Alumn-ICE Report: October 29, 2024
Graham Sward
Photo Credit: Russ Alman/Wenatchee Wild
A proud second-year member of the Western Hockey League, the Wenatchee Wild are continuing a celebrated WHL legacy that dates back to Edmonton, Alberta in 1996, continuing in Cranbrook, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba. These are the ICE alumni, who are now also members of the #WildFamily, making news in American pro hockey this week:
NHL
SAM REINHART, 2010-15 (11 GP, 7-9-16) – Enters Tuesday night in third place among scorers across the NHL with 16 points – he notched points in his last three games of the week for the Florida Panthers, and posted goals in the latter two of those. His wrist shot in the first period of Saturday’s game touched off a six-goal outburst as part of a 6-3 win over the New York Islanders, and he registered a power play goal Monday in the first period of a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
CONOR GEEKIE, 2019-24 (9 GP, 1-1-2) – Earned his first NHL point and his first NHL goal this past week for the Tampa Bay Lightning – his primary assist on Brandon Hagel’s second-period goal last Tuesday was his first point, and helped give Tampa Bay its first two-goal lead in an 8-5 win over the New Jersey Devils. His first goal Saturday capped a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals.
PEYTON KREBS, 2017-21 (9 GP, 1-2-3) – Posted his first goal of the season last Tuesday for the Buffalo Sabres, a highlight-reel bat-in off a shot that popped up off the crossbar – that goal started the scoring in a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars.
AHL
CHASE WHEATCROFT, 2021-22 (6 GP, 3-4-7) – Saw a five-game point streak snapped this past weekend with the Texas Stars, but not before picking up an assist Friday in the Texas Stars’ 6-2 home win over the Iowa Wild.
MIKEY MILNE, 2018-22 (8 GP, 2-3-5) – Helped touch off a two-goal comeback with a third-period goal Wednesday in a 4-2 Iowa Wild loss to the Milwaukee Admirals.
ZACK OSTAPCHUK, 2022-23 (6 GP, 1-4-5) – Extended his point streak to four games for the Belleville Senators on Friday, earning an assist with 13 seconds left in the first period of a 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Marlies. Ostapchuk was called up Tuesday by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, and was likely to play against the St. Louis Blues as of Tuesday afternoon.
CALE FLEURY, 2014-18 (4 GP, 3-1-4) – Was recalled to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken Monday to join the club on its upcoming five-game road trip. His most recent AHL outing with the Coachella Valley Firebirds ended with a assist on Friday, in a 5-2 win over the Ontario Reign.
MATTHEW SAVOIE, 2019-24 (6 GP, 1-3-4) – Returned to the scoring column Saturday with an assist in the Bakersfield Condors’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Tucson Roadrunners.
NOAH PHILP, 2015-17 (6 GP, 2-1-3) – Notched the goal on which Savoie assisted in Saturday’s Bakersfield Condors loss – that marker followed his goal Tuesday in a 2-1 home loss to the Calgary Wranglers.
ECHL
OWEN PEDERSON, 2018-23 (5 GP, 0-4-4) – Stretched his point streak for the Maine Mariners to three games on Friday, notching an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Norfolk Admirals.
JACKSON LEPPARD, 2019-21 (4 GP, 1-1-2) – Picked up a goal and an assist in a three-and-a-half-minute stretch of Thursday’s 4-2 Bloomington Bison win at the Iowa Heartlanders.
BOBBY RUSSELL, 2016-18 (3 GP, 1-1-2) – Opened a home-and-home weekend for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Friday with a goal 46 seconds into a 3-2 win over the South Carolina Stingrays.
GRAHAM SWARD, 2022-24 (4 GP, 0-1-1) – Earned his first professional point on Friday, setting up the final goal in the Norfolk Admirals’ 6-3 win over the Maine Mariners.
BRILEY WOOD, 2022-24 (3 GP, 0-1-1) – Picked up his first professional point on Friday with an assist of his own, helping to touch off the scoring in a 4-3 Utah Grizzlies shootout victory at the Rapid City Rush.
Also on Wenatchee’s alumni list are the standouts from its Junior A era (2008-2023) – these players laid the foundation for the WHL’s future success in the Wenatchee Valley. These are Wenatchee’s Junior A alumni who are making news in American pro hockey this week:
NIC DOWD, 2008-09 (7 GP, 2-1-3) – Tallied goals in both ends of the Washington Capitals’ home-and-home against the Philadelphia Flyers last Tuesday and Wednesday, starting with a shorthanded goal less than four minutes into Tuesday’s 4-1 road win. His goal on Wednesday came in the second period on the way to a four-goal Capitals lead and a 6-3 win on home ice.
DEVIN COOLEY, 2016-17 (6 GP, 5-1-0) – Extended his winning streak for the Calgary Wranglers to five games, allowing only one goal in a 2-1 shootout win at the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday before making 25 saves Sunday in a 2-1 home victory over the Colorado Eagles.
KYLE MAYHEW, 2016-17 (4 GP, 3-2-5) – Picked up points in both games of a home weekend for the Fort Wayne Komets, starting with the third of four go-ahead goals in Friday’s 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones. His third-period assist was a bright spot in Saturday’s 9-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings.
BRENDAN HARRIS, 2013-17 (3 GP, 2-2-4) – Notched two goals Thursday, including the overtime winner, in a 4-3 victory for the Jacksonville IceMen in a cross-country clash with the brand-new Tahoe Knight Monsters.
DAKOTA RAABE, 2014-17 (4 GP, 2-1-3) – Picked up a goal in each end of the Iowa Heartlanders’ home-and-home set with the Bloomington Bison last weekend, starting with a second-period goal in a 4-2 home loss on Thursday. His goal 41 seconds into Saturday’s game touched off an eventual 5-4 shootout win for Iowa on Bloomington’s home ice.
JACQUES BOUQUOT, 2018-19 (5 GP, 1-2-3) – Reached the score sheet for the first time this season with a second-period assist Saturday in the Reading Royals’ 5-4 loss to the Wheeling Nailers. He added an assist and the eventual game-winner in the first 4:12 of a 4-1 home win the following day.
CHARLIE COMBS, 2015-17 (3 GP, 2-0-2) – Scored a goal in the final minutes of Saturday’s 5-0 South Carolina Stingrays win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
BRYAN YOON, 2015-16 (3 GP, 1-2-3) – Had a point in each game of the Utah Grizzlies’ weekend road trip to Rapid City, starting with a third-period goal in Friday’s 4-3 shootout victory. His assist the next night came in a 5-2 Grizzlies win over the Rush.
MARKO REIFENBERGER (3 GP, 0-1-1) – Picked up his first point in a Norfolk Admirals uniform on Friday with an assist, helping to close out a 6-3 win at the Maine Mariners.
P.J. FLETCHER, 2018-19 (4 GP, 0-1-1) – Made his debut on the score sheet for the Atlanta Gladiators with an assist in the first period of their 3-1 loss Friday at the Florida Everblades.
MICHAEL BULLION, 2014-15 (2 GP, 1-1-0) – Made 23 saves Friday in earning his first win of the season for the Worcester Railers, a 4-3 overtime decision at the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
SETH EISELE, 2017-18 (1 GP, 1-0-0) – Made his pro debut Saturday by pitching a 24-save shutout in the South Carolina Stingrays’ 5-0 win over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, and was named the ECHL’s Goaltender of the Week for his efforts.
TROY LOGGINS, 2013-14 (2 GP, 1-0-1) – Returned from a two-year professional stint in Europe by signing with the ECHL’s Tahoe Knight Monsters and picking up his first goal of the season in the first period of Friday’s 3-1 home win over the Jacksonville IceMen.
