Avalanche Farm Report: Jan. 15

Spotlight On: Brandon Saigeon, C, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

In 2017-18, Saigeon served as an alternate captain for Hamilton and ranked second on the team with 70 points (35 goals, 35 assists) in 65 games. He added 25 points (18 goals, seven assists) including a team-high 18 tallies in 21 postseason contests to help the Bulldogs win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions.

Colorado Eagles

Logan O'Connor made a splash in his return to the Eagles this week after being reassigned by the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. In Friday's 6-3 win over the Bakersfield Condors, the forward notched a season-high three points with a short-handed goal and assist and an empty-net tally.
It was the fourth short-handed marker for O'Connor and he now paces all AHL skaters with four while the Eagles are now tied for the league lead with nine this season. Martin Kaut also had a two-goal performance in the contest, while Andrew Agozzino and Anton Lindholm contributed single helpers. Agozzino extended his point streak to four games (three goals, four assists) and leads the team with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists). Pavel Francouz stopped 34 shots in the victory.
Saturday's game was less successful for Colorado, as the team was held scoreless and fell 2-0 to Bakersfield. A.J. Greer and Agozzino both fired five shots on goal, but could not find the back of the net. The Eagles held the Condors scoreless on seven power-play chances while Francouz earned himself the third star of the game by making 28-of-30 saves. He now has a 2.82 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage over 26 games.
Upcoming Games:
Jan. 18 vs. Tucson Roadrunners
Jan. 19 vs. Tucson Roadrunners
Jan. 21 at Stockton Heat

Utah Grizzlies

The Grizzlies went 2-1-0 in a three-game road trip this week. On Wednesday, Utah beat the Cincinatti Cyclones 4-3 in a shootout. Travis Barron recorded an assist on a power-play goal to score the Grizzlies first of the game. Joe Cannata stood strong in net through overtime, making 29 saves and stopping two-of-three shots in the shootout to earn the victory.
Barron continued scoring on Friday, lighting the lamp on a power play to help lift Utah to a 3-0 shutout win over the Wheeling Nailers. Fellow prospect Josh Anderson finished the night with a plus-two rating as Cannata served as backup goaltender in the outing.
Saturday saw the Grizzlies' five-game winning streak come to an end as the club fell 6-4 to the Fort Wayne Komets. Anderson recorded his third-ever ECHL point with an assist. Cannata stopped 25 shots in net and owns a 2.55 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage over 20 games this season.

NCAA

University of Notre Dame: Nick Leivermann scored his first collegiate goal on Friday with an assist from Cam Morrison, the lone tally for the Fighting Irish in a 5-1 loss against the University of Minnesota. Nate Clurman also skated and registered three shots on goal. Unfortunately, Morrison sustained an upper-body injury in the outing and was sidelined for Saturday's contest when the team fell again to Minnesota with a final score of 2-1. Notre Dame returns to the ice on Friday to play two games on the road against University of Wisconsin.
Shane Bowers (Boston University): After three games this week, Boston University has now gone five games without a loss. Tuesday's contest against Harvard ended with a 2-2 tie after overtime. On Friday, BU hosted New Hampshire and won 5-2 as Bowers recorded a power-play assist. Bowers kept scoring on Saturday, tallying half of the Terriers' goals in a 4-2 win over Providence College. It was the third two-goal performance from Bowers this season and he ranks second on the team with seven goals in 18 games this season. Next up, BU takes on Quinnipiac on Saturday.
Cale Makar (University of Massachusetts): Makar registered his second four-point performance this year with two goals and two assists on Saturday in a 5-1 win for UMass. It finished off a two-game sweep for the Minutemen against the University of Vermont as the team also won 4-1 on Friday. Makar is tied for first on the team in scoring with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) over 20 games. The team is back in action on Friday to begin a home-and-home series against Northeastern University.
Sampo Ranta (University of Minnesota): Ranta and the Gophers beat the University of Notre Dame twice in a row this weekend, topping the Fighting Irish 5-1 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday. Ranta generated three assists in Friday's victory, his first multi-point outing of the season. He has produced four goals and seven assists so far during his freshman year at Minnesota. The Gophers will face off next against Michigan State University on Saturday and Sunday.
Denis Smirnov (Penn State University): The Nittany Lions split a two-game series against Michigan State this week, winning 4-2 on Friday before falling 6-4 on Saturday. Smirnov skated in both outings, registering four shots on goal on Friday and his seventh assist of the year on Saturday. The Russian junior has now notched 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over 20 games this season. Penn State takes the ice to continue a four-game home stand against Ohio State on Friday.
Tyler Weiss (University of Nebraska-Omaha): Weiss and the Mavericks traveled to Colorado this week to take on the University of Denver Pioneers, falling at altitude 1-0 on Friday and 3-2 in overtime on Saturday. Friday's outing only saw one goal from either team, a second-period tally from the Pioneers. Weiss skated in both contests and the freshman has one point (one assist) over 10 games with UNO. The Mavericks return to Nebraska to host University of North Dakota on Friday and Saturday.

OHL

Brandon Saigeon (Oshawa Generals): Saigeon was traded from the Hamilton Bulldogs to the Oshawa Generals on Tuesday and has generated three goals so far for his new team. On Thursday, the Generals battled the Peterborough Petes into overtime, emerging with a 6-5 victory. Saigeon notched the third marker for Oshawa that night to tie the game before the club took a lead. The forward also scored the Generals first of the game on Saturday, helping his team to a 3-1 win over the Barrie Colts. His point streak was then extended to 10 games (seven goals, six assists) on Sunday, as he found the back of the net on a power-play, again tying the game and aiding the Generals in a 4-3 victory over the Erie Otters. Through 40 games with the Bulldogs, Saigeon had 25 goals and 38 assists and now has a goal per game with Oshawa. The Generals are back in action on Friday against the Kingston Frontenacs.

WHL

Nick Henry (Lethbridge Hurricanes): The Hurricanes went 2-2-0 over four contests this week. On Wednesday, Lethbridge beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 at home. The club dropped Friday's game 5-1 against the Edmonton Oil Kings before coming back to top Kootenay again with a 3-2 score on Saturday. Henry assisted on a power-play goal as his club fell to Edmonton again on Sunday, losing 4-1. The helper marks Henry's 20th assist for Lethbridge and brings his point total to 23 (three goals, 20 assists) with the Hurricanes. The team returns to the ice on Friday against the Red Deer Rebels.

Russia

Nikolai Kovalenko (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL): Lokomotiv Yaroslavl dropped one and won two games this week. The club shutout CSKA Moscow 1-0 on Tuesday before falling 4-0 on Thursday against SKA Saint Petersburg. Kovalenko did not play in either contest but skated in Sunday's 4-2 victory over Admiral Vladivostok, recording 10:29 of ice time. Through 25 games played with Lokomotiv, Kovalenko has registered four goals and one assist. Next up, the team takes on Amur Khabarovsk on Tuesday.
Danila Zhuravlyov (Bars Kazan, VHL): Zhuravlyov skated in two-of-three matchups this week with Bars Kazan. He sat out of Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Toros Neftekamsk but returned on Friday as the team fell 6-1 to Oilman Almetyevsk. Zhuravlyov also saw ice time on Sunday when Bars battled Izhstal Izhevsk to a 4-3 win in overtime. The defenseman has now played 26 games for Bars and the team will next play on Tuesday.
Shamil Shmakov (Sibirskie Snaipery, MHL): In the first game of a back-to-back set, Shmakov started in net against Tyumensky Legion on Tuesday. The goaltender made 22 saves on 27 shots before he was relieved in the third period as the team fell 6-2. The club fell 3-2 in a shootout against Tyumensky Legion on Wednesay to complete its second game in as many days. The Avalanche prospect owns a 2.47 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage over 16 outings with Sibirskie Snaipery.

Czech Republic

Petr Kvaca (HC Ocelari Trinec): Kvaca did not dress for HC Ceske Budejovice or for HC Ocelari Trinec this week. Ocelari Trinec dropped a match against HC Vitkovice Ridera 3-2 on Saturday but came back to a 2-1 victory over HC Sparta Praha on Sunday to finish a back-to-back. The team will take on Karlovy Vary on Tuesday.

Finland

Justus Annunen (Hermes, Mestis): Annunen saw time between the pipes twice this week, making 18 saves in relief during Wednesday's 7-6 loss to SaPKo and playing all 60 minutes against the same team on Saturday. He stopped 32 shots in the contest to help his team earn a 4-2 win. He also was the backup during a 2-1 shootout loss to Jokipojat on Friday. Annunen owns a 10-5-0 record to go along with his 2.75 goals-against average and .887 save percentage over 16 games this season.

Sweden

Adam Werner (Farjestad BK, SHL): Werner played in both of Farjestad BK's games this week. On Thursday, the goaltender saw 27 shots in a 3-2 loss to HV71 and on Saturday he made 15 saves as his club beat Malmo 3-1. He now sports a 7-5-2 record as well as a 2.03 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Farjestad is back in action on Saturday versus Frolunda.
Gustav Olhaver (Tingsryd AIF, Allsvenskan): Olhaver skated in both of his team's outings this week and scored his fourth goal of the season. The Avs prospect scored the game-winning tally as Tingsryd won 5-3 at home against Leksand on Wednesday. The team dropped an away match 3-1 versus Karlskrona on Friday. Olhaver now has eight points in 2018-19. The club plays again on Wednesday in a clash against Vasteras.