In the System: Frasca, Gauthier have big weeks after signing taken at PPG Paints Arena (Weekly Features)

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Jordan Frasca

The Penguins strengthened their prospect pool last week with the signings of two overage undrafted free agents out of junior -- forward Jordan Frasca and goaltender Taylor Gauthier -- to three-year entry-level contracts that begin next season.

Frasca, 20, ranks second in scoring on the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs with 34 goals and 36 assists in 47 games. Gauthier, 21, has split this season between the WHL's Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks. Since being traded to the Winterhawks midseason, Gauthier has posted a 14-1 record, a .945 save percentage, a 1.66 goals-against average, and three shutouts, all recorded consecutively.

Both Frasca and Gauthier had strong showings this week in the days following the signings of their contracts with the Penguins.

Frasca played in three games and scored a combined two goals and three assists. Kingston's first game of the week was a 4-3 loss to the Barrie Colts on the road on Thursday, a game in which Frasca scored the Frontenacs' opening goal on a power play and then recorded the primary assist on the team's third goal:

Kingston was in Sudbury the following night for a 6-3 loss to the Wolves. He scored the Frontenacs' second goal in the loss, another power play tally;

The Frontenacs had a 4-2 loss in North Bay on Sunday. Frasca had the secondary assist on Kingston's first goal and the primary assist on the second goal.

Frasca, who centers Kingston's top line, had a strong showing in the faceoff circle in all three games, winning 15 of 19 in the first game, 7 of 13 in the second game, and 12 of 20 in the third game. Overall this season Frasca has a faceoff percentage of 49.7 percent.

Gauthier had just one start this week, and it was a good one. He was the No. 1 star in Portland's 4-2 win over the Everett Silvertips on Friday, stopping 47 of 49 shots faced. The 47-save performance was one shy of Gauthier's season-high of 48, a feat he's accomplished twice this season.

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Here's how the Penguins' prospects in junior, college, and Europe did this week:

FORWARDS

Raivis Ansons
Position
: Right wing/left wing
Size: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Age: 20
Team: Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Season totals: 33 games, 10 goals, 24 assists

Ansons scored a goal and two assists in three games. The goal was a redirect goal on a power play:

Tristan Broz
Position
: Center/wing
Size: 6-0/179
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, second round
Age: 19
Team: University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 31 games, 5 goals, 5 assists

Minnesota didn't play this week. The Golden Gophers will host Penn State in the Big Ten semifinal round on Saturday.

Judd Caulfield
Position
: Right wing
Size: 6-3/207
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, fifth round
Age: 20
Team: University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Season totals: 35 games, 10 goals, 7 assists

Caulfield scored a goal in two games this week. It came on the power play:

Jordan Frasca
Position
: Center
Size: 6-2/184
Shoots: Left
Drafted: Undrafted
Age: 20
Team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Season totals: 47 games, 34 goals, 36 assists

Frasca scored two goals and three assists in three games this week.

Liam Gorman
Position
: Center
Size: 6-3/199
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Age: 21
Team: Princeton University (NCAA)
Season totals: 28 games, 3 goals, 3 assists

Gorman scored a goal in two games.

Lukas Svejkovsky
Position
: Center/right wing
Size: 5-9/170
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2020, fourth round
Age: 20
Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Season totals: 44 games, 23 goals, 33 assists

Svejkovsky scored three goals and three assists in four games. His second goal of the week came in the final minute of a game to force overtime for Seattle:

His third goal came on a power play:

Kirill Tankov
Position
: Center/wing
Size: 6-2/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 19
Team: SKA-Neva (VHL)
Season totals: 38 games, 10 goals, 11 assists (regular season), 6 games, 1 goal, 1 assist (playoffs)

Tankov was scoreless in two playoff games. SKA-Neva won the first-round series 4-2 to advance to the next round.

Chase Yoder
Position
: Center
Size: 5-11/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2020, sixth round
Age: 19
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 36 games, 5 goals, 6 assists

Providence's only game this week was an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development program, and Yoder was scoreless. The Friars will play Vermont first in the Hockey East tournament.

DEFENSEMEN

Santeri Airola
Size: 5-9/163
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2019, seventh round
Age: 21
Team: Ilves (Liiga), KOOVEE (Mestis)
Season totals: 2 games (Mestis)

Airola missed the start of the Liiga season with a lower-body injury. His team announced on Oct. 14 that Airola underwent surgery and is expected to be sidelined for 6-8 months.

Niclas Almari
Size: 6-1/180
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2016, fifth round
Age: 23
Team: Lukko (Liiga)
Season totals: 11 games, 1 goal, 1 assist (AHL), 6 games, 4 assists (ECHL), 7 games (Liiga)

Almari was scoreless in four games. 

Isaac Belliveau
Size: 6-2/185
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, fifth round
Age: 19
Team: Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
Season totals: 44 games, 4 goals, 17 assists

Belliveau recorded two assists in four games.

Daniel Laatsch
Size: 6-5/190
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 20
Team: University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
Season totals: 28 games, 1 goal, 2 assists

Laatsch returned from an undisclosed injury and played three games. He scored his first NCAA goal:

Ryan McCleary
Size: 6-2/180
Shoots: Right
Drafted: 2021, seventh round
Age: 18
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 49 games, 6 goals, 20 assists

McCleary recorded three assists in two games.

Clayton Phillips
Size: 6-0/195
Shoots: Left
Drafted: 2017, third round
Age: 22
Team: Penn State University (NCAA)
Season totals: 31 games, 5 goals, 7 assists

Penn State advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal round with a 2-1 series win over Ohio State. Phillips was scoreless in all three games. The Nittany Lions' next game will be in Minnesota on Saturday.

GOALTENDERS

Joel Blomqvist
Size: 6-1/183
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, second round
Age: 20
Team: Karpat (Liiga), Hermes (Mestis)
Season totals: 17 games, 1.33 GAA, .942 SV% (Liiga), 4 games, 2.26 GAA, .882 SV% (Mestis)

Blomqvist played in two games this week. His first game was a 28-save shutout, his fourth game of the season. He made 25 saves on 28 shots in his second game.

Calle Clang
Size: 6-2/176
Catches: Left
Drafted: 2020, third round
Age: 19
Team: Rogle (SHL)
Season totals: 13 games, 2.43 GAA, .903 SV%

Clang played in one game and made 16 saves on 19 shots in a win, his fifth win in a row.

Taylor Gauthier
Size: 6-2/208
Catches: Right
Drafted: Undrafted
Age: 21
Team: Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Season totals: 29 games, 2.16 GAA, .934 SV%

Gauthier played in one game and made 47 saves on 49 shots in a win.


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