Wild prospect Sokolov off to hot start with new team
Rather than focus exclusively on the Minnesota Wild’s top prospects, we’re taking a look at the best players from across the State of Hockey every week.
From high school to the pros, check out our recap of all the week’s events in Minnesota hockey, as we check in with college players, prep standouts and State of Hockey alums.
Let’s take a look at this week’s three-star selection, along with other notes, in the latest edition of the State of Hockey Tracker.
FIRST STAR
Dmitry Sokolov, F, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Sokolov's days of piling up stats with the last-place Sudbury Wolves are over. The Wild prospect was traded to the second-place Barrie Colts earlier this month, and he seems to be adjusting to his new digs just fine. Sokolov had four goals and four assists in three games last week, and is averaging two points per game since joining the Colts on Jan. 10. He celebrated Hockey Day Minnesota in Barrie, scoring two goals and adding two assists to lead the Colts to a 6-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs.
SECOND STAR
Joey Anderson, F, Minnesota Duluth (NCHC)
Anderson was also named the NCAA's second star of the week after leading the Bulldogs to a pair of convincing wins over conference rival North Dakota. He had a goal and an assist to lead UMD to a 5-3 win Friday, then notched four assists to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-2 win Saturday. He has seven points in five games since captaining the U.S. to a bronze medal at the world junior championship.
THIRD STAR
Brent Gates Jr., F, Minnesota (Big Ten)
Gates did his best to help salvage the Gophers' dismal conference record, racking up four points on the weekend to lead Minnesota to a sweep of Michigan State. Gates had two assists to help the Gophers to a 5-4 win Saturday. He scored the game-winner in a 2-1 win on Saturday after assisting on Minnesota's first goal. The Gophers' have won all four Big Ten regular-season championships, but they'll need a miracle to extend their streak to five. They sit in fifth place with 20 points, while leader Notre Dame has 39 points and just one Big Ten loss.
AROUND THE RINK
-- Rookie defenseman Scott Perunovich leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 23 points following their sweep of the Fighting Hawks. He had two assists Friday, and scored twice on Saturday.
-- Wild prospect Jordan Greenway (second round, 2015) had three assists in Boston University's weekend sweep of Merrimack. The junior will represent the U.S. at the Pyeongchang Olympics next month.
-- Goaltender Connor LaCouvee had a strong week for Minnesota State, backstopping the Mavericks to a 5-2 win over St. Cloud State on Hockey Day Minnesota. He toppled another NCHC team Monday, making 15 saves in a 1-0 win over UMD.
-- Duluth East forward Garrett Worth had a wild Hockey Day of his own. The senior forward racked up a season-high six points in a 10-3 win over Roseau, including a four-goal outburst in the second period.
-- St. Cloud Cathedral's Jack Smith followed up his hat trick on Hockey Day with another strong showing, posting three assists in the Crusaders' 4-3 win over Little Falls.
