• PROSPECT-UPDATE ARCHIVE
Well, the Hockey Draft Central home office had a major power-outage in early March. The power came back after a few days, but it took weeks to catch up to the work of daily prospect updates.
So, in the spirit of moving along, check out abbreviated versions of each lost day's events:
JUSTUS ANNUNEN -- Annunen continued his lights-out play in the Finnish U20 playoffs, stopping 43 shots for Oulu in a 1-0 shutout at Helsinki IFK. The star goaltender dominated Game 2 of the semifinal round, making 17 saves in the first period, eight in the second, and a remarkable 18 in the third. That gave him four straight postseason wins and a 5-0-1 playoff record. In his first two starts vs. IFK, Annunen turned aside 68 of 69 shots. (Note: 12th appearance on this list in 2017-18)
ZACHARY BOUTHILLIER -- The Chicoutimi netminder was amazing as the No. 1 star of his team's 4-0 playoff shutout at Bathurst. Bouthillier, the Sagueneens' backup goalie for much of the season, stopped 14 shots in the first period, 10 in the second and a whopping 19 in the third to snap a three-game QMJHL losing streak. (Note: 10th appearance on this list in 2017-18)
ETHAN de JONG -- Passed over in last year's draft, this Quinnipiac recruit had two goals and an assist in the second period of the Prince George Spruce Kings' 3-1 BCHL playoff win at Surrey. The game's No. 2 star helped set up the game's first goal on a power play at 3:26. He went on to score the eventual game-winner on a power play at 4:20and an even strength goal at 5:55 -- three points in 2:29. That gave him 13 points in 13 postseason games. (Note: Second appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JONATHAN GRUDEN -- Gruden was the No. 2 star of the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team's 8-4 win over Chicago, finishing with a goal and two primary assists. The surging Miami University recruit set up the opening goal at 1:53 of the first period as well as a power-play goal that made it 2-0 at 14:51. In the third, he closed the scoring with a goal at 16:28. Gruden has posted multiple points in five of his last six USHL games. (Note: Fourth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
ISAAC JOHNSON -- Undrafted in 2017, big winger Johnson is very likely to go this year. He kept making his case with two goals and two assists in Tri-City's 9-7 win at Kelowna, the second game of an opening-round WHL playoff series. Johnson set up goals at 15:16 and 16:09 of the first period to pull the Americans into a 4-3 lead. He scored at 11:18 of the second to tie it, and got the game-winner at 13:12 of the third to break a 7-7 tie. (Note: Fourth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
HUGO LEUFVENIUS -- Playing in Sweden last season, Leufvenius did not impress scouts enough to be drafted. This year with Sarnia in the OHL, he getting more notice. His two goals and assist in the Sting's 4-1 playoff win over Windsor stood out. After assisting on his team's first goal to tie the game 1-1 at 14:56 of the second period, Johnson came right back with the game-winner at 17:09 and later found an empty net in the third to close the scoring. (Note: Second appearance on this list in 2017-18)
KEVIN MANDOLESE -- Goaltender Mandolese turned in a remarkable 52-save performance as Cape Breton went to triple-OT for a 5-4 win at Drummondville. He stopped 13 of 14 first-period shots, 12 of 13 in the second, six of eight in the third, 10 in the first OT, eight in the second OT, and three in the third. (Note: Eighth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JOE VELENO -- Veleno led Drummondville in its 5-4 triple-OT loss toe Cape Breton -- scoring two goals to earn No. 2 star honors. His first goal, unassisted, opened the scoring 34 seconds into the game. He later scored at 10:38 of the second period to tie it at 2-2. These were his first QMJKHL playoff goals with the Voltigeurs. (Note: 13th appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JAKE WISE -- The U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team forward kept dominating the USHL as the No. 1 star of an 8-4 rout of Chicago. Wise, bound for Boston University, assisted on an early second-period goal to go up 4-2 and then scored the game-winner for a 5-2 lead at 11:05 of the second. He closed his night by scoring 55 seconds into the third. The three-point night raised his USHL scoring streak reached eight games. (Note: Fourth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
FILIP ZADINA -- Halifax's star rookie scored a goal and set up another in the Mooseheads' 5-3 playoff win over Baie-Comeau for No. 2 star honors. His first QMJHL playoff goal made it 1-0 at 6:09 of the second period, and he later had the primary assist on the game-winner that broke a 3-3 tie at 15:19 of the third. (Note: 22nd appearance on this list in 2017-18 -- leads all players)