Guelph Storm players eligible for the next NHL draft tend to maintain a standard mantra when asked if they pay much attention to what will likely be the most exciting moment of their life to date.
Jett Luchanko is no different, downplaying his draft standing and the fact it is likely improving as he continues perform well.
The 17-year-old London native is tabbed to go somewhere in the top three rounds of the NHL draft next June, and on Sunday he was showing why.
Luchanko had two goals and an assist as the Storm edged the Oshawa Generals 3-2 before 4,200 at the Sleeman Centre. That gives him 10 goals and 16 assists in 26 games this season.
He had five goals and nine assists last season, a rookie campaign that saw him miss 22 games with an injury.
"I just kind of come to the rink every day and do my thing," said Luchanko. "Hopefully good things will happen. Come to the rink, stick to my routine, play hockey and good things will come from that."
Luchanko's line, which had him flanked with Vilmer Alriksson and Gavin Grundner Sunday, took over a 10-minute span of the second period Sunday and proved the difference in the win.
Luchanko scored twice, the first on a nice pass from Grundner and the second 69 seconds later on a nice feed from Alriksson to put the Storm ahead 2-1.
He assisted on what proved to be the winning goal at 5:44 of the third period. His pass to Max Namestnikov led to a great scoring chance that was stopped by Jacob Oster in the Oshawa goal, but Braeden Bowman was there to rifle home the rebound for a 3-1 lead.
Rasmus Kumpulainen's power play goal with 6:16 remaining in the third period made things interesting, but Oshawa couldn't put the tying goal past Guelph's Damian Slavik.
Slavik, making his first start at the Sleeman Centre, faced 28 shots.
"It was really nice playing with those guys, they make it easy for me and I hope I make it easy for them too. We're going to try to keep it going," Luchanko said of the relatively new line combination.
"None of that was me, it was all them."
Storm coach Chad Wiseman said Luchanko is a player that comes to work every day.
"He's a professional every day. The way he prepares for practice and the way his practice habits are," Wiseman said, adding that Luchanko "put the work in last summer," adding weight and muscle, and is reaping the benefits.
"He wants to be a pro hockey player and he doesn't take any short cuts."
Guelph plays in Kitchener Tuesday. Friday they host Owen Sound.
