Prospect Stats as of 12-27-09

Compiled by Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

Christmas break sees light game schedule for prospects ... U20 World Juniors updates ... 2009 pick Andronov changes teams.

With Christmas 2009 now in the rear view mirror, and 2010 just around the corner, it was not a busy week for hockey in general and for the Blues' prospects in particular.

The Peoria Rivermen played just one game in the last seven days, the second game of a back-to-back set at Abbotsford, and fell to the Heat by a 3-1 score. Veteran Derek Armstrong was the only Riverman to solve Abbotsford starter Matt Keetley in the loss. Meanwhile, the Alaska Aces were off all of Christmas week, as were all of the major junior and college teams in North America.

Only the Scandinavian clubs - and of course, the World Junior Championships - were in action on Boxing Day. Jori Lehtera of Tappara Tampere (at right) was the only Blues' prospect to find the back of the net on Saturday, posting his 13th goal of the SM-Liiga season on the power play in a 5-2 loss to Ilves Tampere. Alexander Hellström racked up 25 minutes in penalties, and fellow d-prospect Kristofer Berglund was held off the scoresheet, in Luleå HF's 2-1 loss to HV-71. Forward prospect Simon Hjalmarsson was not dressed for Rögle BK in their 2-1 overtime win at Färjestads BK.

At the World Juniors, Sweden kicked things off with a 10-1 rout of the Czech Republic. 2009 first-round selection David Rundblad started on defense for Tre Kronor, and picked up an assist on Mattias Tedenby's first-period goal.

Host Canada annihilated a hapless Latvian club by a 16-0 count, in which a pair of 2008 Blues' draftees played key roles. Second-round pick Jake Allen faced a meager 10 shots on goal to shut the door on Latvia, while alternate captain Alex Pietrangelo - the Blues' first-round selection in 2008 - tallied four assists in the contest.

In Opening Day's final game, Team USA rallied from a first-period deficit to score a 7-3 victory over Slovakia. Defenseman David Warsofsky (95th overall 2008), playing on the first d-pairing with Washington draftee John Carlson, set up Derek Stepan's goal at 5:39 of the second period to stake the Americans to a lead they would not relinquish. Warsofsky finished the game with a plus-3, while Philip McRae (33rd overall 2008) managed only a single shot on goal, no points or PIM, and an even plus/minus in limited ice time.

Finally, KHL club Lada Togliatti and owner Ebeneezer Scrooge said "Merry Christmas... and dosvidanya" to Blues' prospect Sergei Andronov (78th overall 2009), cutting him loose on December 25. Andronov has resurfaced with CSKA Moscow, and is expected to play today (Dec. 27) against Dynamo Moscow.

Your Game Time weekly prospect statistics update after the jump...

"Game Time" takes a look at five of the Blues' prospects who have performed above and beyond the others over the last seven days.

Jake ALLEN	Philip McRAE	Alex PIETRANGELO	David RUNDBLAD	David WARSOFSKY
** Named to CAN U-20 WJC team	** Named to USA U-20 WJC team	** Named to CAN U-20 WJC team	** Named to SWE U-20 WJC team	** Named to USA U-20 WJC team
** Opening Day starter	** Played on Opening Day	** Opening Day starter	** Opening Day starter	** Opening Day starter
** 10 saves, 0 GA, 1.000 sv %	** 1 SOG, 0 G, 0 A, even +/-	** 5 SOG. 0 G, 4 A, plus-3	** 0 SOG, 0 G, 1 A, plus-3	** 0 SOG, 0 G, 1 A, plus-3