Team White's Nathan Gaucher of the Quebec Remparts tries to tip the puck past Team Red goalie Reid Dyck of the Swift Current Broncos during the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects game in Kitchener, Ont. Team White won 3-1 on March 23, 2022.Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press
Shane Wright scored early but his Team Red couldn’t hold on to the lead, falling 3-1 to Team White in the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Wednesday.
The showcase is a chance for top prospects across the Canadian Hockey League to put their skills on display ahead of July’s NHL entry draft.
Wright, an 18-year-old centre for the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, put away Red’s lone goal 3:43 into the game, quickly showing why he’s the top-ranked North American skater.
Jagger Firkus (Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors) and Jake Karabela (OHL’s Guelph Storm) each scored and notched an assist for White. Nathan Guacher (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Quebec Remparts) rounded out the scoring.
Tyler Brennan (WHL’s Prince George Cougars) made three saves in just under 30 minutes of work for Team White before being relieved by Mason Beaupit (WHL’s Spokane Chiefs), who stopped all 16 shots he faced.
Red’s Ivan Zhigalov (QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix) registered 13 saves before being replaced by Reid Dyck (WHL’s Swift Current Broncos) midway through the second. Dyck stopped all 23 shots he faced.
The Top Prospects game was scrubbed last season due to COVID-19.