Team Orr Wins #HHTP Game
Laurent Dauphin had a goal and an assist en route to a Team Orr victory in the 2013 Home Hardware CHL Top Prospects Game, held on January 16 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The 3-0 win was the first shutout in the history of the prospects game.
Quebec Remparts right winger Adam Erne opened the scoring for Team Orr less than four minutes in, putting the puck in past Team Cherry goaltender Zachary Fucale. Top-ranked Seth Jones notched an assist on the goal, as did Chicoutimi’s Laurent Dauphin, who was a late addition to the game. Dauphin was selected to replace Hunter Shinkaruk (injured) on the squad.
The lone penalties of the first period came when Team Orr’s Kerby Rychel (Windsor Spitfires) dropped the gloves with Ryan Hartman (Plymouth Whalers) at the 11:44 mark of the opening frame. Rychel ended up dropping Hartman, and the pair received five minutes each for fighting.
The period ended with 12 shots on the board for Team Orr, just one more than Team Cherry.
Similar to the opening frame, the lone penalties served during the second period were fighting majors, this time to Edmonton Oil Kings left winger Curtis Lazar and Soo Greyhounds defenseman Darnell Nurse just 1:47 into the period.
Dauphin continued to show why he was a suitable choice for a replacement when he scored an unassisted goal just over four minutes into the second period of a physical game, giving Team Orr the 2-0 lead.
Just over three minutes after Dauphin’s goal, Team Orr would up the lead to three goals, on a tally by Winterhawks center Nicolas Petan. Remparts winger Anthony Duclair and fellow Winterhawk Oliver Bjorkstrand were credited with the assists.
Teams switched goaltenders just after the halfway point of the game, with Rimouski Oceanic netminder Philippe Desrosiers and Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings coming in for Team Orr and Cherry, respectively.
Mississauga Steelheads netminder Spencer Martin stopped all 16 shots faced in 31:21 for Team Orr, while Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Zachary Fucale allowed three goals on 20 shots faced in the same amount of ice time.
The remainder of the second period went by without a goal, and at the end of the middle frame, Team Orr not only led in goals (3-0) but also in shots (23-16).
The first power play of the game belonged to Team Cherry, as Nikita Zadorov of the London Knights was served an interference penalty just 1:08 into the third period. Despite the extra man advantage, the squad was unable to take advantage and the scored remained 3-0.
A subsequent penalty would go to Shea Theodore (Seattle Thunderbirds) for Team Orr before Stephen Harper of the Erie Otters was served a tripping penalty for Team Cherry. Neither team was able to capitalize on the power play opportunity, and the score remained 3-0. Team Orr held on for the victory.
Quebec Remparts right winger Nick Sorensen led all skaters with a plus-3, while Dauphin led both teams with a goal and an assist and was named player of the game.
Four players from Team Orr were a plus-2: Madison Bowey (Kelowna Rockets), Dauphin, Zadorov and Erne.
All but seven players on Team Cherry were a minus-1 or minus-2. The even players: Anthony Mantha, Zach Nastasiuk, Jason Dickinson, Ryan Kujawinski, Stephen Harper, Frederik Gauthier and Darnell Nurse. Tristan Jarry stopped all 16 shots faced in 28:39 of ice time for Team Cherry.
Philippe Desrosiers faced just four shots, stopping them all en route sharing a shutout victory with Martin for Team Orr – the first shutout in the history of the Home Hardware Top Prospects Game.
All players who participated for Team Cherry or Team Orr in the 2013 Home Hardware CHL Top Prospects Game are eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and play in one of the three Canadian Hockey League member leagues: the OHL, WHL or QMJHL.