Forward Prospect Statistics as of Apr. 4, 2010

Compiled by Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

St. Louis Game Time PROSPECT SUNDAYS

The Alaska Aces are in, and the Peoria Rivermen are still alive and kicking as the race for playoff positions in the minor leagues comes down to the final days of the regular season.

In Alaska, rookie Anthony Peluso picked up two assists and a plus-2 in two appearances this week as the Aces won three of four games to settle into second place in the ECHL's West Division with a 36-28-4-4 record and 80 points in 72 games.

Meanwhile, on the banks of the Illinois River, Lars Eller continues to set a torrid pace for the Rivermen. The Danish rookie capped off a week in which he was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and Peoria's candidate for the AHL Man Of The Year award by posting a 2-4-6 scoring line with a plus-3 and 6 PM in four games this week.

Chris Porter set a new career high in goals this week with a shorthanded tally against Lake Erie on Saturday night. The left winger from Thunder Bay, Ontario scored his 13th goal of the year at 15:34 of the second period to tie the game at one each en route to a 4-2 victory for the Rivermen. Porter's previous career high in goals scored was 12, set in his rookie campaign of 2007-08.

In the United States League, prospect Max Tardy and the Tri-City (Kearney, NE) Storm made the playoffs as the last team in, on the last night of the season. Tardy's 12th goal of the year, an even-strength marker, put the Storm up 4-0 on the Sioux Falls Stampede on their way to a 5-2 shellacking of the South Dakota club. The Storm (29-25-6) edged out the Sioux City (IA) Musketeers (27-24-9) by one point for the last playoff spot, though the Muskies did their part by blowing out David Backes' old club, the Lincoln (NE) Stars, by a 10-3 score.

Tardy is a power play specialist; eight of his 12 goals and 11 of his 24 assists, or more than half of his total points, have come with the man advantage this season. The Duluth, MN native will be taking his game home next season to skate for the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs in the WCHA.

Two of the Blues' best pro-ready forward prospects sit near the top of the scoring leaderboard in both the OHL and Western League this week. In the Ontario League, Philip McRae is tied for second in playoff scoring with probable 2010 first-overall pick Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires. McRae has a 6-8-14 scoring line (plus-7, 11 PM, 3 PPG, 3 GWG) in seven games, while Hall is 9-5-14 with 8 PM and a plus-10 in six games for Windsor.

Out West, Tyler Shattock of the Calgary Hitmen has a pair of goals and nine helpers for 11 points in eight games, putting him in a four-way tie for second place in the WHL playoff scoring race. Shattock's nine assists are second only to teammate Brandon Kozun, recently signed by the Los Angeles Kings to an entry-level contract, who has ten assists along with four goals to lead the playoff scoring parade in the 'Dub.

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