Prospects Of The Week
Bemstrom Completes Hat Trick With Overtime Winner
After going without a point in back-to-back games for the first time in the 2024-25 season, Emil Bemstrom scored a hat trick, including the overtime winner, in a 5-4 win over the Springfield Falcons on Saturday. Bemstrom, acquired last season from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Alex Nylander, leads the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 22 points in 20 games and boasts a 1.30 point per game average at the AHL level while waiting for another look at the NHL level. Bemstrom recorded 16 points between Columbus and Pittsburgh in 56 NHL games last season.
Koivunen Continues To Produce, Records Four Assists Last Week
Ville Koivunen recorded four assists–three on the power play–in three games last week, including three assists and setting up the overtime winner, in a 5-4 overtime win over the Springfield Falcons on Saturday. Acquired as part of the Jake Guentzel trade with the Carolina Hurricanes last season, Koivunen, a 2021 second round pick, ranks second on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 14 assists and 18 points in 22 games.
Pietila Records Pair Of Assists Over The Weekend, Including Setting Up Late Tying Goal
Chase Pietila recorded two assists for Michigan Tech in a series split against Bemidji State over the weekend. The 2024 fourth round pick set up the game tying goal with only 39 seconds remaining in a shootout loss on Friday night and tacked on another assist in a 9-5 win the next night while finishing with a +4 plus/minus rating. Pietila leads blueliners on the team and ranks fifth overall with 10 points in 16 games–slightly ahead of paces of 22 points in 40 games as a freshman last season. Michigan Tech currently sits at second place in the CCHA with a 7-3-2 record.
Down On The Farm
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Wins Two Of Three Last Week
Four goals by Boris Katchouk helped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins beat the Charlotte Checkers 6-4 on Wednesday evening. Tristan Broz and Bokondji Imama scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goals. Samuel Poulin recorded a pair of assists, and Isaac Belliveau, Dan Renouf, Vasily Ponomarev, Jonathan Gruden, Nate Clurman, and Ville Koivunen added helpers. Joel Blomqvist made 38 saves in the win.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fell 4-0 to the Charlotte Checkers on Friday. Blomqvist surrendered four goals on 31 shots in the loss. Emil Bemstrom led the team with seven shots on goal.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton avoided a third period collapse on Saturday night in a 5-4 overtime win over the Springfield Falcons. The Penguins took a 4-1 lead into the third period with Rutger McGroary, Valtteri Puustinen, and Bemstrom (2) scoring, but the Falcons tied the game in the final frame to force overtime. Bemstrom scored again in with 33 seconds remaining in the extra frame to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the win. Koivunen recorded three assists, Filip Kral and Ponomarev recorded two helpers, and Joona Koppanen, Katchouk, and Mac Hollowell added assists. Filip Larsson made 26 saves in the win.
Wheeling Keeps Rolling With Pair Of Wins Over Reading
Two goals by Mathieu De St. Phalle helped the Wheeling Nailers beat the Reading Royals 4-1 on Friday night. Kyle Jackson scored and added a helper, and Jagger Joshua scored the other Wheeling goal. Jordan Martel recorded three assists, and Gabe Klassen, Atley Calvert, David Drake, and Chris Ortiz recorded assists. Taylor Gauthier turned away 28 saves in the win.
A goal and two assists from Kyle Jackson helped the Nailers beat the Royals 4-1 again the next night. Martel scored and added a helper and De St. Phalle and Louie Roehl scored the other Wheeling goals. Ortiz finished with two assists, and Jack Beck, David Jankowski, and Joshua recorded helpers. Sergei Murashov made 30 saves in the win.