Avalanche Farm Report: Jan. 1

2019 IIHF World Junior Championship

Kaut has notched two goals and an assist in the four games he's played for the Czechs. After a two-point performance (one goal, one assist) in the opening match of the tournament, a 2-1 victory versus Switzerland, Kaut registered over 22 minutes of ice time in Friday's 2-1 loss against Team Russia. The Czechs fell again on Saturday, losing 5-1 to Team Canada, but they bounced back on Monday to beat Denmark 4-0, aided by a power-play tally from Kaut.
Russia started the tournament with a 4-0 shutout victory over Denmark. The team continued winning on Friday, as Kovalenko notched his first goal of the tournament to help lift Russia to a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic. Zhuravlyov skated in Sunday's 7-4 win over Switzerland, but Kovalenko did not play. Both skaters were in the lineup on New Year's Eve on Monday, as Russia extended its perfect record in the tournament by beating Canada 2-1 to earn the top seed in Group A.

Colorado Eagles

The Colorado Eagles returned from the holiday break to play three games this past week.
On Thursday, the team opened a five-game road trip at the San Jose Barracuda but fell 3-1. Dominic Toninato notched the lone goal for the Eagles, marking his fourth of the season. Pavel Francouz made 29 saves in the loss.
The Eagles then went to Canada for a two-game set against the Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg. Although the Eagles outshot the Moose 38-30 on Sunday, the team could not find the back of the net. Manitoba won in a 4-0 shutout as Colorado goaltender Spencer Martin made 26-of-30 saves. Following the game, forward Logan O'Connor received his first NHL call-up to play with the Avalanche. The Eagles also recalled forward Julien Nantel, defenseman Josh Anderson and netminder Joe Cannata from the Utah Grizzlies.
On Monday, Scott Kosmachuk found the back of the net for the eighth time this season in the Eagles' 4-1 loss to the Moose. A.J. Greer and Andrew Agozzino were credited with helpers for the marker, bringing their season point totals to 22 and 30, respectively. The Eagles outshot Manitoba 32-27 as Francouz made 23 saves.
Colorado continues its road trip this weekend back in California against Bakersfield and Stockton.
Upcoming Games:
Jan. 4 at Bakersfield Condors
Jan. 5 at Stockton Heat
Jan. 11 vs. Bakersfield Condors

Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

The Grizzlies began a five-game homestand on Saturday after Friday's game was rescheduled due to inclement weather.
Saturday's 3-0 victory over the Allen Americans included contributions from all three Avalanche prospects playing for the club. Julien Nantel and Josh Anderson worked together to assist on Utah's second tally of the game, while Nantel also registered a goal for the Grizzlies on an empty net. Joe Cannata stood strong between the pipes, stopping all 28 shots he's faced to earn his third shutout this season.
Nantel scored again in the rescheduled clash against the Americans on Sunday, netting his fifth marker for Utah in a 4-2 loss. Anderson skated as well, while Cannata made 30 saves in the defeat.
Cannata now owns a 7-3-2 record for the season along with a 2.53 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.

NCAA

University of Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish returned to action on New Year's Eve as they faced Boston College in a precursor to the next day's NHL Winter Classic on campus. Notre Dame won 4-0 with Nate Clurman picking up his second point of the season with an assist. Cam Morrison, who is tied for fourth on the squad with 12 points (six goals, six assists), played in the outing, but fellow Avs prospect Nick Leivermann did not. The freshman Leivermann has one assist in 10 games this season.
Shane Bowers (Boston University): Shane Bowers is competing with Team Canada at his first 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. The forward has two points (two assists) in four games so far during the tournament. His college team returns to action on Jan. 8 against Harvard. Bowers had five goals and three assists in 15 NCAA games this season.
Cale Makar (University of Massachusetts): With 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) through 16 games, Cale Makar is tied for third among defensemen in the Hockey East Conference for overall scoring. UMass leads the conference with a 14-2-0 record, which includes a perfect 7-0 record against teams in Hockey East. Next up, the Minutemen takes on UMass Lowell on Friday.
Sampo Ranta (University of Minnesota): Following pre-tournament games and training camp with Team Finland in preparation for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, Sampo Ranta returned to Minnesota to participate in the second half of a back-to-back set against Ferris State University. The team had beaten FSU 5-3 on Friday but lost 3-2 in Saturday's outing. Ranta has racked up seven points (four goals, three assists) over 16 games this season with the Gophers. Minnesota now gets set to play Penn State University on Friday in a weekend series.
Denis Smirnov (Penn State University): Denis Smirnov has recorded four goals and six assists in 16 games this year for Penn State. The Nittany Lions, who have been off since Dec. 15, return to action against the University of Minnesota on Friday.
Tyler Weiss (University of Nebraska Omaha): Tyler Weiss returned to the ice on Saturday and Monday as UNO took on Alaska Anchorage at home. Weiss recorded two shots in the third period as his team shutout the visitors 3-0 on Saturday. Omaha continued to hold Alaska Anchorage scoreless on Monday, completing the two-game clean sweep with a 4-0 victory. Weiss and the Mavericks will next travel to Colorado to face the University of Denver on Jan. 11-12. The freshman Weiss has one assist in eight games after missing the start of the season with an injury.

OHL

Brandon Saigeon (Hamilton Bulldogs): Despite Brandon Saigeon marking the score sheet in both games, the Bulldogs dropped a home-and-home set last weekend against the Guelph Storm. On Friday, Saigeon lit the lamp on a short-handed chance, his fourth man-down tally of the year, but the team lost 5-3. He recorded his 33rd assist of the season on Saturday, helping on a goal scored only 1:33 into the first period. The team battled into overtime with the Storm but ultimately lost by a 4-3 score. The Bulldogs also played on Monday, winning 4-3 in a shootout against the Erie Otters. Saigeon assisted on the game-tying goal and scored the final tally in the shootout. With 56 points (23 goals, 33 assists), Saigeon is sixth in the OHL for scoring. The Bulldogs return to Hamilton to host the Kingston Frontenacs on Wednesday.

WHL

Nick Henry (Lethbridge Hurricanes): Nick Henry had a big week as the Lethbridge Hurricanes played three games in a row this week (1-1-1) starting on Friday. First, Henry assisted on Lethbridge's first goal in Friday's 6-2 loss to Victoria. Next, the team rallied to dominate the Kootenay Ice 8-4 on Saturday, as the winger registered a marker and four assists, the most points and assists (tied) he has produced in his major-junior career. His scoring streak extended through Sunday, as the forward netted his 18th tally of the season in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers. Henry's 56 points (18 goals, 38 assists) this year rank fifth overall in the WHL. Since being acquired from the Regina Pats, Henry has 16 points (three goas and 13 assists) with the Hurricanes and is presently on an eight-game point streak (three goals, 11 assists).

Russia

Nikolai Kovalenko (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL): Nikolai Kovalenko scored his first goal for Team Russia this week at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. The tally came in the team's second win of the tournament, a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic on Friday. Russia won all of its matches in the preliminary round, also winning 4-0 against Denmark on Thursday, 2-1 versus the Czech Republic on Friday, 7-4 against Switzerland on Sunday and 2-1 versus Canada on New Year's Eve on Monday. Kovalenko did not dress in the clash against the Swiss but played in all the other games for Russia. His KHL club, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, split a two-game set this week, winning 3-1 against Spartak Moscow on Friday but falling 3-0 to Dinamo Minsk on Sunday.
Danila Zhuravlyov (Bars Kazan, VHL): Danila Zhuravlyov has skated in all four outings for Team Russia at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship. He has played at least 15 minutes in every matchup, adding two shots in Thursday's 4-0 victory over Denmark, one in a 2-1 win against the Czech Republic on Friday and a fourth on Sunday when Russia beat Switzerland 7-4. He totaled four shots in Russia's 2-1 win over Canada on New Year's Eve on Monday. His VHL team, Bars Kazan, did not play this week but returns to the ice on Jan. 9 to take on Toros Neftekamsk.
Shamil Shmakov (Sibirskie Snaipery, MHL): Sibirskie Snaipery and Shamil Shmakov did not play this week, and the team is on a break until Friday when it faces off against Mamonty Ugry. Shmakov owns a 6-5-0 record through 14 games and has a .922 save percentage and 2.32 goals-against average.

Czech Republic

Petr Kvaca (HC Ocelari Trinec): HC Ocelari Trinec played in the Spengler Cup this week but lost 3-1 against Davos in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The team also dropped its group games, falling 2-1 on Wednesday against HK Metallurg Magnitogorsk and losing 3-1 versus Kalpa Kuopio on Thursday. Petr Kvaca did not play in any of the games but served as backup in the tournament. In Czech Extraliga play, Kvaca is 2-0-0 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .925 save percentage with Ocelari Trinec. He has also suited up in 10 games with Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic's second-tier pro league, posting a 6-4 record with a 1.54 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and two shutouts.

Finland

Justus Annunen (Hermes, Mestis): Hermes won its sixth and seventh games in a row this past week with Justus Annunen starting in one match and suiting up as the backup for the other. On Friday, Hermes beat Roki 5-2. Annunen made 26 saves the next night, helping his team to a 4-3 victory over KeuPa. Annunen now owns an 8-4-0 record after 12 games played and sports a 2.92 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.

Sweden

Adam Werner (Farjestad BK, SHL): Farjestad gained one point in two games this week, falling 5-3 to Linkoping on Friday. Adam Werner was the backup goalie that game but was then called on in relief on Sunday versus Brynas. He stopped 11 of 12 shots and helped Farjestad rally from a deficit to force overtime. The club eventually fell 4-3 to Brynas in a shootout but still ranks third in the league with a 17-8-4 record on the season. Werner has played in 12 outings, earning a 6-3-2 mark, 1.93 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
Gustav Olhaver (Tingsryds AIF, Allsvenskan): Tingsryds dropped its two games last week, losing 4-1 to Pantern on Wednesday and 3-1 to AIK on Friday. Gustav Olhaver skated in both outings and has six points (three goals, three assists) in 31 contests this season.