Defense/Goaltending Prospect Statistics as of Apr. 11, 2010

Compiled by Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

St. Louis Game Time PROSPECT SUNDAYS

The Blues and Peoria were both mathematically eliminated from the 2010 playoffs on the same day (Tuesday) last week, the Blues by virtue of a Colorado win over Vancouver, and Peoria by losing to Milwaukee on the road. Both teams played out the string this week, with somewhat different results.

As previously noted in this space, perhaps the two most NHL-ready defensemen in Peoria right now are Jonas Junland and Tyson Strachan. Both have been, at times, the best defenseman on the ice for Peoria on any given night, and both had the chance to finish the 2009-10 regular season in the NHL.

Junland, a two-time AHL All-Star in his second pro season, was called up for Friday night's home finale/Keith Tkachuk Farewell Extravaganza, and paid homage to Big Walt (and showed he should have a place in the organization's plans for next season's NHL roster) by chipping in a pair of assists for his first two points in the National Hockey League as the Blues doubled up Anaheim 6-3.

Strachan, meanwhile, was called up as a last-minute replacement for Erik Johnson in Nashville on Saturday night, arriving in Music City about an hour before game time. His steady presence on defense did not help the Blues, however, as Nashville edged the Blues 2-1 in shootout.

Without Junland and Strachan, the Rivermen went with a makeshift lineup on defense, and were unable to win either of the season's final two games in Winnipeg against the Manitoba Moose. Defense prospects played a part in both games for the Rivermen, however, as Strachan scored one of Peoria's two goals in a 3-2 loss to the Moose on Friday night, and Daryl Boyle tallied the only regulation goal for Peoria last night as the Rivermen also lost a 2-1 shootout on the road.

The Alaska Aces, and prospects T.J. Fast and Ryan Turek, played their entire first-round ECHL playoff series this past week, and Fast and Turek combined for three goals and four points between them. Those points weren't enough, however, to overcome a combined minus-5 for the two as they and their Aces teammates went down to defeat in the opening round for the frst time in franchise history.

Across the pond in Sweden, 2009 first-round pick David Rundblad is 0-1-1 with a minus-3 and two minutes in penalty time after 12 post-season games with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Elite League. After winning five of seven games against defending SEL champion Färjestads BK in the opening round, AIK has been defeated four games to one in the SEL seminfinals by HV-71, who now move on to face Djurgärdens IF for the SEL championship.

In the nets, Ben Bishop may have finally crossed the threshold and established himself as the next in line for an NHL spot, despite going winless for the week. In losses to Milwaukee (regulation) and Manitoba (SO) this week, Bishop allowed only four goals on 57 shots for a 1.97 GAA and 93.0% save percentage.

Peoria failed to make the playoffs for the third time in four AHL seasons, but Bishop did all he could in April when the chips were down to keep the Rivermen in the hunt. In four games played during April, Bishop allowed just nine goals on 98 shots for a 2.26 GAA and a 91.6% save percentage, also posting a 4-2 win over Lake Erie in Peoria's home finale before a big crowd on Apr. 3.

Battery mate Joe Fallon, meanwhile, also hung on for a big win for the Rivermen this month, playing 63 minutes in a 6-5 OT win at Milwaukee on Apr. 3 to move the Rivermen within sniffing distance of the Admirals for the last playoff spot. Fallon's numbers for the month, however, were not outstanding: 8 GA on 49 shots in 122 minutes for a 3.94 GAA and substandard 86.0% save percentage.

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