Prospects Tuesday

With all 4 players including the NCAA teams now underway. Here's a look at how our area players are doing in the different junior and College leagues across North America. Every Tuesday, we will take a look at who's doing what and how they doing throughout the season.

Colin Jacobs (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL)

Colin has been off to an ok start so far this season, considering the Thunderbirds sit 9th place in the Western Conference and last in the U.S.A. Division of the Western Hockey League. Currently, no one on the team has a positive +/- ranking and the offense has been the worst so far in the W.H.L. by scoring only 14 goals in their first 8 games.

When the season first started, I thought the defense would be the problem for the Thunderbirds. However, now it's starting to come clear that the offense is going to be hard pressed for goals this season. In the month of October, the team's only win came back on October 1 at home against the Tri-City Americans where a 1-0 win where goalie Calvin Pickard had to make 57 saves in the game. He also had the only goal in a 4-1 loss over the Tri-City Americans back on October 9.

To follow the Team: www.seattlethunderbirds.com

www.seattlethunderbirds.com/news/index.html?article_id=276

As for Colin, he's been starting to throw his weight around by picking up his hitting and physical play. If the Thunderbirds are going to have any kind of success this season, it will half to be a physical low scoring game a majority of the time. Colin Jacobs has been doing a good job so far and could be a rare bright spot on a otherwise very bad team.

Despite being only his first full season with the team, he will need to bring some inspiration to the team on and off the ice to help bring up the success they will have or most likely won't have this year.

Upcoming Schedule: The rest of October is going to be very busy as the WHL starts to play more intra conference games as the month of October will end with an Alberta road trip which includes trips to Calgary and Edmonton, also the Medicine Hat Tigers are starting to prove that they can play hard, including an impressive 12-5 win over the Kamloops Blazers last night.

As for the rest of the season, games against teams like the Prince George Cougars, Chilliwack Bruins and Everett Silvertips will be critical as they most likely battle for the final playoff spots in the Western Conference this season.

Current Stats: 8 GP 3 G 4 A 7 PTS -2 10 PIM

10/13: VS. Prince Albert Raiders

10/16: @ Everett Silvertips

10/17: VS. Prince George Cougars

10/23: VS. Brandon Wheat Kings

10/25: @ Calgary Hitmen


Nick Lazorko (Winkler Flyers, MJHL)

After a slow start to the MJHL Season, Nick and his Flyers team have started to get on a hot streak of late by winning 4 of their 5 games so far in October. Nick has also stepped up his game by helping out his teammates 4 assists increasing his season total to 8 and also scored twice in a 3-2 OT win over the league leaders Dauphin Kings. It's also helped the Flyers in the standings by jumping from to 3rd place and 3 points back of the Addison Division leading Winnipeg Saints.

To Follow the Winkler Flyers: www.winklerflyers.com

Winkler Flyers VS. Dauphin Kings Story: www.winklerflyers.com/na2009-10-09.html

Recently at the MJHL League showcase where he got a chance to play in front of college and pro scouts. Nick impressed with his speed and his ability to become a play maker to help set up other players in scoring positions and still have the ability to score goals himself from a variety of positions both in front of the net and in the faceoff circles.

If Nick can continue to improve his game. It could be a vital aspect of taking chasing down the Winnipeg teams, the Flyers could have a hope of having a strong playoff run this season after getting beat in the MJHL Quarterfinals after losing to the Selkirk Steelers in 6 games last season.

Current Stats: 13 GP 5 G 8 A 13 PTS 14 PIM

Upcoming schedule for Winkler: A 3 game road trip awaits the Flyers with trips to Selkirk where the Flyers season ended in 6 games last year where the Flyers will look for revenge. on Thursday night, a trip to the Addison Division leading Winnipeg Saints where they will look to close the gap on the Division Leaders.

Finally, on Saturday, a trip to the expansion Stenibach Pistons where the Flyers already have a 4-2 win back on September 16 where they will look to take advantage of the team that currently has the worst record in the league so far this season.

10/13: @ Selkirk Steelers

10/15: @ Winnipeg Saints

10/17: @ Steinbach Pistons

10/20: VS. Dauphin Kings

10/22: @ Portage Terriers


Austin Smith (Colgate Raiders, NCAA [ECAC])

With the season just starting last weekend, Austin Smith came back where he left off last year by scoring 2 goals in a 3-2 win over the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). In front of a record crowd in Rochester, New York to start the season on Saturday night. After a 1st half of the game where R.I.T. out shot the Raiders 15-5 in the first period, but it was Colgate who struck first just 22 seconds into the game.

After that, the Raiders starting to take over by out shooting the Tigers 27-16 in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Smith scored his first goal 8 minutes into the 2nd period on a great pass from Nick Prockow to the game at 2-2. From their on, Colgate started to take control of the game despite RIT Tigers goalie Jared Demichiel to keep them in the game.

Then in the 3rd, Smith gave the knockout blow by scoring a SH goal on a breakaway pass set up by Thomas Larkin to win the game 3-2 for the Raiders.

Then in the season opener against the Niagara Purple Eagles, two late goals by Brian Day and Wade Poplawski helped the game get to OT where the game ended in a 4-4 tie.

Colgate VS. Niagara: www.uscho.com/recaps/20092010/m/10/09/col-niag.php

Colgate VS. RIT: www.uscho.com/recaps/20092010/m/10/10/col-rit.php

Current Stats: 2 GP 2 G 0 A 2 PTS 2 PIM

Upcoming Schedule for Colgate: Despite just starting up, the season has had some early positive signs to dramatically improve this season after finishing 10th in the 12 team conference last season. The Raiders will have their home opener on October 16 and 17 against Neb. Omaha this weekend.

10/16: VS. Nebraska-Omaha

10/17: VS. Nebraska-Omaha

10/23: @ Mass.-Lowell

10/25: VS. USNTDP U18 (Exhibition)

10/30: VS. Army Academy


Chris Brown (Michigan Wolverines, NCAA [CCHA])

The Michigan Wolverines started the season in Alaska at the Kendall Hockey Classic where they went 1-1 with a 2-0 loss to the University of Alaska and a 6-1 win over the Alaska-Anchorage. In the first game against the Nanoks with a 2-0 win where the Wolverines where despite out shooting Alaska 23-13, goalie Scott Greenham stopped all 23 saves and even added an assist in the game winner that Joe Sova scored.

In the 2nd game against Alaska-Anchorage, Michigan took over the game quickly with 2 goals in the first 5 minutes and also scoring twice on the PP. For Chris Brown, his time to shine came later in the game who made it 4-0 midway through the game with assists from Tristin Llewellyn and Matt Rust. Then in the 3rd period, he put the game away with 5 minutes left to win it 6-1 for Michigan.

Chris Brown Stats: 2 GP 2 G 1 A 3 PTS 0 PIM

Michigan VS. Alaska: www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-hockey/recaps/101009aab.html

Michigan VS. Alaska Anchorage: www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-hockey/recaps/101109aaa.html

Upcoming Schedule: The Woverines will have a bit of break until October 22 when they face the Purple Eagles of Niagara before a very tough road trip which includes Boston university and a pair of games against Lake Superior University who they know very well and are very hard to beat at home.

10/22: VS. Niagara

10/24: @ Boston University

10/30: @ Lake Superior

10/31: @ Lake Superior

11/6: VS. Miami of Ohio