MSU recruit picked for prospects game

Lincoln Journal-Star

Minnesota State's goalie of the future, Stephon Williams was chosen to play in the inaugural USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game later this month in Muskegon, Mich. The game will feature the USHL's top players who are eligible for this summer's NHL draft.

Williams, who is one of four goalies selected for the game, plays for the Sioux Falls Stampede. The 6-foot-2, 197-pound native of Fairbanks, Alaska, currently ranks second in the USHL in save percentage at .917 and is tied for fifth with a 2.54 goals-against average.

The prospects game will take place Tuesday, Jan. 24.

It will be interesting to see if and where Williams gets drafted this summer. The Mavericks have never had a goaltender who has been drafted nor one who has gone on to play in the NHL.

First round passes on Pitlick

Minnesota State continues to wait for its first first-round NHL draft pick. The first 30 picks went by on Friday night, and Tyler Pitlick, who many predicted to be a first-rounder, was not taken. He still has a chance to be the Mavericks' highest draft pick -- if he goes among the first seven picks in the second round on Saturday. Tim Jackman was taken 38th overall in 2001.

Several players with WCHA ties did get drafted on Friday. The group included: 14. Colorado College recruit Jaden Schwartz (Blues), 15. North Dakota recruit Derek Forbort (Kings), 19. Minnesota recruit Nick Bjugstad (Panthers), 20. Denver recruit Beau Bennett (Penguins) and 30. North Dakota recruit Brock Nelson (Islanders).

Warroad's Nelson, by the way, got the distinction of getting his name announced by "E" from Entourage. How cool is that? I'm not sure why he was there; I wasn't watching the draft because I was busy bailing water out of my basement after the storms. So it goes.

Besides that group of WCHA guys, four other players with collegiate ties were taken.

Other notes: Forbert, a defenseman, becomes the first Duluth native to go in the first round. ... Bjugstad was Minnesota's Mr. Hockey last year, out of Blaine HS.