Women’s College Hockey: Week 7 NWHL Prospect Report

The Ice Garden’s weekly update on the NWHL’s 2016 draftees

With teams on byes and prospects stifled offensively, Week 7 saw a drop overall in performances from the class.

Week 7’s Top Prospect notching back-to-back shutouts and breaking the NCAA record for career shutouts with 44 is Boston Pride draft pick Ann-Renée Desbiens. For a second straight week Gopher Dani Cameranesi was just barely edged out. If it weren’t for the Badger goalie’s unbelievable feat, Cameranesi - who has scored 13 points in her last four games - would have won the distinction.

Get the low down on Desbiens’ play and the rest of the 2016 NWHL Draft prospects in this week’s review:

1. Kelsey Koelzer, D, Princeton — New York Riveters

· This Week: 2GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – 6SOG – 6PIM

Princeton had a tough week against Clarkson and St. Lawrence, both top 10 teams. Although her team lost both games, Koelzer had a decent week. She was an important part of the Princeton offense, assisting on 2 of the Tigers’ 3 goals last week. She did struggle to get shots on net against St. Lawrence but returned to form against Clarkson with 5 SOG.

· Season To Date: 6GP – 1G – 4A – 5PTS – 25SOG – 10PIM

2.     Lee Stecklein, D, Minnesota — Buffalo Beauts

· This Week: No games

Stecklein had the honor of playing for Team USA at the recent Four Nations Cup and helping the team win it’s seventh Four Nations Cup championship. One of only three collegiate players on the team, she was pointless in four games played.

· Season To Date: 9GP – 0G – 6A – 6PTS – 18SOG – 6PIM

3.     Dani Cameranesi, F, Minnesota — Connecticut Whale

· This Week: 2GP - 5G - 2A - 7PTS - 9SOG - 0PIM

Cameranesi remains one of the hottest scorers in the nation, now scoring eight goals in  her last 4 games. With Minnesota on bye this coming week, opposing WCHA defenses can relax. Sitting on 191 career points currently, Cameranesi is a good bet to notch 200 career points by the end of this month.

· Season To Date: 10GP – 7G – 8A – 15PTS – 52SOG – 8PIM

4.     Ann-Renée Desbiens, G, Wisconsin — Boston Pride

· This Week: 2GP: 2-0-0; 0GA - 36SV - 36SHOTS - 1.00SVS% - 2SHO

Averaging a shutout every other game, Desbiens stepped it up to sweep the series against the Beavers while tying and then breaking the NCAA record in shutouts. Breaking Noora Räty’s record with 44, Desbiens is leaving an impeccable imprint on the collegiate game in net. She gets the weekend off before being put to the test against a good Minnesota-Duluth offense.

· Season To Date: 12GP: 11W-0L-1T; 9GA – 184SV – 193SHOTS – .953SVS% – 6SHO

5. Sydney Daniels, F, Harvard — New York Riveters

· This Week: No games

Harvard did not play last week, but they will face Princeton and Quinnipiac next weekend. Harvard has struggled against top 10 teams so far, and they’ll need strong offensive and defensive contributions from Daniels if they are going to pick up a win over the weekend.

· Season To Date: 3GP – 3G – 0A – 3PTS – 15SOG – 8PIM

6. Cayley Mercer, F, Clarkson— Buffalo Beauts

· This Week: 2GP – 1G – 1A – 2PTS – 11SOG – 0PIM

Mercer continues to be an important factor for Clarkson as they climb the rankings. Mercer scored a goal in a big win against Quinnipiac over the weekend, and she picked up an assist in a comeback victory over Princeton. She has scored at least one point in most games this season.

· Season To Date: 10GP – 5G – 6A – 11PTS – 62SOG - 8PIM

7. Andie Anastos, F, Boston College — Connecticut Whale

· This Week: 2GP – 0G – 1A – 1PTS – 6SOG - 2PIM

After a huge week against UConn, Anastos was quiet in BC’s split with BU. She picked up a single assist in BC’s loss to the Terriers on Saturday. The Eagles do better when Anastos is on her game.

· Season To Date: 10GP – 5G – 4A – 9PTS – 27SOG - 6PIM

8.     Sarah Nurse, F, Wisconsin— Boston Pride

· This Week: 2GP - 2G - 1A - 3PTS - 8SOG - 2PIM

Nurse still leads the Badgers in scoring with 16 points, and has been a reliable offensive threat all season. Both of her goals came in game two’s easy win over BSU, with her first of the day being the game winning shorthanded goal.

· Season To Date: 12GP – 11G – 5A – 16PTS – 57SOG – 8PIM

9.     Jenny Ryan, D, Wisconsin— New York Riveters

· This Week: 2GP - 0G - 0A - 0PTS - 8SOG - 2PIM

Ryan went pointless this past weekend; part and parcel of being with the No.1 Badgers and partnered with an equally talented defender is that there will be fluctuation in contributions. After the team’s bye, expect Ryan to get back to the scoresheet at least by week 10.

· Season To Date: 12GP – 3G – 3A – 6PTS – 37SOG – 6PIM

10. Hayley Scamurra, F, Northeastern— Buffalo Beauts

· This Week: 2GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – 9SOG – 4PIM

Scamurra is on a five game point streak after assisting on goals in both of Northeastern’s wins over the weekend. She earned the primary helper on each of Northeastern’s GWGs last week, so despite not scoring any goals herself she was very important to the Huskies’ offense. The Huskies would probably like to see Scamurra receiving fewer penalties though - they’re 13th in the NCAA in PIMs.

· Season To Date: 12GP – 3G – 8A – 11PTS – 46SOG - 18PIM

11.     Mellissa Channell, D, Wisconsin — Connecticut Whale

· This Week: 2GP - 0G - 2A - 2PTS - 5SOG - 2PIM

Like Nurse, Channell registered both of her points in the second game against BSU. Picking up both of her secondary assists on the powerplay, she is showing she can provide some playmaking with the man advantage.

· Season To Date: 12GP – 1G – 6A – 7PTS – 15SOG – 10PIM

12.     Ashleigh Brykaliuk, F, Minnesota-Duluth — Boston Pride

· This Week: No games

Brykaliuk will be fresh off of a bye with Minnesota-Duluth taking on NoDak this upcoming weekend. With multiple points in four out of ten games thus far, the Bulldogs will be counting on her offense to spike against a team hungry to stay in the poll’s top ten ranking.

· Season To Date: 10GP - 6G - 6A - 12PTS - 34SOG - 0PIM

13.     Sydney McKibbon, F, Wisconsin — New York Riveters

· This Week: 2GP - 0G - 2A - 2PTS - 4SOG - 2PIM

McKibbon is always involved in the offensive attack despite not being much of a finisher as of yet. Hitting the scoresheet both games, she had a primary assist on the game winner in game one, and another primary assist in game two.

· Season To Date: 12GP – 3G – 10A – 13PTS – 36SOG – 2PIM

14. Emma Woods, F, Quinnipiac — Buffalo Beauts

· This Week: 2GP - 0G - 0A - 0PT - 3SOG - 2PIM

Woods had a quiet week while Quinnipiac lost to Clarkson and St. Lawrence. Woods, like the Bobcats as a team, has been hot and cold this season. She’s had some games with multiple assists or important goals, while other times she goes scoreless. She does continue to show strength as a defensive forward

· Season To Date: 12GP - 3G - 5A - 8PTS - 31SOG - 4PIM

15. Paige Savage, F, Northeastern — Connecticut Whale

· This Week: 2GP - 1G - 1A - 2PTS - 3SOG - 0PIM

Savage didn’t have many shots on net last week, but she still managed to produce. She scored on her only shot against Maine on Saturday and also picked up an assist in that game. If Savage can find more scoring opportunities she could really help the Huskies to succeed.

· Season To Date: 12GP - 3G - 8A - 11PTS - 30SOG - 6PIM

16.     Halli Krzyzaniak, D, North Dakota — Boston Pride

· This Week: No games

Over the course of the year, Krzyzaniak’s two-way game seems to mold to the matchup: easier matchups see her get a bit more offensive and pick up points, while the team’s lone tough matchup against No. 1 Wisconsin saw her go pointless. Against No.3 Minnesota-Duluth, the expectation is a heavier focus on defensive play again.

· Season To Date: 10GP - 1G - 4A - 5PTS - 21SOG - 4PIM

17.     Amy Menke, F, North Dakota — New York Riveters

· This Week: No games

With a distribution of points that favors assists, Menke - one of the team’s leaders - has been a facilitator for the scrappy, undercard Fighting Hawks. Even if goalie Lexie Shaw plays lights out against the No. 3 ranked Bulldogs, they will need Menke to show up offensively to have a chance at beating them.

·  Season To Date: 10GP - 3G - 7A - 10PTS - 38SOG - 17PIM

18. Maddie Elia, F, Boston University — Buffalo Beauts

· This Week: 2GP - 0G - 1A - 1PTS - 8SOG - 4PIM

Elia recorded only 1 point last week, an assist in BU’s big win over BC. She did continue to take advantage of scoring opportunities, recording 8 shots on net. Elia also continues to be a tough opponent, leading the team in PIMs. Elia is second on the Terriers with 5 goals this season and she is third on the team in SOG.

· Season To Date: 9GP - 5G - 5A - 10PTS - 37SOG - 20PIM

19. Sydney Rossman, G, Quinnipiac — Connecticut Whale

· This Week: 2GP: 0W-2L-0T; 4GA - 30SV - 34SHOTS - .882SVS% - 0SHO

Rossman struggled against Clarkson and St. Lawrence last week, having what would have been a fine weekend for many goalies but was a rough weekend for her. She allowed only 1 goal against St. Lawrence, but really struggled with Clarkson, allowing 3 goals on 18 shots. Despite that, she still has a season save percentage of .929 and has recorded 6 shutouts.

· Season To Date: 12GP - 7W-4L-1T; 16GA - 209SV - 325SHOTS - .929SVS% - 6SHO

20.     Lara Stalder, F, Minnesota-Duluth — Boston Pride

· This Week: No games

Stalder and the Bulldogs weren’t in action this past weekend, but do return against an equally well-rested Fighting Hawks squad also on bye. With only two points in her last four games played, the Minnesota-Duluth star needs to reignite her scoring touch in what will be a tough matchup.

· Season To Date: 10GP - 7G - 7A - 14PTS - 56SOG - 4PIM