New York Islanders prospects made significant impacts across junior and collegiate leagues last week. Kashawn Aitcheson recorded back-to-back overtime winners and a four-goal week for the Barrie Colts, while Xavier Veilleux scored his first NCAA goal for Cornell and Quinn Finley notched two goals in Wisconsin's shutout victory.
In the Ontario Hockey League, Kashawn Aitcheson emerged as a key contributor for the Barrie Colts. The 19-year-old defenseman, selected 17th overall by the Islanders, scored the overtime winner just 30 seconds into extra time in a 5-4 victory against the Brantford Bulldogs on Wednesday. He followed up with another overtime goal in a 3-2 win over the Sarnia Sting on Thursday, going hard to the net for a greasy tally. Aitcheson added two power-play goals in a 4-2 win against the Erie Otters on Friday, bringing his total to five goals over his last four games. He now leads the Colts with 11 goals this season, topping all OHL defensemen.
Shifting to collegiate hockey, Xavier Veilleux marked a milestone in his second NCAA game for Cornell. The 2024 sixth-round pick (179th overall) scored his first collegiate goal on a power play during a 5-on-3 advantage midway through the third period, one-timing a shot past UMass goaltender Michael Hrabal in a 3-1 win on Saturday. Veilleux, who previously played two seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL, tallied 41 points (8G, 33A) last season and helped win the Clark Cup with eight playoff points.
Quinn Finley also impressed for the University of Wisconsin in the Big Ten. The 2022 third-round selection (78th overall) scored twice in a 4-0 shutout of Minnesota on Saturday. His first goal, from the slot, opened the scoring and stood as the game-winner, while his second came on a power-play one-timer from the right circle to make it 2-0. This performance extended Finley's five-game point streak to seven points (4G, 3A) and marked his sixth multi-goal collegiate game. He has five goals in eight games this season.
Updated Prospect Stats
- Kashawn Aitcheson (OHL, Barrie): 16 GP, 11 G, 6 A, 17 P, 27 PIM
- Xavier Veilleux (ECAC, Cornell): 2 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 P, 0 PIM
- Quinn Finley (Big Ten, Wisconsin): 8 GP, 5 G, 4 A, 9 P, 2 PIM