Brandon Montour Is Making Waves in Seattle
UMass defenseman Brandon Montour is one of the hotter blueliners in the NHL right now, and the Kraken are reaping the rewards.
Montour posted a goal in Seattle's 4-3 win over Detroit on Oct. 21, then followed it up two nights later with another goal and an assist — finishing plus-2 — as the Kraken downed the Utah Mammoth 5-3. That's four points across two consecutive games for the UMass product, who is looking every bit the offensive threat Seattle signed him to be. Jordan Eberle was also a factor against Utah, but it was Montour who anchored the back end with both production and a strong plus-minus line on both nights. The Kraken look like a dangerous team when their defense is contributing at this level.
Makar Does Makar Things — Again
Cale Makar, the standard-bearer for UMass hockey alumni and arguably the best defenseman in the league, had a characteristically impactful week. He put up two assists in Colorado's Oct. 20 matchup against New Jersey, including a jaw-dropping individual effort: a deke through Timo Meier and a defender before setting up Gabriel Landeskog for the tying goal. It was vintage Makar — the kind of play that earns highlight packages before it even hits the ice.
He went quiet in a pair of Avalanche losses mid-week but bounced back with a plus-2 outing as Colorado beat Tampa Bay 6-3 on Oct. 24. The Avs have had some inconsistency early, but when Makar is moving his feet and dictating play from the blue line, they're a different team.
Suniev Contributes for Calgary; Vatrano Finds Offense
Aydar Suniev, another UMass product, had a strong week in the Flames' bottom-six. The winger scored what turned out to be the opening goal — his third career NHL tally — in Calgary's 2-1 win over Minnesota on Oct. 23. He also appeared in Calgary's earlier win over Carolina on Oct. 19, finishing plus-1. Back-to-back contributions in winning efforts is a promising sign for the young forward trying to carve out a regular roster spot.
Meanwhile, Frank Vatrano chipped in an assist in Anaheim's 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Oct. 19 — a tidy bright spot in an otherwise bleak night for the Ducks, who were reportedly outplayed far worse than the scoreline suggested. Vatrano also scored in Anaheim's 3-2 loss to the Islanders on Oct. 20, keeping his name in the scoring column even as the Ducks struggle to find consistency.
Chaffee Gets His Recall
Mitchell Chaffee rounds out UMass' week with a storyline of his own. The Islanders recalled the winger from the AHL's Hamilton team after he posted six points in his first six games at that level. He appeared in two games for New York this week, though he didn't register a point in either outing. Still, the promotion itself is the news — Chaffee earned his way back to the NHL with his play, and that's the kind of story UMass fans can appreciate regardless of the box score.
It was a full week of Minutemen activity across the league, with Montour's back-to-back multi-point performances the clear headline. UMass continues to produce NHL-caliber talent at every position — from Makar at the elite tier down to players like Suniev fighting for every shift.
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