Just three New York Rangers prospects were in action on Saturday evening with one other rumored to be a healthy scratch. Nathan Aspinall earned second star honors with a two-goal evening to help his Flint Firebirds earn a 3-0 win over the Oshawa Generals in OHL action.
Aspinall needed just 29 seconds to get on the scoreboard as he found himself all alone in front of the Oshawa goal with the puck. A couple of dekes and the puck was in the net to give Flint the only goal they would need for the win.
It was Aspinall’s fourth goal in just four games for the Firebirds. Flint did a solid job keeping Oshawa over the scoreboard and in the third period with the Firebirds up 2-0, Aspinall would score again with his fifth of the season.
Aspinall’s linemate Jimmy Lombardi did all the work as he drew the Oshawa defense and goalie towards him as Aspinall was all alone in front of the net again. Lombardi put the puck on Aspinall had a wide open net to tap the puck in.
Aspinall would finish the game 2-0-2 +2 on five shots as he improves to 5-1-6.
Other Rangers prospects
- Malcom Spence recorded his first NCAA shorthanded goal to help his seventh-ranked Michigan Wolverines defeat the sixth-ranked Providence Friars 3-1 in non-conference play. Spence had just finished serving his own minor penalty for intereference when he left the penalty box and joined play at center ice. He would come up with the puck and then break in on the Providence goalie and beat him on the backhand to give Michigan a 1-0 lead.
It would be the only shot that Spence would take in the game as he was 1-0-1 on one shot with a +1 and a minor for inference. Spence is 3-2-5 in just four games since joining Michigan from the Erie Otters of the OHL.
- Evan Passmore was scoreless as his Barrie Colts dropped a 5-3 decision to the Brampton Steelheads in OHL play. Passmore did not record a shot as he was a -2 and had a roughing minor.
Gonchar Did Not Play
Artem Gonchar appears to have been a healthy scratch for his Sudbury Wolves on Saturday night. There was no confirmation from Sudbury but Gonchar has been struggling as he is trying to make the adjustment to the OHL from the Russian MHL.
This was a good move by Sudbury as Gonchar was scoreless and a -12 in six games this season. Letting him have a chance to catch his breathe and take some pressure off himself will hopefully payoff in the long run.
