- 12/28 - 1 goal, 2 shots, 2 PIM, 13 for 21 FOW
- 12/29 - 2 assists, 2 shots, 10 for 18 FOW
- 12/30 - 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots, 14 for 23 FOW
Perhaps Team Canada didn’t need Frost for their World Junior Championship roster, but instead Frost gets to continue contributing to Sault Ste Marie’s incredible season, who are on an astounding 23 game winning streak. In that stretch, Frost has 46 points (17 G, 29 A). Overall on the season he has 60 points (21 G, 39 A) in 36 games, leading the OHL in scoring. Here is Frost’s 21st goal of the season.
Isaac Ratcliffe (LW), Guelph Storm (OHL)
2017 2nd Round Pick, 35th overall
Ratcliffe had the moves last week, potting goals 15 through 18. You can see two of his goals here. He has 32 points (18 G, 14 A) in 35 games, which is 2nd best on his team and tops among forwards.
Matthew Strome (LW), Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 106th overall
- 12/28 - 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 shot, 1 for 1 FOW
- 12/30 - 2 goals, 4 shots, 1 for 1 FOW
- 12/31 - 1 goal, 4 shots, 0 for 2 FOW
Once again folks like Morgan Frost are really overshadowing what Strome is doing this season. Strome now has 40 points (21 G, 19 A) in 35 GP and is on pace (1.14 PTS/G) to shatter his previous career-high (62 points in 66 GP). Here is his 21st goal of the season.
Carsen Twarynski (LW), Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
2016 3rd Round Pick, 82nd overall
This was the first time since a 3-game stretch back in mid-October in which Twarynski hadn’t scored any points. He still sits at 39 points (24 G, 15 A) in 34 games.
Pascal Laberge (C), Victoriaville Tigres / Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 36th overall
A trade to Quebec couldn’t jump start Laberge’s season. In 34 games this season, Laberge has just 20 points (6 G, 14 A).
Juniors Notes: Maksim Sushko (LW), Carter Hart (G) and German Rubtsov (C) are all participating in the World Junior Championships. Look for a full report on them (and Linus Högberg) after the tournament concludes this week.
Notable European performers this week
David Bernhardt (D), Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
2016 7th Round Pick, 199th overall
- 12/19 - 1 shot, 11:53 TOI
- 12/21 - 13:48 TOI
- 12/26 - 2 shots, 17:43 TOI
- 12/28 - 1 shot, 13:29 TOI
- 12/30 - 2 shots, 08:31 TOI
The yo-yoing of ice-time continues for Bernhardt, as he still sits at 3 points (1 G, 2 A) in 29 games.
David Kaše (C/W), Mora IK (SHL)
2015 5th Round Pick, 128th overall
Hopefully Kase is back from injury for good. The first year SHLer has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 22 games.
Olle Lycksell (RW/C), Linköping HC (SHL)
2017 6th Round Pick, 168th overall
- 12/19 - 08:10 TOI
- 12/26 - 1 assist, 1 shot, 2 PIM, 09:48 TOI
- 12/28 - 2 shots, 10:15 TOI
- 12/30 - 1 shot, 10:02 TOI
Lycksell is back in the SHL after a short stint in Allsvenskan and juniors. Across 3 levels of competition this season he has 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 37 games as an 18 year old.
Ivan Fedotov (G), Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
2015 7th Round Pick, 188th overall
It was not a great week for Fedotov, whose season has been as equally not great. He sports a .895 SV% in 20 games for Toros.
Kirill Ustimenko (G), MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)
2017 3rd Round Pick, 80th overall
Ustimenko sure is something, getting his 7th and 8th shutout of the season. In 35 games he has a .929 SV%, which is 9th best in the MHL.
Euro Notes: Linus Högberg (D) is out of the lineup for Växjö as he plays for Team Sweden at the WJC. Felix Sandström (G) remains out of action with what seems to be a season-ending injury.
Notable NCAA and USHL performers this week:
Wade Allison (RW), Western Michigan University
2016 2nd Round Pick, 52nd overall
- 12/28 - 1 goal, 2 assists, 2 shots, 1 for 2 FOW
After a long break, college hockey is back in action and it appears Allison hasn’t missed a beat either. He has 28 points (15 G, 13 A) in 20 games, leading the NCAA in scoring.
Tanner Laczynski (RW/C), Ohio State University
2016 6th Round Pick, 169th overall
Laczynski’s impressive season continues with his 9th goal and 16th assists and is just 3 points off Allison for the league-lead.
Cooper Marody (C), University of Michigan
2015 6th Round Pick, 158th overall
- 1/1 - 1 shot, 13 for 23 FOW
Marody falling behind his fellow Flyers forward prospects, sitting at 25 points (4 G, 20 A) in 17 games out of the break.
Brendan Warren (LW), University of Michigan
2015 3rd Round Pick, 81st overall
- 1/1 - 1 assist, 1 shot, 0 for 1 FOW
Warren gets a point to give him 6 (3 G, 3 A) in 17 games this season.
Noah Cates (LW), Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2017 5th Round Pick, 137th overall
Cates has been steady as he goes, though perhaps slightly under par or where most thought he’d be this season offensively. While no regulation goals this week, he did have the shootout winner in the 12/30 game. Overall this season he has 16 points (6 G, 10 A) in 24 games. Cates had 7 points in 11 games last season.
Matej Tomek (G), Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 90th overall
Tomek picks up his first career shutout, improving his season numbers with a .912 SV% in 13 games.
NCAA Notes: Wyatt Kalynuk (D) and Terrance Amorosa (D) are still on break, but will be back in action this week.