Boston Bruins Prospect Update Week Ending: March 13, 2022

By: Dominic Tiano | Follow me on Twitter @dominictiano

Peter Cehlarik and his number 5 seed Avangard Omsk eliminated number 4 seed Ak Bars in 6 games in the KHL Playoffs. Cehlarik had four helpers in what was actually a close series, with three of the games going into overtime. Avangard will now take on top seed Metallurg MG in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals beginning Friday.

Oskar Jellvik and his Djurgardens IF squad had the opportunity to clinch the top spot in the J20 Nationell before heading to the playoffs. They held a 3-1 lead at the end of the first and looked well on their way but lost 5-4 to Linkoping HC. Jellvik would finish second in the league, scoring with 15 goals and 15 assists in 18 games. Djurgardens has a 1-point lead over Linkoping, with the latter having a game in hand. Linkoping would lose that game 4-1 on Sunday, and Djurgardens finishes on top. Four teams have one game remaining, and those will be completed Tuesday before the first-round playoff matches are set. Round one is a best of three series that begins March 23, 2022.

On Wednesday, Trevor Kuntar and his Boston College teammates needed overtime to defeat New Hampshire 4-3 in the first round of the Hockey East Tournament. Kuntar was pointless in that match. That set up a date with top-seeded Northeastern in a single-elimination match. During the season, Boston College took 2 out of three matches against Northeastern, but it was Northeastern that would prevail on Saturday 3-2 in the Hockey East Quarter Finals.  

John Beecher and his Michigan State Wolverines took on Notre Dame Saturday in the BIG-10 semifinals 2-1. While Beecher was held off the scoresheet, his defensive game helped pave the way in what was a very tight game. Michigan now goes on to the BIG-10 Championship game against Minnesota on Saturday.

Jake Schmaltz and North Dakota defeated Colorado College 2-1 on Saturday in the NCHC Quarterfinals. Schmaltz did not register a point in what was another very tight game on the docket. North Dakota moves onto the NCHC semifinals against Western Michigan on Friday.

Riley Duran and the Providence Friars lost a 4-2 decision to Massachusetts on Saturday in the Hockey East Quarterfinals. Duran would score a goal in that contest, but it wasn’t enough to help Providence.

Quinn Olson and the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs needed overtime to pull out a 4-3 victory over St Cloud State on Saturday in the NCHC quarterfinals. Olson failed to register a point, but they now move onto the NCHC semifinals and a date with Denver on Friday.

Dustyn McFaul has missed the last two games, but his Clarkson Golden Knights squad managed to pull off a victory at the ECAC quarterfinals on Saturday 2-1 over Union that required overtime. Clarkson moves onto the semifinals on Friday, but their opponent is to be determined.

Ty Gallagher was named to the Hockey East All-rookie team, and it is well deserved. His Boston University squad would lose 3-1 on Saturday to Connecticut in a Hockey East quarterfinal matchup.

Jack Becker and the Arizona State Sun Devils season is over. This was Becker’s last season in the NCAA, and now the Bruins need to make a decision: Either sign him to his entry-level contract before August 15, 2022 or let him walk as an unrestricted free agent.

Mason Lohrei was named a finalist for the B1G Hockey Defensive Player of the Year Award.

You may not think this is big news, but I think it is. The Oshawa Generals have relieved Head Coach Todd Miller of his duties, on Saturday. In a media release, General Manager Roger Hunt said, “We feel our team is underperforming right now. We all think the group can benefit from a different voice down in the room.”

And he couldn’t be more correct. The Generals made some key acquisitions prior to the trade deadline in what was supposed to send them on a playoff run. Instead, they lost seven games in a row and are 1-8-0-1 in their last ten games and 4-13-0-2 in their previous 19 games.

So, what does this mean for Bruins’ prospect Brett Harrison? Well, he most often plays on a line with Ty Tullio (Edmonton Oilers) and Stuart Rolofs (2022 draft eligible). But the three are interchangeable, meaning they all take turns playing center depending on the opponent, game situation, and line matchup. Harrison just isn’t a winger. His game is down the middle, and that is where he is most effective. During a podcast here following the trades, Harrison told us that the belief going forward is that he would be playing in the middle going forward, and that hasn’t been the case.

Harrison has been more than a point-per-game producer for most of the season. During this 7-game losing streak, he has just two goals and three helpers and just six goals in the 19-game stretch where the squad has taken a downturn. He had 16 goals in his previous 28 games.

Miller had clearly lost the room, and it was evident. They were outscored 38-15 in those seven losses, and it was clear the players looked disinterested on the ice. I’m not suggesting the leadership group had anything to do with this, but Tullio’s father, Rocko, does own the franchise. Assistant coaches Kurtis Foster and Mike Hedden will run the bench the rest of the way.

For one game, it worked. It was a more determined effort all around and a good come-from-behind victory for Oshawa. The coaches left the line alone except for one shift Harrison took on right-wing (he’s a left shot). He even scored a goal. It’s only been one game, and things don’t get any easier today (Monday) as they take on the Hamilton Bulldogs, one of the top teams in the country, in an outdoor game in Hamilton. If you are interested, that game is free for everyone on OHL Live at 7:00 pm.

Providence Bruins Player Stats

Providence Bruins Goalie Stats

Maine Mariners Stats

Coming up this week:

Brett Harrison and his Oshawa Generals play an outdoor game today (Monday) in Hamilton.

AROUND THE GLOBE

WHO’S HOT:

Philip Svedeback stopped 41 of 42 shots on Friday for his third straight win and fifth in his last six games. His only loss came on February 8 against the NDTP when he left the game 2:01 into the second with an injury and down 2-0. They would lose that game 9-0. Friday was arguably his best performance of the season. In his last three games, he’s stopped 90 of 95 shots for a .947 save percentage.

Jake Schmaltz assisted on both goals Friday as North Dakota edged out Colorado College 2-1 in a nail-biter.

Fabian Lysell is riding a 3-game point streak on two goals and three assists and has five goals and eight assists in his last ten games.

WHO’S WARM:

Oskar Jellvik had his 6-game point streak snapped on Saturday, in which he had six goals and eight assists. Jellvik enters the J20 Nationell playoffs with eight goals and ten assists in his last ten games.

Brett Harrison has two goals and two assists in his last five games.

Andre Gasseau has three goals and four assists in his last ten games.

Riley Duran has two goals in his last five games.

WHO’S COLD:

Quinn Olson has just one assist in his last five games.

Ryan Mast has two assists in his previous five games.

Mason Langenbrunner is pointless in 4 games but still has six assists in his last ten games.

Follow me on Twitter @dominictiano