Owen Beck: a magnificent defensive withdrawal to score his 12th goal of the season

After a big year in junior last season (in a year when he also played one NHL game as an emergency call-up), expectations were a little higher for Owen Beck in the OHL this season.

The young center forward, playing in his 19th season, was going to have to step up his game in order to continue his development.

The problem is, Beck’s start to the season has been… laborious. After six games, the CH prospect had just one point (one goal) on his record, which was cause for some concern.

The good news is that since then, things have turned around for Beck. In his next 11 games, he amassed 18 points, including 10 goals.

And last night, while in action with the Petes, he continued to rack up points. He started with a nice assist on his first point of the game.

Owen Beck is RED HOT right now

The @CanadiensMTL second-round pick finds McCoy with a backdoor pass before tying the game up minutes later!@PetesOHLhockey | #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/4y6vPaFNXW

– Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 24, 2023

Then, less than three minutes later, Beck put his defensive skills to good use, as he pressured the disc carrier into a defensive retreat to force him into a foul.

And as if on cue, he took advantage of his opponent’s blunder to score his 12th goal of the season.

Owen Beck now has 5⃣ goals and 7⃣ assists in his last five games @PetesOHLhockey | #GoHabsGo | @CanadiensMTL https://t.co/WvscYLXPgd pic.twitter.com/3ESI3pfqQK

– Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 24, 2023

However, the Petes lost 5-2. Beck was involved in all his team’s goals yesterday.

Beck now has 12 points (five goals and seven assists) in his last five games. For the season as a whole, that’s 12 goals and 21 points in 18 games, a solid production considering his difficult start to the season.

He’s not far off his pace from last year, when he amassed 66 points in 60 regular-season games split between the Mississauga Steelheads and the Petes.

And when you consider that his impact on the ice goes far beyond points, he’s truly a complete player. In fact, he won 271 of his 444 face-offs this year, a success rate of 61%.

After a difficult start to the season, Beck is clearly back with a vengeance in the OHL this year. It’s reminiscent of another CH prospect who’s dominating in the same league, in Filip Mesar.

In bursts

– Speaking of CH prospects in the OHL.

Guindon breaks the deadlock in Barrie!

The #GoHabsGo prospect buries his 11th of the campaign off a feed from Sam Sedley @AttackOHL | @CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/Itq3VPwc9A

– Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 24, 2023

– The Flyers want to move.

– Help for the Grizzlies.

– George Kittle celebrated his team’s win last night by feeding turkey to 49ers fans in Seatlle. I love it.

George Kittle running away with the turkey! @gkittle46 x @49ers pic.twitter.com/ltrjdXZO3Q

– Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) November 24, 2023

– Quite a catch for the first receiver selected in the latest draft.

Oh my JSN!

: @NFL pic.twitter.com/Q4SPXj7s4V

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 24, 2023