It’s a big week for Tampa Bay Lightning prospects! The Frozen Four tournament begins Thursday night and it’s Cole vs Cole when it comes to Lightning prospects. Cole Koepke and the UMD Bulldogs will play in a semi-final game in the opposite bracket from Cole Guttman and the Denver Pioneers. I’ll be there in Buffalo covering the games, so if you have any questions for the college kids drop them in the comments (we generally can’t ask about the NHL, so keep it general I guess).
We also saw another prospect’s season come to an end, so let’s get caught up.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
All games should be available on QMJHL Live
#9 – Gabriel Fortier (F)
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Defeated 4-3 in round 1 vs Moncton WIldcats
Game 1 – Win – 2-1 OT – 0G, 0A, +1
Game 2 – Loss – 5-2 – 0G, 0A, -3
Game 3 – Win – 4-3 OT – No Points
Game 4 – Loss – 3-2 – 0G, 1A
Game 5 – Win – 5-2 – 0G, 1A, +2
Game 6 – Loss – 3-1 – 0G, 0A, -2
Game 7 – Loss – 3-2 – 1G, 0A
The #2 seed in the Eastern Conference was upset in the playoffs, despite a 3-2 series lead heading into the final weekend . Fortier has now joined the Syracuse Crunch for the rest of the season.
#41 – Radim Salda (D) / #23 – Jimmy Huntington (F)
Rimouski Oceanic
Win Round 1 series vs Chicoutimi Sagueens 4-0
Game 1 – Win – 4-3 OT – 0G, 1A, -1 / 2G, 1A
Game 2 – Win – 3-2 4OT – 0G, 0A, +1 / No Points
Game 3 – Win – 4-3 – 0G, 0A, -2 / 1G, 2A, +2
Game 4 – Win – 6-3 – 0G, 0A, +3 / 1G, 0A, +1
After sweeping the Sagueens in round one, the Oceanic now head out east, to the far end of Nova Scotia to take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
Game 1 – Win – 3-1 – 0G, 0A, +1 / 1G, 1A, +3
Game 2 – Loss – 2-1 – 0G, 0A, -1 / 0G, 1A
Game 3 – Away – Tues. April 9th
Game 4 – Away – Thurs. April 11th
Game 5 – Away – Fri. April 12th
Game 6 – Home – Mon. April 15th
Game 7 – Home – Tues. April 16th
The series is tied at one game each so far, and they’ve both been very close games. If you want to check out any of the remaining games, you can subscribe for the playoffs, or just buy individual games on QMJHL Live.
NCAA
Cole Guttman (F)
U. Denver PIoneers
The Pioneers made it to the Frozen Four, and will now take on U. Mass-Amherst in their semifinal match up on Thursday.
Game time is 8:30PM Eastern, and can be found on ESPN 2.
Cole Koepke (F)
U. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are in the opposite semi-final from Denver, taking on Providence in their quest to win back to back Frozen Four titles.
Game time on Thursday is 5:00PM Eastern, and can be found on ESPN 2.
Previously eliminated prospects
Alexey Lipanov – Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
Lipanov is now playing with the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL.
Ryan Lohin – U. Mass-Lowell River Hawks (NCAA)
Ty Taylor – U. New Hampshire Wildcats (NCAA)
Ryan Zuhlsdorf & Sammy Walker – U. Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA)
Nicklaus Perbix (D) – St. Cloud State Huskies NCAA)
Alex Green (D) – Cornell Big Red (NCAA)