In the Pipeline: Making Moves
by Mike Lewis / FloridaPanthers.com
With wins in five of their last seven games, the Springfield Thunderbirds are not looking to go quietly into the night as the American Hockey League's season begins to reach its final stretch.
With 20 games left on their regular season schedule, the Thunderbirds have added some new faces to the lineup and are seeking to finish their first year in Springfield with a push for the playoffs.
On March 1, the Florida Panthers added two new players to the T-Birds. The organization acquired 24-year old goaltender Adam Wilcox from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for veteran netminder Mike McKenna and also gained 23-year old defenseman Reece Scarlett from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Shane Harper.
NEW IN TOWN
Wilcox, a native of South St. Paul, Minn., has played his entire pro career with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. This season, Wilcox has registered a 18-9-2 record, 2.87 goals against average, .895 save percentage and one shutout with the Crunch.
Before his pro career began, Wilcox spent three seasons with the University of Minnesota (2012-15) where he owned a 73-26-14 record, 2.09 goals against average and .922 save percentage with 13 shutouts over 115 games. Wilcox is the University of Minnesota's all-time leader in career save percentage (.922) and career goals against average (2.09). He is tied for the program's career shutout record and was a Hobey Baker Award and Mike Richter Award nominee.
During his time with the Golden Gophers, the former Tampa Bay 2011 sixth round pick played alongside Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad and current Thunderbirds forward Kyle Rau.
Scarlett, like Wilcox has spent his professional career with only one team, playing 215 games with the Albany Devils and posting 92 points (16-76-92). At the time of the trade, the Edmonton, Alberta native led Albany's defensemen in scoring with 21 points (4-17-21) over 50 games. He is five points shy of tying his AHL career-high for points in a season (4-22-26).
New Jersey originally selected Scarlett in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He spent four seasons playing for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (2009-13). In his final two seasons with Swift Current, Scarlett posted back-to-back 49 point seasons, recording nine goals and 40 assists in both seasons.
The Thunderbirds now have four players on their roster selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Draft: Eddie Wittchow (FLA - 154), Scarlett (NJD - 159), Chase Balisy (NSH - 170) and Wilcox (TBL - 178).
THE HUNT IS ON
Rookie forward Dryden Hunt has registered four goals and five points over his last four games for Springfield. He produced his second pro-career two-goal game and career-best three-point night (tied) on Feb. 24 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hunt's assist in the game helped set up Paul Thompson's game-winning goal.
THE ARTIST CONTINUES TO ASTONISH
Henrik Borgstrom. There are no words.
Borgstrom followed up his highlight reel 16th goal of the season against St. Cloud State with another huge play for his 17th goal of the season the following night against the Huskies.
SPOILER ALERT: With his family in town from Finland, Borgstrom nets the game-winner in OT.
The University of Denver freshman has continued to amaze for the Pioneers this season. Florida's 2016 first round pick enters the week on a two-game goal streak and three-game point streak (2-3-5). Borgstrom has registered a team-leading 17 goals this season and ranks second on Denver with 32 points.
MASCHERIN'S 200TH
With an assist on Feb. 25 against the Oshawa Generals, Adam Mascherin recorded his 200th point in the Ontario Hockey League. The 18-year old native of Maple, Ontario ranks third in the OHL with 93 points (34-59-93) and second in assists. Mascherin has recorded five points (1-4-5) over his last three games.
SHUTOUT SAM
Samuel Montembeault has had quite a week for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. In two starts, Montembeault has allowed zero goals on 43 shots. With his current two-game shutout streak he has improved to seven wins over his last eight games.
The 20-year old leads the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with six shutouts, is tied for third in wins (24) and ranks third in goals against average (2.47).