Avalanche Farm Report: April 16

Spotlight On: Josh Dickinson, C, Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

Prior to this season, the Georgetown, Ontario, native played one season for Clarkson University, registering 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 40 outings. Dickinson then finished the season with the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, recording two helpers in five appearances.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound center was signed by the Colorado Avalanche on April 5, 2018 as a college free agent.

Colorado Eagles

The Eagles fell 3-1 in the first game of a back-to-back set against the San Jose Barracuda as Sergei Boikov and A.J. Greer reached the scoresheet with an assist each. Colorado netminder Pavel Francouz stopped 31 shots in net and the club successfully killed all five power-play chances it gave to the Barracuda.
On Saturday, Colorado clinched its first berth to the Calder Cup Playoffs with the Pacific Division's final playoff berth. The Eagles won 3-2 over San Jose as Martin Kaut, Dominic Toninato and Logan O'Connor netted markers in the victory. David Warsofsky, Andrew Agozzino, Scott Kosmachuk, Nicholas Meloche and Max McCormick each added an assist. Francouz made 32 saves in the win to close out the regular season.
The fourth-place Eagles will face the Bakersfield Condors in the Pacific Division semifinals, a best-of-five series, set to begin on Friday at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado.
First-Round Schedule:
Friday, April 19 vs. Bakersfield
Saturday, April 20 vs. Bakersfield
Tuesday, April 23 at Bakersfield
\Saturday, April 27 at Bakersfield
\Sunday, April 28 at Bakersfield
*if necessary

Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

Utah began its first-round Kelly Cup Playoff series against the Idaho Steelheads this week. On Friday, the Grizzlies captured a 7-1 victory in Game 1 with Josh Dickinson netting two goals and adding a helper. Travis Barron registered a marker and Ty Lewis had three assists in the win. Dickinson added another helper the following night in Game 2, a 3-2 overtime loss, as Utah stands tied with Idaho 1-1 in the best-of-seven series. The Grizzlies and Steelheads will be in action on Wednesday for Game 3.

NCAA

Cale Makar (University of Massachusetts): The Calgary, Alberta, native was named as the 2019 Hobey Baker Award recipient on Friday as college hockey's best player. Prior to receiving the individual honor, Makar helped UMass earn its first ever trip to the NCAA hockey national championship game by contributing a helper in the team's 3-2 overtime win against the University of Denver on Thursday in the Frozen Four. The Minutemen fell 3-0 to the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the title game on Saturday as the team saw its best season in program history come to an end. In his Hobey Baker Award-winning season, the blueliner tallied 16 goals and 33 assists in 41 contests for UMass. Makar signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche on Sunday and made his professional debut for the Colorado in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Calgary Flames on Monday.
University of Notre Dame: Cam Morrison was named to the NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team and finished the season tied for fifth on the team with 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 32 games. Freshman defenseman Nate Clurman skated in both games at the national tournament and registered three assists in 39 outings during the main campaign. Fellow first-year blueliner Nick Leivermann recorded a goal and a helper in 23 appearances. Notre Dame finished the season with a 23-14-3 record.
Shane Bowers (Boston University): Bowers notched 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 37 games during his sophomore campaign at Boston University. The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, represented Canada on the world stage this year, playing five games and recording two assists at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. The 19-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the Avalanche and made his professional debut with the Colorado Eagles on an Amateur Tryout, appearing in four regular-season games with the club.
Sampo Ranta (University of Minnesota): During his freshman year, Ranta played in 36 games with Minnesota, racking up 16 points (six goals, 10 assists). He recorded a season-high three points (three assists) against Notre Dame on Jan. 11.
Denis Smirnov (Penn State University): Smirnov generated 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in his junior year with Penn State. The Russian-born forward registered a career-high four points on Feb. 22 against Wisconsin with two goals and two assists. Smirnov produced one helper in the Big Ten tournament run for the Nittany Lions.
Tyler Weiss (University of Nebraska-Omaha): The freshman produced 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 25 games during his first season of NCAA hockey for Nebraska-Omaha. Weiss missed the first part of his season due to injury.

OHL

Brandon Saigeon (Oshawa Generals): Saigeon and the Oshawa Generals advanced to the third round of the OHL Playoffs this week when they took down the Niagara Ice Dogs. After falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, Oshawa battled back with four consecutive victories. In Game 3 on Tuesday, the club won 4-1 with two helpers from Saigeon, it then captured a 7-3 victory in Game 4 on Thursday. The team took Game 5 on Saturday by a 3-1 score as Saigeon recorded an assist. In the series-clinching, 3-2 win over the Ice Dogs on Monday in Game 6, the Grimsby, Ontario native tallied a goal and an assist to help the Generals to the OHL semifinal. Oshawa will face the Ottawa 67's in the best-of-seven series set to begin on Thursday to determine an Eastern Conference champion.

WHL

Nick Henry (Lethbridge Hurricanes): Through 69 outings, the forward produced 94 points (29 goals, 65 assists) in the WHL regular season, split between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats. He added six points in the playoffs, notching four markers and two helpers in seven outings. After his team's WHL playoff run came to an end, Henry signed an amateur tryout contract with the Colorado Eagles and made his professional debut, playing in three regular-season contests.

Czech Republic

Petr Kvaca (Ceske Budejovice): Kvaca continued postseason play with Ceske Budejovice this week as the team played in three contests. The netminder made 25 stops in a 1-0 loss to Chomutov on Tuesday and turned away 31 shots as the team fell 2-0 against Pardubice on Friday. Kvaca was the squad's backup netminder on Sunday in a 3-1 loss to Chomutov. During the regular season, he had a 12-7 record, 1.80 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and three shutouts in 19 games.

Finland

Justus Annunen (Karpat, Liiga): Annunen and Karpat advanced to the Liiga Championship after winning its series with HIFK this week. The Finnish goaltender served as the backup in a 2-1 victory on Friday but did not dress on Monday as the club beat HIFK by a 3-0 score to win the series 4-2. Karpat will take on HPK in a best-of-seven series beginning on Saturday. Annunen spent most of the campaign with Hermes of the second-tier Mestis league, where he produced a 13-8-0 record, 2.77 goals-against average and .891 save percentage.

Sweden

Adam Werner (Farjestad BK, SHL): Werner served as the Farjestad BK's backup goaltender in all three of the club's matchups this week against Djurgarden in the best-of-seven semifinal series. Farjestad BK fell 2-1 on Wednesday and 3-1 on Friday before recovering to take an 8-2 victory on Sunday into Game 6 on Tuesday night with the club down 3-2 in the series. In 26 contests during the regular season, Werner generated a 15-6-3 record along with a 2.02 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and three shutouts.
Gustav Olhaver (Tingsryds AIF, Allsvenskan): In his first season with Tingsryds AIF, Olhaver generated eight points (four goals, four assists) in 51 appearances. The forward's 51 games played were a career-high for the 21-year-old.

Russia

Nikolai Kovalenko (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL): After completing the regular season and a playoff run with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL, Kovalenko was picked up by the club's minor-league affiliate, Loko, which has advanced to the MHL Championship series against Avto. This week, the Russian forward helped Loko to a 2-0 series advantage by contributing two assists in a 4-2 victory on Friday. The team won its second straight contest against Avto on Saturday by a score of 3-2 as Kovalenko logged 15:35 of ice time. Kovalenko produced six points (five goals, one assist) in 33 regular-season appearances with Lokomotiv and added two assists in seven playoff games. He also recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in six games as he earned a bronze medal with Team Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Danila Zhuravlyov (Bars Kazan, VHL): Zhuravlyov wrapped up the regular season with Irbis Kazan of Russia's junior league after completing the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) season with Bars Kazan. The defenseman finished his first full year with Bars Kazan by with five points (five assists) in 40 outings. After his club's season was over, he skated in the final four regular-season games for Irbis Kazan. Zhuravlyov earned a bronze medal in January with Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he registered one assist in seven contests.
Shamil Shmakov (Sibirskie Snaipery, MHL): In 23 appearances with Sibirskie this season, Shmakov posted a 7-11-1 record with a .915 save percentage and 2.57 goals-against average. He was named the MHL Goaltender of the Month (East) for November after posting a .963 save percentage, 0.99 goals-against average and a 5-0 record in seven games played.