Prospects Of The Week
Hallander Scores Overtime Winner, Continues Producing For Timra IK
Filip Hallander continues to produce for Timra IK with three goals and a primary assist spread across two wins last week. The 2018 second round pick scored twice–including the overtime winner–and recorded a helper in a 5-4 overtime win over Brynas IF on Thursday and scored the third goal of a 4-1 win over Lulea HF on Sunday. Hallander leads Timra IK with 12 goals and ranks second on the team and third in the SHL with 27 points in 24 games.
Foster Enjoys Productive Week With Ottawa
Cooper Foster produced five points in a week of ups and downs for the Ottawa 67s. The 2023 sixth round pick scored in a back-and-forth 8-4 loss to the Oshawa Generals on Wednesday, recorded three assists–two primary and one secondary–in a 6-1 win over the Sarnia Sting on Friday, and added another primary assist in a 2-1 loss to the Barrie Colts on Sunday. Foster ranks second on the 67s with 12 goals and third with 27 points in 27 games.
Valtteri Puustinen Re-Finding Scoring Touch With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Valtteri Puustinen continues to find consistency after re-joining the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the end of November and scored twice and added a secondary assist in a 6-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday. The 2019 seventh round pick went without a point in two other games last week, but look to build on four points through five AHL games in the 2024-25 season.
Down On The Farm
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Goes 1-2-0 In Up-And-Down Week
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins fell flat in a 6-1 loss to the Hershey Bears on Wednesday night. The Bears took a 5-0 lead late in the second period before a Boris Katchouk goal off assists by Emil Bemstrom and Mac Hollowell spoiled the shutout bid for Hershey. Joel Blomqvist surrendered six goals on 26 shots and Filip Larsson made eight saves in relief in the third period.
Vasily Ponomarev recorded a hat trick and added a helper in a 6-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night. Valtteri Puustinen scored twice and Joona Koppanen added goal in the first period to help Wilkes-Barre/Scranton jump out a 3-0 lead. Filip Kral recorded three assists, Tristan Broz and Nikolai Knyzhov recorded two assists, and Puustinen, Nate Clurman, and Rutger McGroarty recorded helpers. Blomqvist rebounded after being pulled on Wednesday with 28 saves.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fell flat again on Sunday afternoon, dropping a 5-0 decision to the Providence Bruins. Filip Larsson surrendered five goals on 31 shots in the loss.
Wheeling Nailers Extend Winning Streak To 11 Games
A third period push propelled the Wheeling Nailers to a 4-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Friday night. After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, Kyle Jackson tied the game 1-1 in the second off a Jack Beck assist. The Wings took the lead again midway through the third period, but Jordan Martel, Sam Houde, and Jagger Joshua scored to give the Nailers the win. Martel added a helper, and Chris Ortiz, Mathieu De St. Phalle, Atley Calvert, and Matthew Koopman all recorded assists. Sergei Murashov made 31 saves in the win.
Taylor Gauthier stopped 17 of 17 shots in a 3-0 shutout win over the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday. Justin Lee scored and recorded a helper and David Drake recorded two assists. De St. Phalle and Joshua scored the other Wheeling goals, and Jackson, Ortiz, and Nick Hutchison chipped in assists.
A Jordan Martel hat trick helped the Nailers beat the Reading Royals 6-2 on Sunday afternoon. De St. Phalle scored and added a helper, and David Jankowski and Logan Pietila scored the other Wheeling goals. Houde recorded two assists, and Beck, Klassen, Bennett MacArthur, Matthew Quercia, Calvert, Mats Lindgren, Jackson, and Ortiz added helpers. Murashov turned away 27 shots in the win.