Prospects update: playoff watch

The junior-level playoffs — in the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League — are well underway, as is the NCAA Tournament, and the King have seven prospects still playing games. Robbie Czarnik and Maxim Kitsyn have advanced to the second round of the OHL playoffs, Brayden Schenn and Linden Vey have advanced to the second round of the WHL playoffs, Nicolas Deslauriers and Jean-Francois Berube have advanced to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs and Derek Forbort has advanced to the “Frozen Four” in the NCAA. Tyler Toffoli’s team lost in the first round of the OHL playoffs. Below is an in-depth look at all the prospects and how they have fared thus far in their respective playoffs…

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Robbie Czarnik (F, third round, 2008) and the Plymouth Whalers beat the Kitchener Rangers 4-3 in a first-round series and will play the Owen Sound Attack in a second-round series. Czarnik had four goals and three assists in the seven-game first-round series.
Maxim Kitsyn (F, sixth round, 2010) and the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors swept the Belleville Bulls in the first round and will play the Sudbury Wolves in a second-round series. Kitsyn did not record a point in the four-game first-round series.
Tyler Toffoli (F, second round, 2010) and the Ottawa 67s were swept by the Sudbury Wolves in the first round. Toffoli had three goals and five assists in the four-game first-round series.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Brayden Schenn (F, first round, 2009) and the Saskatoon Blades beat the Prince Albert Raiders 4=2 in a first-round series and will play the Kootenay Ice in a second-round series. Schenn had five goals and five assists in the six-game first-round series.
Linden Vey (F, fourth round, 2009) and the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-2 in a first-round series and will play the Red Deer Rebels in a second-round series. Vey had five goals and seven assists in the six-game first-round series.

QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Nicolas Deslauriers (D, third round, 2009) and the Gatineau Olympiques beat Rimouski Oceanic 4-1 in a first-round series and will play the Drummondville Voltigeurs in a second-round series. Deslauriers had one goal and three assists in the five-game first-round series.
Jean-Francois Berube (G, fourth round, 2009) and the Montreal Juniors swept the Halifax Mooseheads in a first-round series and will play the Lewiston Maineiacs in a second-round series. Berube stopped 107 of 112 shots (.955 save percentage) in the four-game first-round series.

NCAA
Derek Forbort (D, first round, 2010) and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux beat Rensselaer 6-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, beat Denver 6-1 in the second round and will face Michigan in Thursday’s national semifinals. Forbert had a plus-3 rating in the first two NCAA Tournament games.