Penguins/NHL
PROSPECTS BUZZ
Two Penguin draft picks Scott Wilson, Umass-Lowell, and Alex Velischek, Providence, were in action last night against each other in the Hockey East Tournament semifinal at the TD Garden.
The game was televised on NBCSN and Wilson, the Penguins 2011 seventh round pick, showed flashes of why Penguin scouts love the way he plays the game. Wilson scored the game winning goal, breaking a 1-1 tie 12:30 into the third period leading No. 5 UMass Lowell to a 2-1 win over No. 16 Providence College.
On Wilson’s game winning goal, he created a turnover in the neutral zone, then drove to the net burying a give and go for his 15th goal of the season.
I came away really impressed with Wilson and he is true to form in that he plays the Penguins way. Wilson is tenacious on the puck and delivered some hard hits on the forecheck. Wilson has the tools where he’s emerging as a legitimate prospect in the Penguins system and his strong freshman season was no fluke. The sophomore has 15 goals and 33 points on the season.
In the loss Velischek was a +1 and he finishes his senior season a +17 in 37 games. Velischek is a defensive minded defenseman and the Penguins have until August 15th to make a decision on whether to sign him. One will be made much sooner than that.
Another Penguin draft pick in action last night in the Hockey East Semifinals was Boston University goaltender Sean Maguire, Penguins 2012 4th round pick. Maguire made 44 saves leading No. 17 Boston University to a 6-3 win over No. 5 Boston College.
Maguire earned his 13th win of the season and has had a very good freshman season with a 13-7-0 record, 2.61 GAA and .925 save percentage.
The Terriers (21-15-2) will meet No. 5 UMass Lowell, the tournament’s top seed, in the conference championship game on Saturday (March 23) at 7 p.m.
HANOWSKI COLLEGE CAREER OVER?
2009 third round pick Ben Hankowski might have played his last game in his four year college career. The No. 7 St. Cloud State Huskies were upset by the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers last night, losing to the Badgers 4-1.
Hanowski scored a power play goal in the loss. St. Cloud now awaits word on Sunday on whether they will be invited to the NCAA Tournament field of 16.
Hanowski has 16 goals and 29 points and a +1 rating in 34 games this season. In his college career, Hanowski has 61 goals and 111 points in 153 games.
Like Velischek the Penguins would have until August 15th to sign Hanowski.
