The Bridgeport Sound Tigers bounced back this week thanks to big weeks from Kevin Poulin and Brock Nelson. Ryan Strome, now captain of the Niagara Ice Dogs, also led his team to a winning week in the OHL. Islanders prospects in high school also had big weeks as well gaining some recognition.

ACROSS THE LONG ISLAND SOUND: THE BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS

As highlighted in Dom's post earlier this week, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers bounced back this week with two wins and a shootout lost. Since Dom went into detail, I'll just emphasize the statistics from prospects of note (those most important/interest).

1/31/13: Shootout loss to the Providence Bruins (3-2, SO)

• Kevin Poulin made 38 saves on 40 shots and 4 of 5 shootouts attempts.
• Ty Wishart scored the two Sound Tiger goals, bringing his total to 5 on the year.
• Combs, Niederreiter, Landry, Nelson, and Persson didn't convert in the shooutout.

2/1/13: Overtime win at the Connecticut Whale (5-4, OT)

• Kevin Poulin made 32 saves on 36 shots.
• Kabanov, Nelson, Donovan, Landry, Wishart (2), Persson and Ness notched assists.
• Goals came from Combs, Watkins, and Blair Riley. Persson scored a PPG midway through the third period to tie the score at 4 and Backman scored the OT winner (also notched an assist).

2/2/13: Win over the Norfolk Admirals (4-1)

• Kevin Poulin made 26 saves on 27 shots.
• Wishart, Landry, Halmo and Donovan notched assists.
• Brock Nelson recorded his first pro hat trick and Nino Niederreiter added a goal.

CANADIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Ontario Hockey League

The Niagara Ice Dogs went 2-1 this week, bouncing back after last week. If you hadn't heard, Strome was named captain of Niagara after Coach Marty Williamson found out he was returning to the OHL for the season.


1/31/13: 4-1 loss to Sudbury

• Strome (+1) had the lone Niagara goal, assisted by fellow Isles prospect Jesse Graham.

2/1/13: 5-1 win at Erie

• Strome had 2 goals and was a +4; Graham recorded 2 assists and was a +1.

2/2/13: 4-1 win over Mississauga

• Strome contributed with a goal and an assist and was +1. Jesse Graham recorded 2 assists.

The Guelph Storm had a tough week, going 1-2. However, Isles prospect Andrey Pedan extended his scoring lead among Storm defenseman with a big performance against Windsor.


2/1/13: Guelph loses 3-1 to Windsor

• Pedan a -2.

2/3/13: Guelph defeats Windsor 6-3

• Pedan with 3 assists and a +2.

2/6/13: Guelph loses 5-2 to Kitchener

• Pedan a -2

The Erie Otters had a very tough week, losing all 3 games in blowouts. Adam Pelech did not play in the first two games, in which the Otters lost 5-1 to Niagara and 7-2 to Sudbury. Pelech did however play in the third game:

2/3/13: 11-4 loss to Kitchener

• Pelech had 2 goals but was a -3 in the blowout.

Mitchell Theoret, traded from Niagara to the Barrie Colts a few weeks ago, DNP this week due to a nagging injury. X-rays were negative according to Theoret's twitter page, so it looks like he'll be back in action soon.

Western Hockey League

The Spokane Chiefs went 1-2 this week. Brenden Kitchon extended his scoring lead among WHL defensemen.


2/1/13: 7-4 loss @ Kamloops

• Kitchon with an assist but was a -1.

2/2/13: 4-0 loss @ Portland. No notable stats for Kitchon

2/4/13: 5-0 win over Kelowna

• Kitchon with 1 goal and 1 assist and was a +2.

The Edmonton Oil Kings continued their torrid pace this week, winning three in a row. The Oil Kings beat Kootenay 4-2, Swift Current 3-0 and won 6-0 at Medicine Hat. Captain Griffin Reinhart did not record any points but was a +2 on the week.

THE NCAA

Notre Dame had a tough week, dropping two spots in the rankings down to #11.

2/1/13: 6-3 loss at Ohio State

• Anders Lee had 4 shots and an assist but was a -1. Robbie Russo was a -1 as well.

2/2/13: 2-2 tie at Ohio State

• Lee had 6 shots but no points. Russo recorded an assist.

The Denver University Pioneers rebounded with two wins at Minnesota-Duluth. In the first 3-0 win on 2/1/13, Scott Mayfield had 6 PIM and 1 shot. In a 4-3 win on 2/2/13, Mayfield was a +2 and had 2 PIM.

SM-liiga

Karpat went 2-1 this week. Finally found a decent source to track stats, and it looks like Ville Pokka gets a good amount of ice time among Karpat defensemen.

1/29/13: 4-3 win over Turku PS

• Pokka recorded 21:38 minutes of ice time and had 5 shots but was a -1.

1/31/13: 2-1 loss vs. Jyvaskyla

• Pokka recorded 20:23 minutes of ice time and 2 shots but was once again a -1.

2/2/13: 4-1 win over Jokerit

• Pokka had 21:10 minutes of ice time and recorded his 5th goal of the season. He was also a +1.

KalPa won both games 4-0 this week over HPK and TPS. On the 2/1/13 win over HPK, Mikko Koskinen posted his 6th shutout of the season, recording 29 saves.

HIGH SCHOOL

Some nice coverage of two high school picks from last summer's draft:

Jake Bischoff from Grand Rapids High School was named a finalist for Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award. Bischoff, the Islanders 7th round selection in 2012, recorded 11 goals and 29 assists in 25 games last season. So far in 14 games this season, Bischoff has 6 goals and 10 assists, leading his team to a 9-3-2 record.

Doyle Somerby, the 6'5" Islanders 5th round selection of 2012 was praised by scouts and was deemed a 'name to know' by Corey Pronman.

"Somerby was drafted in the fifth round by the Islanders out of Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire, the high school at which he currently plays. One scout made a point to make sure Somerby was on my radar. He is a 6'5',' 220-something defenseman who that scout said, "skates at an above-average level and has offensive skill." He continued by saying there's not a coach who wouldn't want a player his size if they knew he can skate and move the puck like him. Somerby is still a significant work in progress, though, with a lot of holes in his defensive game. He will attend Boston University next season."

Thanks to the Islanders Prospect Report for these statistics:

Statistics as of Feb. 4, 2013