Mercy Me: Delbarton 10, Seton Hall Prep 0

Just took in Delbarton School vs. Seton Hall Prep at the Codey Arena in West Orange, New Jersey and the game was over with about 10 minutes left in the 3rd when the Green Wave rang up a 10-0 lead and the mercy rule went into effect.

The bad news is that it wasn't a good hockey game, as the SHP Pirates were way overmatched and couldn't get anything going.

The good news is that defenseman Matt Killian played pretty well and looks like an NHL draft prospect. Not sure where the Yale recruit will end up going in Minnesota, but he should be picked somewhere in the middle I would think because he has good size (6-2) is a very good skater and is an aggressive, attacking defender.

Of course, it's virtually impossible to really gauge the players in a game like this one because they simply weren't challenged. And that's the bugaboo with scouting and observing the high school and prep ranks of hockey in the U.S. To the untrained eye, Killian was a beast, but he had plenty of time and space to make plays because the opposition didn't have the skill to disrupt his game in any way, shape or form.

Talked to Killian afterward and asked him about the lack of competition he faced and whether it affected his on-ice approach:

"You got to approach it the same way," he said. "You gotta come out there hard regardless of who you're playing. Regardless of what the score is, you gotta keep the same intensity, keep the same type of play up and take it to whoever you're playing."

Killian got into some games with the U.S. NTDP earlier this season, which no doubt helped him to prepare for what lies ahead for him at the very least when he gets to New Haven and beyond. But for now, he looked like a strong, capable prep player who has some wheels and offensive upside. He had three assists and could have had a few more points out there today.

Peter McMullen was OK-- he might get a look in the late rounds of the draft, and he recently committed to Boston College. He's got size and protects the puck well. As a standout lacrosse player, he's got quick hands and stick, but he's only an average skater and didn't really assert himself physically in a game that he could have really made a statement in.

Seton Hall's best player was Ryan Dwyer, who was blasting guys all over the ice with big hits and playing with a lot of energy until he took a hard shot on the wrist/forearm and left the game in a lot of pain. After that, it was open the floodgates, as the Pirates could do little else but hang on for dear life.

And so it goes in a 10-0 game.

Being in Buffalo for the WJC and then seeing the OHL spoils you-- that was some outstanding hockey.

Off to Jersey

It's almost time to get on the road and head north to the Garden State for the weekend.

Covering Devils-Panthers tonight for my NHL job, then taking in Delbarton High tomorrow afternoon (Matt Killian and Peter McMullen plus a few '95 forwards of interest), so the blog content may not be as heavy as I'd like this weekend.

I'll try to keep up with everything, so anything that does get posted will be a bonus. Keep checking back, though- should have something on Killian and McMullen at the very least.

I've got a couple of scouting trips coming up later in the month and next- culminating in Boston for post-trade deadline Bruins coverage, the NEPSIHA tourney and EJHL playoffs.