Defense/Goaltending Prospect Statistics as of Apr. 4, 2010

Compiled by Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

St. Louis Game Time PROSPECT SUNDAYS

Perhaps the two most NHL-ready defensemen in Peoria right now are Jonas Junland and Tyson Strachan. Both have spent some time with the Blues in the NHL, and both have been, at times, the best defenseman on the ice for Peoria on any given night. This past week, however, despite acceptable offensive numbers and a 3-1-0 week for the Rivermen, both Junland and Strachan struggled defensively.

In four games this past week, Junland has a goal (on the power play) and three assists, with no penalty minutes. Strachan has managed a goal and an assist, and just two penalty minutes. Both players, however, were a minus-3 in a 5-4 SO win over Houston one week ago, and their defensive woes for the week snowballed from there.

Junland finished the week a minus-4 in four games, and Strachan was a minus-6. At the first of the year, Junland was a plus-11, but has been a "plus" player in only 9 of 38 games since Dec. 31, being even 16 times and "minus" 13 times since then. Strachan was a plus-4 at the end of December, and has been even or minus in 31 of 41 games since then.

It's not all doom and gloom for prospect defensemen in Peoria, however. Rookie Ian Cole continues to make a smooth transition to the AHL, with three assist and a plus-3 in four games this week, and Daryl Boyle posted a 1-1-2 scoring line with a plus-3 in four games this week. Boyle is a pus-7 in 17 games since coming to Peoria from the Chicago Blackhawks' organization.

Across the pond in Sweden, 2009 first-round pick David Rundblad is 0-1-1 with a minus-3 and four minutes in penalty time after nine post-season games with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Elite League. After winning five of seven games against defending SEL champion Färjestads BK, AIK is now tied at a game apiece with HV-71, with Round 10 of the SM-slutspel to be played on Monday at the Kraft Arena in Skellefteå.

In major junior, Mark Cundari and the Windsor Spitfires are halfway to sweeping the Plymouth Whalers out of the playoff in the second round, and Cundari continues to post good scoring and plus-minus numbers. In six OHL playoff games, Cundari has a 1-6-7 scoring line, with his goal coming on the power play in Game 3 of Winsor's first-round series with the Erie Otters. Cundari also has 12 minutes in penalty time, and is a plus-7 in the playoffs after posting a plus-45 in 63 regular-season games.

Out West, Brett Ponich and the Portland Winter Hawks dropped the opening game of their second-round series with the Vancouver Giants by a 9-6 score at the venerable Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Ponich picked up a pair of assists in the loss, and in three games this week is 0-2-2 with a minus-3 and two minutes in the penalty box.

The Blues' prospect goaltending this week has not been spectacular in terms of gaudy save percentages or goals-against averages... but in the one statistic that really matters -- the win column -- the three prospect netminders still playing in the organization went 5-1-0 this week.

Jake Allen started the week with les Voltigeurs de Drummondville by posting a 5-4 overtime win on Friday night. A goal by American-born Sean Couturier 24 seconds into overtime gave Drummondville the win after Allen stopped 23 of 27 shots by Rimouski in the game.

The following night, les Oceanic managed only 16 shots against Allen, who turned them all aside to post his first shutout of these playoffs, and only the second playoff goose egg of his QMJHL career, in a 2-0 game. Drummondville leads their second-round series two games t none, with Game Three scheduled for Tuesday night in Rimouski.

In Peoria, Ben Bishop won two of his three starts for the week, allowing nine goals on 81 shots in 182 minutes for a 2.97 GAA and an 88.9% save percentage. Joe Fallon made one start for the Rivermen this week, turning aside 29 of 34 shots to outlast the tandem of Mark Dekanich and rookie Calvin Pickard and earn a 6-5 overtime win against the Admirals in Milwaukee.

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