Photo: Caroline O’Connor/Great Save Productions/Hershey Bears

Welcome to the week 22 Washington Capitals prospect report. The following includes a summary of game action and news for Capitals prospects that occurred between February 10th and February 16th, 2020. (Reminder: you can always access all of our prospect news and analysis in the top menu under the “Prospects” tab. You can also follow the latest Capitals prospect news on Twitter under the #CapsProspect hashtag.

2019-2020 Top-20 Prospects Mid-Year Rankings

PREVIOUS WEEKLY REPORTS

• • Week 21 Report (02/03 – 02/09)
  • Week 20 Report (01/27 – 02/02)
  • Week 19 Report (01/20 – 01/26)
  • Week 18 Report (01/13 – 01/19)
  • Week 17 Report (01/6 – 01/12)
  • Week 16 Report (12/30 – 01/5)
  • Week 15 Report (12/23 – 12/29)
  • Week 14 Report (12/6 – 12/22)
  • Week 13 Report (12/9 – 12/15)
  • Week 12 Report (12/2 – 12/8)
  • Week 11 Report (11/25 – 12/1)
  • Week 10 Report (11/18 – 11/24)
  • Week 9 Report (11/11 – 11/17)
  • Week 8 Report (11/4 – 11/10)
  • Week 7 Report (10/28 – 11/3)
  • Week 6 Report (10/21 – 10/27)
  • Week 5 Report (10/14 – 10/20)
  • Week 4 Report (10/7 – 10/13)
  • Week 3 Report (9/30 – 10/6)
  • Week 2 Report (9/23 – 9/29)
  • Week 1 Report (9/16 – 9/22)

MONTHLY PROSPECT REPORTS

• • January
  • December
  • November
  • October

AHL/HERSHEY BEARS
The Bears fell to the Binghamton Devils 4-3 in overtime Friday night in New York. The Devils completed the sweep of the two-game set with a 4-2 win over the Bears in Saturday at Giant Center. On Sunday the Bears beat the Phantoms 5-3 at Giant Center, going 1-2 for the week. The Bears are now 32-16-3-3 (70 points) on the season. The Bears are two points ahead of the Hartford Wolf Pack for first place in the Atlantic Division, however, the Wolf Pack have two games in hand.

Pheonix Copley – stopped 17 of 21 shots faced for a game save percentage of .810% Friday night in Binghamton. Copley stopped 26 of 29 shots faced for a game save percentage of .897% on Sunday versus the Phantoms. For the season, Copley is 17-6-5-2 with a 2.38 GAA and a .908 save percentage.

Vitek Vanecek – stopped 34 of 37 shots faced for a game save percentage of .919% Saturday night against the Devils. For the season, Vanecek is 14-10-1-1 with a 2.44 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

Garrett Pilon – continued his hot streak with a pair of power play goals against the Devils Friday night.

#CapsProspect Garrett Pilon with his 15th goal of the season, a PPG. #Peels pic.twitter.com/K47xkZJ4Q2

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 15, 2020

His second power play goal would come late in the second period to give the Bears a 3-2 lead.

#CapsProspect Garrett Pilon with his second power play goal of the night. 16th goal of the season. Bears lead 3-2 after two periods. #Peels pic.twitter.com/tdvtp8GvF1

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 15, 2020

Pilon had two assists in Sunday’s game against the Phantoms. For the season, Pilon has 16 goals and 18 assists in 53 games played. He’s shot the puck 129 times for a shooting percentage of 12.4%. Pilon in 4th overall in points on the Bears (behind veterans Maillet, Moulson and Sgarbossa).

Bobby Nardella – had a beautiful goal on Sunday against the Phantoms, taking the puck a majority of the length of the ice, circling around the goal and going top-shelf on J.F. Berube.

The Nard Dog! Bobby Nardella with a beautiful goal, gives the Bears a 3-2 lead midway through final frame. pic.twitter.com/r93n0JnKRV

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 17, 2020

Nardella leads all rookies in points with 25, but has played in just 33 games so far this season. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is second (21 points) and Joe Snively third (18 points), who has also missed quite a few games due to injury.

Beck Malenstyn – scored in Sunday night’s 5-3 win over Lehigh Valley. For the season, Malenstyn has seven goals and six assists in 39 games played.

Nice feed from #CapsProspect Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to #CapsProspect Beck “The Check” Malenstyn makes it 4-2. pic.twitter.com/l05io1d1ei

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 17, 2020

OHL

Connor McMichael – had a goal and two assists in Friday night’s 6-3 win over the Kitchener Rangers.

Knights strike twice on a 2nd period power play. Connor McMichael and Jonathan Gruden. 2-0 London. pic.twitter.com/H5bU7F6kLQ

— Mike Stubbs (@stubbs980) February 15, 2020

For the season, McMichael has recorded 39 goals and 49 assists (88 points) in 42 games played. He’s recorded 215 shots for a shooting percentage of  18.1%. McMichael is 4th in the OHL in points, and 4th in goals, even though he missed most of December for the World Juniors tournament.

Martin Hugo Has – has been out of the lineup since February 8th. We contacted the Guelph Storm regarding his status. The official report is that he has been out due to “illness”.

WHL

Aliaksei Protas – had a goal and two assists Friday night against Swift Current.

The Viper bites here with a pretty goal. Aliaksei Protas could have just one-timed this, but instead takes the long road with a great backhanded finish. 3-0 Raiders and their 2nd power play goal. https://t.co/wd2EBhBG5z pic.twitter.com/7gwnwGickr

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 15, 2020

On Saturday, Protas had a goal (ENG) and an assist. For the season, Protas has 26 goals and 40 assists in 49 games played. He’s recorded 169 shots on the season for a shooting percentage of 15.4%

Reece Vitelli absolutely saves a goal with Paddock out of the play, Aliaksei Protas comes out of the box and puts it in the empty net. 4-1 Raiders with 1:30 left. https://t.co/JiY5m1y5NJ pic.twitter.com/TSTQQHtDro

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 16, 2020

Eric Florchuk – had two assists in two games played this weekend. For the season he has 18 goals and 29 assists in 49 games played. He’s shot the puck 101 times for a shooting percentage of 18.1%.

Alex Kannok-Leipert – had two assists on Friday night and an assist in Saturday night. For the season, the defenseman has three goals and 17 assists in 53 games played.

NCAA

Mitchell Gibson – stopped 26 of 27 shots faced in Saturday night’s 1-1 tie against Brown. For the season, Gibson is 8-6-3 with a 2.62 GAA and a .917 save percentage.

By Jon Sorensen