MUSKEGON, Michigan (January 23rd)
– It was a gritty defensive slugfest in this year’s 2013 USHL/NHL Top
Prospects Game as the defenses from both teams went toe-to-toe against
some of the best offensive talent in the league. However, one team had
to come away with the victory and it was Team West that walked away by
the slimmest of margins winning 2-1 at the L.C. Walker Arena.
The
first period saw Team West take control early and would get the game’s
first goal at the 4:45 mark of the opening frame with a goal from Sioux
City’s Conor McGlynn that was assisted by his teammates, Jake Guentzel
and Jake Montgomery, to make it a 1-0 game. Team East had a great
opportunity to tie the game at 1-1, but Lumberjacks own Michael
Brodzinski was robbed on the back door by Waterloo Black Hawks
Goaltender Eamon McAdam, who stoned Brodzinski with the glove. Team West
would take the 1-0 lead into the first period while outshooting the
East, 10-6.
Early
in the second period, the West would double their lead to 2-0 at the
1:53 mark of the frame with a goal by Tri-City’s Jason Cotton that was
assisted by teammate Garrett Gamez and Omaha Lancer Drew Melanson. No
scoring would be tallied through the rest of the period as starting
goaltenders Charlie Lindgren (Team East) and Eamon McAdam (Team West)
would be pulled at the halfway point, respectively, for Alex
Sakellaropoulos and Cal Petersen. Team West was still outshooting the
East through two periods, 19-17.
Both
defenses would continue to buckle down into the third period as Team
East would finally pull through at the 15:08 mark with a goal by
USNTDP’s John Hayden, who slammed home a rebound past Petersen to cut
the deficit to 2-1. Lumberjacks own Ben Storm and Chicago’s Christian
Heil were credited with the assists on the Hayden goal. The score would
remain the same late into the game, but Team East would not get the
equalizer as they would pull Sakellaropoulos for the extra attacker, but
would come up empty as Team West escaped with the hard-earned victory.
Team
East ended up outshooting the West for the game, 32-24, and both teams
were combined 0 for 5 on the power play. The most valuable player awards
were credited to John Hayden of Team East (USNTDP), who scored the lone
goal for the team, and Eamon McAdam of Team West, who stopped all 11
shots he faced in his 30 minutes of action.
(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)
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