Prospect News
Western Michigan, Joona Vaisanen Win NCAA Championship
The Western Michigan Broncos won the first national championship in program history with a 6-2 win over the Boston University Terriers on Saturday night. Joona Vaisanen, a 2024 sixth round pick, recorded a primary assist on the goal to give the Broncos a 4-2 lead and recorded assists in the final three games of the season en route to the championship. Vaisanen, a freshman, enjoyed a nice season, finishing second among blueliners on the team with 26 points and fourth on the team with +24 plus/minus rating in 42 games.
Prospects Of The Week
Blomqvist Looks Solid In Return To Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Lineup
After a stint in the NHL and missing several weeks recovering from injury, Joel Bloqmvist returned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lineup for the first time in nearly two months on Saturday and, despite surrendering a goal on on the first shot of the game off a bad turnover, looked strong with 22 saves on 23 shots for a .957 save percentage in a 4-1 win over the Springfield Falcons. In a season of ups and downs after being named to the AHL All-Rookie team last season, the 2020 second round pick improved to 8-5-4 in the AHL in 2024-25 with a 2.81 goals against average, a .912 save percentage, and one shutout.
Nolan Renwick Scores First AHL Goal, Twice On The Weekend
Nolan Renwick signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the 2025-26 season and joined the team on a tryout for the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season and scored for the first time in the AHL in a 4-1 win over the Springfield Falcons on Saturday and added another goal in a 5-2 win over the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday. The 6’3″, 212 lbs. forward ranked sixth on the University of Maine Black Bears with 24 points in 38 games in the 2024-25 season and finished with 66 points in 132 NCAA games played over four seasons.
Mathieu De St. Phalle Scores First AHL Goal Of 2024-25 Season
Mathieu De St. Phalle scored for the first time at the AHL level in the 2024-25 season to open the scoring for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-2 loss to the Hershey Bears on Friday night. The undrafted forward signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the end the 2023-24 season after recording 87 points in 141 NCAA games over four years with the Wisconsin Badgers. De St. Phalle led the Wheeling Nailers headed into the weekend with 55 points in 62 games and ranked second on the team with 20 goals.
Down On The Farm
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Lets Lead Slip Away In Loss To Hershey, Rebound With Two Wins To Close Weekend
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took a 2-0 lead into the third period against the Hershey Bears on Friday night, but lost 4-2. Mathieu De St. Phalle scored for the first time at the AHL level in the 2024-25 season, and Tristan Broz tallied the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goal. Zach Gallant, Jack St. Ivany, Avery Hayes, and Samuel Poulin all recorded assists. Sergei Murashov surrendered three goals on 25 shots in the loss.
Joel Blomqvist returned the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lineup for the first time in nearly two months and surrendered a goal on the first shot of the game, but stopped the next 22 in a 4-1 win over the Springfield Thunderbirds on Saturday. Atley Calvert scored and added a helper, and Broz, Nolan Renwick, and Emil Bemstrom scored the other goals. St. Ivany recorded a pair of assists, and Poulin, Chase Stillman, Nate Clurman, and Owen Pickering added helpers.
The depth scoring showed up for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday in a 5-2 win over the Bridgeport Islanders. Gallant scored and tacked on a helper, and Gabe Klassen, Renwick, Calvert, and Hayes added goals. Poulin recorded two assists, and Logan Pietila, Dan Renouf, Mathias Laferriere, St. Ivany, Pickering, and Broz added helpers. Murashov stopped 30 shots in the win.
Wheeling Nailers Win Two Of Three In Weekend Series In Trois-Rivieres
The Wheeling Nailers beat the Troi-Rivieres Lions 5-2 on Friday night. Matthew Quercia scored twice, Jordan Martel scored and added a helper, and Matthew Koopman and Cole Tymkin added goals. Isaac Belliveau and Louie Roehl recorded two assists, and Kyle Jackson, Jack Works, and Taylor Gauthier finished with assists. Gauthier stopped 21 shots in the win.
Wheeling clinched home ice advantage for the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Lions on Saturday afternoon. Lars Rodne, Martel, and Koopman scored. Quercia recored two assists, and Belliveau, Tymkin, and David Jankowski chipped in helpers. Jaxon Castor stopped 18 shots in the win.
The Nailers failed to sweep the weekend series with a 5-1 loss on Sunday. Tymkin scored the lone Wheeling goal off Works and Peter Laviolette assists, and Castor surrendered five goals on 34 shots in the loss.