Alumn-ICE Report: March in Review
Zach Benson
A proud third-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 month:
NHL
SAM REINHART, 2010-15 (64 GP, 29-32-61) – Tallied two goals and three assists in March for the Florida Panthers, but has missed eight straight games due to a foot injury.
ZACH BENSON, 2020-23 (57 GP, 10-26-36) – Scored three goals and six assists in the month of March for the Buffalo Sabres, including a three-game goal-scoring streak from March 21 to 25. His four-game point streak from March 19 to 25 tied a season-best. Buffalo enters April neck-and-neck with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead. One point back of Benson is former Winnipeg teammate PEYTON KREBS, 2016-21 (74 GP, 10-25-35), who had six points in March, and posted his first goal in four weeks in Saturday’s shootout win over the Seattle Kraken.
MATTHEW SAVOIE, 2019-24 (74 GP, 14-17-31) – Heads into April with a three-game goal-scoring streak in hand, scoring the game-winner Saturday in a 4-2 Edmonton Oilers triumph over the Anaheim Ducks. His 22:29 of ice time was also far and away the most in his NHL career – he has played every game for the Oilers this year, and has Edmonton on the brink of the Pacific Division lead.
BRAYDEN McNABB, 2006-11 (55 GP, 4-4-8) – Scored two goals in March, lighting the lamp for the Vegas Golden Knights in games against Pittsburgh and Dallas.
ZACK OSTAPCHUK, 2022-23 (48 GP, 3-2-5) – Appeared in 14 games in March for the San Jose Sharks, but did not register a point.
JACK FINLEY, 2021-22 (37 GP, 2-3-5) – Earned an assist March 12 for his only point of the month, highlighting a 3-1 St. Louis Blues win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
CALE FLEURY, 2014-18 (21 GP, 1-2-3) – Made four appearances in March with the Seattle Kraken, with an assist March 7 against the Ottawa Senators.
CONOR GEEKIE, 2019-24 (11 GP, 0-2-2) – Appeared in five games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, earning an assist March 8 at the Buffalo Sabres. Also made eight appearances for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, with points in seven of eight and the eventual game-winner March 20 at the Rochester Americans.
AHL
CARSON LAMBOS, 2018-23 (60 GP, 10-18-28) – Has one goal and one assist in 10 Iowa Wild contests in March.
MICHAEL MILNE, 2018-22 (39 GP, 2-4-6) – Was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Detroit Red Wings this month, landing him in a Grand Rapids Griffins sweater over the last two weeks. Between the Griffins and the Syracuse Crunch, Milne has played in 10 AHL games this month, but has not registered a point.
NOAH PHILP, 2015-17 (20 GP, 1-5-6) – Has made 14 of his 20 Chicago Wolves appearances this month, picking up three assists.
KENTA ISOGAI, 2023-25 (24 GP, 2-3-5) – Picked up three points, including a goal, in nine games for the Ontario Reign in March. He opened the month in the ECHL, making one appearance with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits before being recalled to the Reign.
DAWSON BARTEAUX, 2019-20 (24 GP, 0-0-0) – Hit the ice 13 times for the Manitoba Moose, but never registered a point in March.
ECHL
BRETT DAVIS, 2016-19 (60 GP, 18-24-42) – Has notched five goals and three assists for the Rapid City Rush this month, with a pair of goals (including the game-winner) Friday in a 5-3 victory at the Tahoe Knight Monsters. That two-goal showing was his first multi-goal outing since posting his second career hat trick January 25 against the Utah Grizzlies. Teammate BRILEY WOOD, 2022-24 (63 GP, 9-21-30) hasn’t been too shabby in March either, totaling a goal and five assists over his last 13 appearances with the Rush, while BOBBY RUSSELL, 2016-18 (54 GP, 5-15-20) has points in four of his last six games and scored points in all three of Rapid City’s month-ending road games at the Tahoe Knight Monsters.
EVAN FRIESEN, 2021-25 (65 GP, 22-17-39) – Also added five goals and three assists to his total this month for the Utah Grizzlies, wrapping up his month with a two-goal effort Sunday against the Allen Americans.
HUDSON ELYNUIK, 2013-14 (33 GP, 12-18-30) – Racked up nine points, including a pair of goals, in March for the Florida Everblades. He opened the month with points in four straight, and finished the month with points in four of five – Elynuik has nearly a point-per-game average since returning from a year-and-a-half stint in the pro ranks in Russia and Slovakia.
BEN ZLOTY, 2018-23 (39 GP, 6-22-28) – Came back from a brief AHL call-up to register five games this month for the Norfolk Admirals – he ended the month with an assist Sunday on the Admirals’ only goal in a 3-1 loss at the Reading Royals.
BRAYDEN EDWARDS, 2021-22 (47 GP, 10-15-25) – Scored eight points, including four goals, in March for the Wheeling Nailers. The last of those four goals came Sunday, the eventual clincher in a 4-1 win over the Worcester Railers.
ISAAC JOHNSON, 2019-20 (36 GP, 7-18-25) – Scored his two most recent Iowa Heartlanders goals exactly a month apart, with the last one coming March 20 at the Bloomington Bison – he departs the month of March with a goal and two assists. He shares the Iowa roster with former ICE standout MAX PATTERSON, 2015-17 (59 GP, 10-12-22) who has a goal and an assist this month.
CAM HAUSINGER, 2017-19 (56 GP, 13-11-24) – Joined the Toledo Walleye in a mid-month acquisition from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, and posted his only point of the month March 20 with an assist in his Toledo debut. He had the secondary helper on the game-winner in the final second of a 4-3 decision over the Tahoe Knight Monsters.
REECE HARSCH, 2019-20 (56 GP, 5-14-19) – Wrapped up March with a goal and an assist – his lone goal of the month came in the final game, a tying tally in the first period of a 2-1 Fort Wayne Komets win over the Indy Fuel.
TANNER FAITH, 2010-15 (37 GP, 1-4-5) – Made five appearances in a Tulsa Oilers sweater early in the month, landing on the stat sheet March 7 with an assist against the Allen Americans.
MIKE LADYMAN, 2019-21 (2 GP, 0-0-0) – Made his pro debut for the Orlando Solar Bears this past weekend out of Mount Royal University of USports, playing in a pair of games at the Atlanta Gladiators.
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 month:
NIC DOWD, 2008-09 (67 GP, 5-13-18) – Was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights from the Washington Capitals ahead of the trade deadline, and totaled 13 games between the clubs with a goal and an assist. That goal came by way of a shorthanded tally against his old team Saturday in a 5-4 Vegas loss.
DEVIN COOLEY, 2016-17 (9-9-5, 2.51) – Won two of eight decisions for the Calgary Flames in March, earning back-to-back wins against St. Louis and Tampa Bay.
SAM MORTON, 2016-18/2019-20 (62 GP, 15-20-35) – Notched three goals in March for the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, most recently Friday in a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Eagles.
HARRISON SCOTT, 2019-20 (63 GP, 13-14-27) – Posted five points, including a pair of goals, over 11 March appearances for the AHL’s Texas Stars.
BRETT CHORSKE, 2019-20 (58 GP, 11-12-23) – Got off to a high-flying start to the month before closing out March with two goals and an assist for the Charlotte Checkers.
BRYAN YOON, 2015-16 (40 GP, 3-4-7) – Made 12 appearances for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, managing an assist in a March 6 showdown with the Abbotsford Canucks.
CRISTOPHE TELLIER, 2018-19 (55 GP, 8-24-32) – Posted six points, including a pair of goals, in March for the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates. His most recent marker came March 22, a power play tally against the Atlanta Gladiators.
LUCAS SOWDER, 2016-18 (46 GP, 13-11-24) – Cranked out six goals and three assists over 10 games in March for the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks – he ended the month with five goals and six total points in his last four outings, and the game-winning goal Friday in a 4-1 defeat of the Wichita Thunder.
CHARLIE COMBS, 2015-17 (32 GP, 8-5-13) – Made the most of his four appearances in March for the South Carolina Stingrays, opening the month with his first ECHL hat trick against the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
MARKO REIFENBERGER, 2018-19 (61 GP, 6-6-12) – Stepped into the lineup 13 times for the Norfolk Admirals in March, earning two goals and three assists.
JACQUES BOUQUOT, 2018-19(45 GP, 4-13-17) – Got off to a hot start to the month, with assists in three of his first four games for the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen before ultimately closing the month with four assists. He was joined by another former Wenatchee standout, TREVOR GRIEBEL, 2018-20 (7 GP, 1-0-1) at the middle of the month – Griebel scored a goal March 14, just 9:26 into his very first pro game. Assisting in net in March was MICHAEL BULLION, 2014-15 (9-9-3, 2.83), who closed the month of March with three decisions, including a win March 13 against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
JACOB MODRY, 2016-19 (40 GP, 1-4-5) – Played in three games this month, all road games, for the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, but did not register a point.
CHRISTOPHE FILLION, 2018-19 (24 GP, 3-0-3) – Played a four-game-in-five-day stretch for the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, all on the road, in early March. Did not post a point in his four appearances.
TRUE CROWE, 2019-20 (3 GP, 0-2-2) – Made his ECHL debut in early March with three games for the Greensboro Gargoyles and notched assists in two of them, including his first outing March 5 against the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
SETH EISELE, 2017-18 (17-6-1, 2.22) – Earned a win and a no-decision in two outings this month for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, allowing just two goals and stopping 60 chances in just under 86 minutes of work.
