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With a couple of ninth round picks leading their respective teams in scoring in the NCAA, you could forgive the scouts for the Pittsburgh Penguins for cracking a smile or two.

Cornell’s Matt Moulson (263^rd overall in 2003) and Brown’s Brian Ihnacak (259^th overall in 2004) are enjoying hot streaks that have taken them to team leads in goals and points, leading a strong group of Penguin prospects in all positions within the college ranks.

Moulson is in scintillating form for Cornell, already posting 14 points, including eight goals, in only 10 games. His two matches from the weekend were no exception. On December 3, Moulson scored a goal and two assists as Cornell scored five second period goals to thump Yale 6-2. He followed that up with a power play goal at 12:03 of the second period on December 4 against Princeton that would put his team ahead for good. That would also be the winger’s team-high fifth power play goal, with no other Cornell player with more than one.

Slovakian-born Ihnacak is showing no signs of slowing down his scoring after a sensational rookie year in 2003-04, which saw him gain the dual honor of being named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and ECAC Co-Rookie of the year. Ihnacak posted 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) and in doing so became Brown’s highest scoring rookie since 1976. Already this season Ihnacak has notched up seven goals and five assists in 10 games and is a +5.

Continuing the trend of low draft picks performing well offensively is Joe Jensen of St. Cloud State. The eighth round pick in 2003 has already powered to 11 points (four goals, seven assists) from 16 games, about half of his totals from his sophomore campaign in 2003-04 which saw him post 10 goals and 14 assists. Jensen is a smallish but rugged forward who’s not afraid of traffic, and is known for his strong work ethic. Jensen also spent one season as a teammate of current Pittsburgh Penguins player and St Cloud State alumni, Ryan Malone.

On the blueline, the Penguins are heavy with great prospect talent. High profile Harvard star Noah Welch is playing his senior year for the Crimson, and continues to impress with three goals and four assists from his first 11 games. Taken in the second round in 2001, Welch has consistently performed strongly in his time with Harvard, becoming their No.1 defenseman and according to some, the best college defenseman in the country. Welch will look to crack the Penguins lineup in 2005-06, joining other young talent on the blueline including former college players Brooks Orpik and Ryan Whitney.

Hot on the heels of Welch is University of Minnesota rookie, Alex Goligoski. Selected higher than predicted at 61^st overall in the 2004 draft, Goligoski has burst onto the college scene and shown plenty of the offensive capability that so impressed Penguins scouts while watching him play high school hockey. Goligoski currently leads Golden Gophers rookies and defensemen in scoring with two goals and nine assists in 15 games. He is also fourth in scoring amongst defensemen in the WCHA, and fourth in overall rookie scoring. His form this season has attracted the gaze of the US Junior team officials, selecting him this week to try and defend America’s title in the 2005 World Junior Championships, to be held on home turf.

Goaltending within the Penguins organization certainly is strong, with names like No.1 overall draft pick of 2003 Marc-Andre Fleury on the depth chart. That depth continues in the college ranks, with two young netminders taking the ice.

Brandon Crawford-West is in his second season as starter for Miami University (Ohio), where last season he posted an excellent record of 21-8-3, with a 2.50 GAA and three shutouts. His season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tourney when Miami was knocked out by eventual champs Denver. Crawford-West was drafted in the eighth round in 2001, and spent the next two seasons playing US amateur hockey before joining the Redhawks.

In 2004-05, the Redhawks aren’t performing quite as well overall, but Crawford-West’s numbers have continued to improve. Despite a modest 7-7-1 record thus far, he has dropped his GAA to 2.29 and already has two shutouts.

The other backstop playing this season is Notre Dame’s Dave Brown. Brown completed a fantastic rookie season in season 2003-04, where he posted a record of 14-7-3, with a GAA of 2.32 and a save percentage of .925, making him 17^th and 7^th respectively for those categories in the nation. Those numbers, along with his four shutouts and a scoreless streak of 193:27 were single season school records.

2004-05 hasn’t been as kind to Brown, as he was shelled for nine goals in his first 70 minutes of action in a couple of heavy losses to Michigan. Brown is seeing limited action now behind senior Morgan Cey, whose numbers are much better at this point. Brown has made six starts so far this season with only the one victory, a 35-save performance on November 26 against Alaska. His record has now moved to 1-4-1, with a G.A.A of 4.15, and a save percentage of .877.

Briefly – Talented 2004 third round selection Nick Johnson is nine games into his freshman year at Dartmouth, where he is looking to make an impact with his powerful two-way game. The winger currently has one goal and one assist…Defensive teammate of Noah Welch at Harvard is fellow senior Ryan Lannon. The 6’2, 220 pound blueliner doesn’t get on the score sheet often, with only the 25 points in his first three full seasons in the Ivy League. Serving as an alternate captain this season, Lannon’s only point has come from a goal…University of Minnesota winger Andy Sertich hasn’t been lighting the lamp on a regular basis this season, but is showing a strong two-way game. The Minnesota native has two goals, two assists and is a +2 in 15 games, with both of his goals coming while the Gophers were shorthanded… North Dakota defenseman Andy Schneider is struggling to find the offensive flair that saw him score 11 goals and 30 assists in 43 games in the 2002-03 season. He has one goal and one assist through 16 games… Former Boston College captain Ben Eaves is expected to return from a knee injury this weekend to make his professional debut for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.

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