Avalanche Farm Report: Oct. 16

Spotlight On: Cale Makar

Makar is in his sophomore year at Massachusetts after he finished his freshman season ranked second on the team in assists (16), plus-minus rating (plus-9) and shots on goal (112).
After registering 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) over 34 games, the Avalanche prospect was named a Hockey East Third Team All-Star and was selected for the Hockey East All-Star Rookie Team. Makar landed eighth nationally in goals and 10th in points among all NCAA freshmen defensemen. The 5-foot-11, 187-pound rear guard was named the 2018 George C. Carens Co-Rookie of the Year by the New England Hockey Writers Association and was selected to be the team captain before this year's campaign began.
In addition to his success in Amherst, Makar represented Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championship and won a gold medal with his country. The 19-year-old finished tied for seventh in the tournament and third on the team with eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games. Prior to being drafted, Makar amassed 135 career points with 35 goals and 100 assists in 111 regular-season contests with the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).

Colorado Eagles

The Colorado Eagles earned their first American Hockey League wins over the weekend as they swept their two-game series at the San Antonio Rampage.
The team began the weekend by topping the Rampage 2-1 on Friday. Logan O'Connor scored the game-winner in what was also his first professional goal, and forward Igor Shvyrev buried his second puck of the season in Colorado's first victory in the AHL. David Warsofsky, Andrew Agozzino, Ryan Graves and Travis Barron added assists in the contest.
On Saturday, Avalanche prospects J.C. Beaudin, Scott Kosmachuk and Nicolas Meloche all found the back of the net in the Eagles' 3-1 win over the Rampage. Warsofsky and Agozzino recorded their second assists of the weekend, while O'Connor, A.J. Greer, Dominic Toninato and Ty Lewis also picked up helpers.
Goaltender Pavel Francouz started both games for Colorado. He stopped 27-of-28 shots on goal in his North American debut on Friday and turned away 30-of-31 pucks that were sent his way on Saturday.
The Eagles return to Loveland this weekend for a two-game series against the Ontario Reign.

Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

The Utah Grizzlies swept the Rapid City Rush in a two-game series on Friday and Saturday. Utah topped Rapid City 4-2 on Friday with help from goaltender Joe Cannata, who made 26 saves on 28 shots. The following night, the Grizzlies scored three times on 10 power plays and went on to defeat the Rush 6-2. Cannata again stopped 26-of-28 shots to earn a second-straight win and was later named the ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the third time in his career.

NCAA

Notre Dame: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish started the 2018-19 campaign by winning the Ice Breaker Championship in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team opened the season with a 6-6 tie against Mercyhurst on Friday. Avalanche prospect Cam Morrison scored in the first period and added four shots throughout the game, while freshmen defensemen Nate Clurman and Nick Leivermann made their collegiate debuts. On Saturday, the Fighting Irish took on Providence College and shutout the Friars 3-0. Leivermann did not play in the second game of the weekend. Notre Dame continues its schedule at the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Friday for the start of a two-game series.

Shane Bowers (Boston University): The Boston University Terriers fell to the Minnesota State Mavericks on both Friday and Saturday. Shane Bowers recorded four shots on goal and won 7-of-17 faceoffs on Friday in the 4-3 loss in the school's season opener. The 19-year-old recorded his first goal of the season and had seven shots in Saturday's game, but the Terriers were still bested 5-3 by the Mavericks. The team will play an exhibition match against the United States National Team Development Program's under-18 team on Friday before taking on Merrimack on the road on Saturday.
Cale Makar (UMass): Cale Makar registered a four-point night at Friday's season opener for the UMass Minutemen. The defenseman helped UMass defeat RPI in a 6-1 rout with two goals and two assists for his first career multi-goal outing. The Minutemen downed RPI 3-1 on Saturday, with Makar adding three shots on goal. He was named Hockey East's Player of the Week on Monday. The squad will face Ohio State on the road this Friday and Saturday.
Sampo Ranta (Minnesota): The University of Minnesota Gophers picked up a win on Saturday in an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development Program's under-18 team. The Gophers beat Team USA 7-1 with Sampo Ranta registering an assist on his team's fourth goal of the night. Ranta has two goals in the regular season after scoring in each of the Gophers' games the previous week against Minnesota-Duluth; he's was named the Big Ten's Third Star of the week for his performance in the NCAA's opening weekend. Minnesota continues with its exhibition schedule at home on Saturday against Trinity Western University.
Denis Smirnov (Penn State): The Penn State Nittany Lions topped the Clarkson University Golden Knights twice on Thursday and Friday to start their new campaign. On Thursday, the Nittany Lions beat the Golden Knights 4-3, scoring three goals in the third period to win the season opener. Penn State held Clarkson to one goal on Saturday as the Pennsylvania team beat the visitors 5-1. Ring wing Denis Smirnov did not dress in either game. The Nittany Lions will host Niagara University in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday.
Tyler Weiss (University of Nebraska-Omaha): The freshman forward did not skate in either of the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks' games over the weekend at Union College in New York. The Mavericks tied Union 3-3 on Friday but lost 5-4 in Saturday's clash. Nebraska-Omaha will host Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday.

OHL

Brandon Saigeon (Hamilton Bulldogs): Brandon Saigeon had three shots on Friday, but Hamilton fell 4-3 to the Mississauga Steelheads. However, Saturday's game was more positive as the Avalanche prospect registered assists on two power-play goals and helped the Bulldogs beat the Steelheads 5-1 at home. Saigeon then netted his fifth and sixth goals of the season against the Oshawa Generals on Sunday. He opened the scoring for Hamilton less than a minute into the first period and followed it up with a short-handed tally in the second. The Bulldogs battled the Generals into overtime and ultimately won 6-5 in the extra frame. Saigeon leads the team with 11 assists, 17 points and a plus-3 rating after 10 games this season.

WHL

Nick Henry (Regina Pats): Nick Henry notched at least one point in each of the Regina Pats' three outings this past week, registering five in total (two goals and three assists). On Wednesday, Henry added an assist on a power-play goal, but the Pats lost 4-2 to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, native notched another helper on the game-winning tally as Regina beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 on Friday. On Sunday, Henry extended his current point streak to five contests (two goals, seven assists) with the game-winning goal in overtime and two assists in the 4-3 victory at the Calgary Hitmen. He now leads the team in points (12) and assists (10). The Regina Pats will play three games at home on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday against the Spokane Chiefs, Moose Jaw Warriors and Everett Silvertips, respectively.

Russia

Nikolai Kovalenko (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL): Kovalenko did not dress as the team took on SKA Saint Petersburg and Dinamo Minsk on Wednesday and Friday. Lokomotiv beat SKA 1-0 in overtime and held Dinamo to only two goals as the team scored three times in the third period to win 5-2. Kovalenko skated in his 10th game of the season on Sunday and netted his fourth goal of the campaign in the 3-0 shutout against Dynamo Moscow. Lokomotiv has a 12-5-1 record and sits fourth in the West Conference.
Danila Zhuravlyov (Bars Kazan, VHL): The defenseman has played in 14 games for Bars Kazan in the second-tier Russian pro league, but Zhuravlyov has yet to record a point. The club went 1-3 this week, losing 2-0 to Molot-Prikamye Perm on Tuesday before reversing the score and beating Izhstal 2-0 on Thursday. Bars Kazan scored two unanswered goals in the first period in its clash against Neftyanik Almetyevsk but ultimately fell 6-3. The club played Toros Neftekamsk on Monday and lost 3-2 in overtime. Regardless, the squad is still sixth in the league with nine wins in 14 games. Zhuravlyov has a plus-2 rating while averaging 14:31 of ice time.
Shamil Shmakov (Sibirskie Snaipery, MHL): Shmakov did not play this week as Sibirskie Snaipery took on Tyumensky Legion in back-to-back games. Sibirskie Snaipery lost 2-1 on Thursday and fell 3-2 in overtime on Friday. His only game this season came on Sept. 29 when he made 30-of-34 saves against Avto. The team will play Stalnye Lisy in a two-game series on Thursday and Friday.

Czech Republic

Petr Kvaca (HC Ceske Budejovice): Kvaca played in one game this week, turning away 14-of-18 pucks sent his way by Litomerice on Wednesday. Ceske Budejovice ultimately fell to the visitors 5-4 in overtime. The team also played Residomo Havirov on Tuesday and won 5-1, and it picked up a 5-2 road victory on Saturday against Frydeck-Mistek. Ceske Budejovice played HC RT Torax Poruba on Monday and won 8-1. Kvaca has suited up in six games this season and has a 3-3 record, 1.74 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and one shutout. Ceske Budejovice stands in first place in the league with 10 wins and 32 points.

Finland

Justus Annunen (Hermes, Mestis): Annunen played in one game for Hermes last week, and he made 21 saves in a 6-2 victory against Koovee on Wednesday. Hermes then defeated Kiekko-Vantaa 6-2 on Saturday, and the club is now second overall in the league. Annunen has a 3.33 goals-against average and .857 save percentage in three contests this season.

Sweden

Adam Werner (Farjestad BK, SHL): Werner dressed in Thursday's game for Farjestad and made 27-of-30 saves in the team's 4-3 shootout loss to Mora. Werner stopped two of the three shooters he faced in the tiebreaker, but Farjestad wasn't able to find the back of the net on any of its three chances in the one-on-one. Farjestad also played Frolunda on Saturday, losing 4-3. After playing two game this year, Werner has a 0-1-0 record, 2.65 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.
Gustav Olhaver (Tingsryds AIF, Allsvenskan): Olhaver has played in all nine games for Tingsryds AIF and added an assist last Tuesday in the 5-3 win over HC Vita Hasten for his first point of the season. Tingsryds fell 3-2 to Sodertalje SK on Thursday and got shutout by IK Oskarshamn on Sunday, 3-0. The team faces IK Pantern on Wednesday.