H.S. Hockey results and standings

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<p>Kael Mouillierat tried not to question if he made the right career choice, but after going undrafted and then spending three seasons unable to break into the AHL full-time, he couldn&#8217;t help it.</p><p>&#8220;You try not to, but there are times when you think about giving up the dream,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Fortunately for Mouillierat, those thoughts are a thing of the past.</p><p>Coming off a pair of 20 and 24-goal seasons, the 28-year-old center has been a mainstay on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton&#8217;s top line amid a revolving door of linemates. In his last two seasons, Mouillierat tallied 103 points in 129 games and earned his first NHL call-up with the Islanders last season.</p><p>And to think it was only four years ago when Mouillierat found himself, yet again, bouncing between the ECHL and AHL.</p><p>For a top line center, Mouillierat&#8217;s path up the pro ranks is one that serves as a model of perseverance for other players. In 2010, he wrapped up his four-year college career at Minnesota State University-Mankato where he finished second on the team in scoring during his last two seasons.</p><p>Despite an appealing combination of offense and physical play, no NHL team chose to draft Mouillierat and he began his pro career in 2010 with Idaho in the ECHL. That season, he posted an impressive 25 goals and 63 points in 62 games and even made a brief appearance in the AHL with the Texas Stars.</p><p>But the following year, it was back to the ECHL, and Mouillierat again produced at a point-per-game pace.</p><p>This time, however, things began looking up. His production in Idaho gained the attention of Bridgeport, and he appeared in 44 games with the Sound Tigers, registering 23 points.</p><p>Finally, Mouillierat thought he had caught a break.</p><p>&#8220;I thought I was out (of the ECHL) for good, and then the unfortunate timing of the lockout occurred and I got sent down the following year,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Back in the ECHL to start the 2012-13 season, Mouillierat again proved he belonged at the next level when he dominated with 14 goals and 27 points in only 19 games. He ended up spending the majority of the season in the AHL with St. John&#8217;s, scoring 42 points in 50 games, yet Mouillierat yearned for one more break.</p><p>He wanted to spend an entire season in the AHL and prove he belonged.</p><p>Mouillierat got his wish the following season and scored 20 goals for the IceCaps. He parlayed that success into an NHL deal with the Islanders organization for 2014-15 and put up 24 goals with Bridgeport, proving his earlier success of his first full AHL season was no fluke.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s all I wanted - one full year to see how I could do,&#8221; Mouillierat said. &#8220;It&#8217;s tough when you only put up one good year, though, and you have to establish yourself in the league.&#8221;</p><p>Mouillierat realized his dream last season when he was called up for six games with the Islanders, scoring a goal and two points while playing on the fourth line.</p><p>At that moment, Mouillierat felt that all of the struggles early on were worth it.</p><p>&#8220;You look back and see how far you&#8217;ve come and it let&#8217;s you appreciate the good times a little bit more when you&#8217;ve had some low times in your career,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Things haven&#8217;t been given to me and you appreciate it even more when you do get a chance.&#8221;</p><p>Mouillierat&#8217;s path from undrafted free agent to top line center in the AHL is one that&#8217;s respected by other players, Penguins head coach Clark Donatelli said.</p><p>&#8220;He&#8217;s great for the young guys coming up from Wheeling because he&#8217;s been there. He&#8217;s seen it all,&#8221; Donatelli said. &#8220;It shows them that there is hope, and it&#8217;s sitting right in the room.&#8221;</p><p>Now that he&#8217;s established in the AHL, Mouillierat is hoping for another NHL shot with Pittsburgh.</p><p>And he still knows he must prove himself to earn any opportunity he gets.</p><p>This season hasn&#8217;t been an easy one for Mouillierat, however. A two-game suspension early in the season briefly side-tracked Mouillierat as he worked to build chemistry with his new teammates, and then missed time in January with an injury.</p><p>Still, Mouillierat isn&#8217;t dwelling on the NHL chance even as he watches a many of his teammates get the call to Pittsburgh.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve seen guys that have been completely shocked when they got the call and other that expect to get it and don&#8217;t,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You don&#8217;t worry about it. Let (Pittsburgh) handle it. If they need a centerman hopefully they&#8217;ll look to a guy like me.&#8221;</p><p>And while he waits, Mouillierat isn&#8217;t taking his full-time job in the AHL for granted.</p><p>&#8220;People say it&#8217;s a grind in the pros and I guess it is, but it&#8217;s still fun coming to the rink no matter what league you&#8217;re in,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s better than a 9-to-5 job.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Kael Mouillierat had to beat the odds to become a top line center in the AHL. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_Mouillierat.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kael Mouillierat had to beat the odds to become a top line center in the AHL. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams|for Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_MouillieratMUG.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_MouillieratMUG.jpg</photo1><caption1></caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams|for Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Venesky</p><p>tvenesky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Tom Venesky at 570-991-6395 or on Twitter @TLTomVenesky</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Nothing came easy for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins center Kael Mouillierat