The Blues' season may be over, but for several of their high-level prospects, the season continues.
As reported in the Sunday Links below, Peoria remains alive, forcing a Game Seven with the Houston Aeros after a 2-1 win last night at Carver Arena.
In the Ontario League, two Blues' prospects will face off against one another for the league championship. And in the Western League, two Blues' prospects have played key roles in helping their team sweep their way into the Cheynoweth Cup final.
More after the break...
American Hockey League: The Peoria Rivermen staved off elimination on Saturday at Carver Arena, posting a 2-1 victory over the Houston Aeros to force a decisive Game Seven on Monday night in Peoria.
RW prospect Jonathan Filewich (6 GP, 1-1-2, plus-3 6 PIM), acquired Dec. 19 from Pittsburgh in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2010, buried the game-winner at 4:43 of the third period off of setups from Rivermen playoff scoring leaders Danny Richmond (6 GP, 0-4-4, plus-5, 2 PIM) and Cam Paddock (6 GP, 2-2-4, plus-2, 0 PIM).
Manny Legace held off a 25-shot barrage by the Aeros in the first and second periods, and stopped 28 of 29 total shots to preserve the victory.
Game Seven will be in Peoria at 7:05 PM on Monday night.
Ontario Hockey League: The Brampton Battalion and Blues' prospect RW Anthony Peluso (16 GP, 7-5-12, plus-3, 27 PIM, 5 PPG, 3 FG) punched their ticket to the Ontario League final series on Frday night with a 7-4 win over the Belleville Bulls in the OHL Eastern Conference final series.
Brampton will face the OHL Western Conference champion Windsor Spifires and defense prospect Mark Cundari (15 GP, 0-4-4, plus-4, 36 PIM) in the Rogers OHL Championship Series. Game One is set for Wednesday at 7:05 PM EDT in Windsor.
Western Hockey League: The Calgary Hitmen are rolling towards the Ed Cheynoweth Cup, emblematic of Western Hockey League supremacy. The Hitmen are undefeated in the 2009 WHL playoffs thus far, sweeping the Edmonton Oil Kings, Lehtbridge Hurricanes, and Brandon Wheat Kings in successive series.
Center prospect Brett Sonne (8 GP, 4-6-10, plus-8, 14 PIM) has three game-winning goals, and scored the series-winning goal against Lethbridge on Apr. 8, and against Brandon on Apr. 22. Budding power forward Ian Schultz (12 GP, 5-4-9, plus-6, 14 PIM) has a pair of game-winners as well, and has also tallied twice on the power play.
The Hitmen await the winner of the Western Conference final series between the Kelowna Rockets and Vancouver Giants. Kelowna can wrap up the series, and a date with the Hitmen, with a win on home ice tonight.