Tristan Anderson | Tim Cornett (OHL Images)
Mark
Dubreuil
December 7, 2021

POW Watch: Week ending Dec. 6, 2021

Two prospects linked closely by the 2021 NHL Draft have been tied together again.

Xavier Bourgault of the Shawinigan Cataractes, selected in the first round (No. 22) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, and Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires, drafted right behind Bourgault at No. 23 by the Dallas Stars, each put up nine points and were named Players of the Week in the QMJHL and OHL respectively.

Johnston did it only two games, raking up two goals and seven assists, with a plus-5 rating. He also extended his scoring streak of 14 games and has amassed 30 points during that stretch. Johnston started off with a three-point night (three assists) on Thursday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Erie Otters, but then came back and lifted the Spits to a 7-5 win over the Sarnia Sting the next night. He collected six points (two goals, four assists) on that Friday.  

Bourgault scored five goals and four assists in three games, helping the Cataractes go 2-0-1 en route to collecting five of a possible six points. He currently sits tied for third in points in the QMJHL, with 42 points (22 goals, 20 assists) in 24 games. Bourgault also has 13 multi-point games this season and is establishing himself as an offensive threat. 

In the goaltending department, OHL Goaltender of the Week Leevi Merilainen of the Kingston Frontenacs went 2-0-0, with one shutout, posting an minuscule 0.50 goals-against average and a .980 save percentage. He was selected in the third round (No. 71) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators.

Merilainen earned his first career OHL shutout on Friday when the Frontenacs beat the Oshawa Generals 5-0 at home in Kingston, making 28 saves. Two nights later he was back in net to help secure a 5-1 win against the Ottawa 67’s, where he stopped 20 of 21 shots.

One of the Rookies of the Week, in the ECAC division of NCAA hockey, was Matthew Coronato of Harvard University. He helped the Crimson with a 5-2 victory over their rivals Yale on Saturday scoring two goals to help secure the win. He currently has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 11 games as a Freshman and is third on the team in scoring. 

Coronato was selected in the first round (No. 13) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames and arguably their top-rated prospects. He will most likely represent the United States at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship this December and is always a scoring threat when he is on the ice.

Another goaltender who earned honors — in the rookie category — for Hockey East of the NCAA was Devon Levi of the Northeastern Huskies. This is Levi’s third straight Rookie of the Week nod.

Levi posted a 2-0-0 record, recording one shutout, and posting a 0.50 GAA with an impressive 0.986 save percentage in a weekend sweep over Providence. The Buffalo Sabres property also broke the program’s single season shutout record of 6 with a 2-0 win on Friday. He is looking to be a strong addition to the crease for Buffalo Sabres in the near future. 

Western Hockey League Player of the Week Jaydon Dureau had an impressive week putting up 10 points in three games (three goals, seven assists) to help his team, the Portland Winterhawks, win two of three games, with one OT loss. Good enough for five of six possible points. He also collected his 100th career WHL assist on Sunday with a Winterhawks win over the Everett Silvertips.

Dureau was selected in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has put up some solid numbers this season with Portland, although he missed some games while playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch. Dureau has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in only 12 games so far.

Here is the complete list of POW for the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, 2021:

OHL

Player – Wyatt Johnston – Windsor Spitfires – 2GP | 1G | 8A | 9P
Goaltender – Leevi Merilainen – Ottawa 67’s – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 0.50 GAA | .980 SV% | 1 SO

QMJHL 

Player – Xavier Bourgault – Shawinigan Cataractes – 3GP | 5G | 4A | 9P

WHL

Player – Jaydon Dureau – Portland Winterhawks – 3GP | 3G | 7A | 10P
Goaltender – Ethan Kruger – Brandon Wheatkings – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 1.95 GAA | .945 SV% | 1 SO

USHL 

Forward – Stephen Halliday – Dubuque Fighting Saints – 2GP | 3G | 2A | 5P
Defenseman – Matt Basgall – Omaha Lancers – 2GP | 0G | 3A | 3P
Goaltender – Platon Zadorozhny – Muskegon Lumberjacks – 1GP | 1-0-0 | 0.00 GAA | 1.000 S% | 1SO

BIG TEN 

1st Star – Nick Blankenburg – D – Michigan – 2GP | 3G | 2A | 5P
2nd Star – Tyler Paquette – F – Penn State Nitty – 2GP | 3G | 0A | 3P
3rd Star – Georgii Merkulov – F – Ohio State – 2GP | 2G | 2A | 4P

HOCKEY EAST 

Forward – Anthony Del Gaizo – Massachusetts – 2GP | 3G | 1A | 4P
Defenseman – Case McCarthy – Boston University – 2GP | 0G | 3A | 3P
Goaltender – Gabriel Carriere – Vermont – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 0.50 GAA | .986 SV% | 1SO
Rookie – Devon Levi – Northeastern – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 0.500 GAA | .986 SV% | 1SO

CCHA 

Forward – Nathan Smith – Minnesota State – 2GP | 2G | 2A | 4P
Defenseman – Trevor Cosgrove – Northern Michigan – 2GP | 1G | 3A | 4P
Goaltender – Ethan Langenegger – Lake Superior State – 2GP | 2-1-1 | 1.59 GAA | .953 S% | 1 SO
Rookie – Josh Nixon – Lake Superior State – 2GP | 2G | 0A | 2P

ECAC

Player – Matt Stienburg – Cornell Big – 2GP | 3G | 2A | 5P
Goaltender – Mathieu Caron – Brown – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 0.00 GAA | 1.000 SV% | 2SO
Rookie – Matthew Coronato – Harvard – 1GP | 2G | 0A | 2P

NCHC

Forward – Brett Stapley – Denver – 2GP | 3G | 3A | 6P
Defenseman – Nick Perbix – St. Cloud State – 2GP | 1G | 5A | 6P
Goaltender – Magnus Chrona – Denver – 2GP | 2-0-0 | 1.50 GAA | .956 SV%
Rookie – Jack Devine – Denver – 2GP | 1G | 3A | 4P

PAST WEEKS: 

POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING NOV. 29, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING NOV. 22, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING NOV. 15, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING NOV. 8, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING NOV. 1, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING OCT. 25, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING OCT. 18, 2021
POW WATCH: WEEK ENDING OCT. 11, 2021

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