Gadjovich golden in return to lineup
Owen Sound forward racks up points against Hamilton, Guelph following injury
It’s the latest edition of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Canucks’ highest-profile prospects:
Jonah Gadjovich
So you think you had a productive week? Not compared to what Gadjovich accomplished, you didn’t.
Gadjovich had a hill to climb after a suspected back injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, but the power forward found his stride again with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack.
Gadjovich was named the first star in his return to action last Monday, a 4-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs in which he scored two goals and assisted on another.
Gadjovich turned the trick again Friday, scoring twice, assisting on another, while getting six shots on net and finishing a plus-4 against the Guelph Storm in a 7-6 overtime win. How’s that for a stat line?
Gadjovich added an assist the next night in a 4-3 win against the Peterborough Petes, but the Attack were shut down Sunday in a 4-0 loss to the Barrie Colts.
That’s 37 points in 33 games this season for the big winger.
Elias Pettersson
After a prolonged Olympic break, Pettersson is back on the ice — and back on the scoreboard.
The Canucks’ top prospect scored a goal in Vaxjo’s only game last week, a 3-1 win over Lulea on Saturday in the Swedish Hockey League. In typical Pettersson fashion, it was a laserlike wrist shot the goalie could only wave his blocker at.
It’s Pettersson’s 18th goal and 46th point of the season in only 38 games. Pettersson is third in SHL scoring and leads the league in points per game.
Jonathan Dahlen
Dahlen is back in the running for top spot in Allsvenkan Hockey’s scoring charts after a productive two games this week.
On Wednesday, Dahlen scored a goal and added an assist in Timra’s 3-2 OT loss to Oskarshamn. And on Saturday, Dahlen had an assist in a 2-1 overtime loss to Vastervik.
Dahlen is second in league scoring with 42 points in 41 games, five points back of MODO’S Emil Molin, despite playing seven fewer games.
That Alex Burrows trade last year looks more lopsided now — especially with the former Canuck put on waivers by the Senators Sunday.
Adam Gaudette
Gaudette capped a hugely successful season at Northeastern the same way he started it — by getting points by the bushel.
In back-to-back games against New Hampshire last weekend, Gaudette collected two goals and three assists to cement his lead atop the NCAA scoring charts.
Gaudette’s 56 points in 34 games eclipsed all others in college hockey, with teammate Dylan Sikura second with 48 points.
The Northeastern Huskies will play in the Hockey East quarter-finals beginning March 9. Their opponent in the best-of-three series has yet to be determined.
Mike DiPietro
DiPietro’s Windsor Spitfires won’t be making any noise in this year’s OHL playoffs, but their starting goalie is still worth the price of admission.
DiPietro played in three games this week and was solid in each of them. The Spitfires lost 3-1 to the London Knights on Monday, but DiPietro did his part with 22 saves on 24 shots. On Thursday, DiPietro shut down the Ottawa 67’s, stopping 26 out of 27 shots and was named the first star in a 2-1 win.
DiPietro would suit up again Sunday, a 7-3 win over the Erie Otters in which he had 27 saves on 30 shots.
DiPietro sits fourth in the OHL in
goals-against average (2.72) and save percentage (.912).
Kole Lind
It was only two weeks ago that Lind was knocked out by a crushing hit. Yet he’s back on his skates scoring goals for the Kelowna Rockets.
Lind missed Tuesday’s 6-5 win against the Prince George Cougars, but was back in the lineup Friday, scoring the game-winner in a 5-4 Rockets win over the Seattle Thunderbirds.
On Saturday, Lind had two assists in a 6-5 win over the Kamloops Blazers. Lind has 32 goals and 49 assists for 81 points in 49 games this season, good for 11th in WHL scoring.
Thatcher Demko
It was a tough week for the Canucks’ goalie of the future. The Utica Comets have lost three in a row and Demko saw the ice in two of them.
On Wednesday, Demko made 19 saves on 24 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
On Friday, Demko made 23 saves in a 5-2 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Demko has a 19-9-6 record.
Olli Juolevi
The Finnish SM-Liiga took the week off for an Olympic break, but will be back in action Tuesday.