Hagel picks up 5 points in first week of junior hockey play

Brandon Hagel (2016, sixth round) got his Western Hockey League season off to a hot start over the weekend as he connected for three goals and five points to propel the Red Deer Rebels to a pair of victories.

Hagel got his season going Saturday with a goal and two helpers as Red Deer opened the season with a 7-3 victory over Edmonton.
After posting two primary assists in the opening frame, Hagel cashed a one-timer for the game-winning goal with 6:23 remaining in the middle frame to complete the three-point night.
Hagel continued to produce Sunday, scoring twice as part of a seven-shot effort as Red Deer came from behind to earn a 5-3 road win in Edmonton.
With the Rebels trailing 3-1, Hagel skated right-to-left across the slot and buried a short pass with 1:48 remaining in the middle frame to make it a one-goal game.
The top-line winger later added an insurance marker into an empty net with 1:07 left on the clock for his fifth point of the weekend.
Going back to the end of the 2016-17 regular season and the playoffs, Hagel has scored 19 goals in his last 15 WHL contests.

OHL

Cliff Pu (2016, third round) picked up a pair of helpers Saturday including one of the overtime winner to propel London to a 3-2 victory over Saginaw.
On Sunday, Pu produced just two shots on goal as the Knights were bested by Sault Ste. Marie 5-1.
Through two games, Pu has continued his face-off excellence with 37 wins in 56 attempts for a 66 per cent success rate.
Defenseman Austin Osmanski (2016, seventh round)recorded one assist Friday as Mississauga was defeated in their opener 4-3 by Ottawa. Osmanski contributed two shots on goal the following night in a 5-2 loss at Kingston.

WHL

Prince Albert defenseman Vojtech Budik (2016, fifth round) had a quiet Friday in the Raiders' 3-0 season-opening loss to Moose Jaw, and logged a minus-1 rating the next night as the Raiders were dealt a second-straight loss to the Warriors 7-3.

QMJHL

In Friday action, Vasily Glotov (2016, seventh round) notched two assists to earn the game's first star as Shawinigan opened the 2017-18 season with a 4-3 loss to Blainville-Boisbriand.

Glotov who is serving as an assistant captain this year for the Cataractes, got his season going quickly by picking up both of his helpers in the opening frame. The second was a primary assist while on the power play.
Glotov got back to work Sunday, recording five shots on goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to Victoriaville.

Sweden

Rasmus Asplund (2016, second round) notched his second goal of the year Thursday as Färjestad BK skated to a 5-2 victory over Skellefteå AIK.

Asplund put FBK up 2-1 early in the middle period when he took a puck in the right circle and quickly fired a shot short side high over the goaltender's glove.
In addition to the marker, Asplund posted two shots on goal, a plus-2 rating, and won eight of his 15 draws (53.3 percent). He earned 16:16 of ice time in the win.
Asplund finished the week Saturday by picking up an assist on the second of two Farjestad empty-netters in a 7-4 victory over Frölunda HC.
Asplund, who logged a season-high 20:17 of work for his fifth-career 20-plus minute effort, is currently tied for fourth among SHL skaters with four points (2+2) through three contests.

After recording one shot on goal in Thursday's 3-0 blanking of Karlskrona HK, Victor Olofsson (2014, seventh round) exercised his power-play prowess Saturday with a goal and an assist in the opening frame as Frölunda HC dropped the 7-4 decision to Färjestad BK.
Olofsson got it going in the game's eighth minute with a short feed for a primary helper to make it a 1-0 game, and later put his fast-rising wrist shot on display with 4:48 left in the period for his first goal of the SHL season.

Marcus Davidsson (2017, second round) attacked the net for his third goal in as many SuperElit Norra games Friday as Djurgården J20 fells to Luleå 5-2. Davidsson capped the effort with three shots on goal and 10 wins in 19 draws for a 52.6 per cent success rate.
After spending three games with Djurgården's junior squad, Marcus Davidsson was recalled to the big club Saturday in a 2-1 loss to Luleå HF. Davidsson skated for 9:19 while occupying the fourth-line center role.
In Saturday action, defenseman Oskari Laaksonen (2017, third round) notched one assist and produced 11 shot attempts in 26:44 of action as Ilves U20 dropped a 2-1 decision to Jokerit.
On Sunday, Laaksonen logged a plus-1 rating in 22:23 of work as Ilves skated to a 3-2 triumph over HIFK.
At the 10-game mark, Laaksonen has produced one goal and four points.
LeKi goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2017, second round) was idle last week as the club awaits the start of Mestis regular season play this week.
For more on all the youngsters in the Sabres pipeline, check out Kris Baker's website, SabresProspects.com. You can also follow him on Twitter (@SabresProspects) for in-game updates throughout the week on any Buffalo prospects that are in action.