Friday, February 15, 2008

2/15 Recap: Kennedy, Persson "back"; Gerbe snaps

Friday was rather stacked in terms of the Sabres prospects schedule. Let's take a trip around the rinks for an update on over twenty Sabres properties to hit the ice in fifteen different games. Marek Zagrapan scored his 16th goal of the season in Rochester's 4-2 win over Hershey. Marc-Andre Gragnani assisted on the Zagrapan goal to extend his point streak to five games while the Amerks won their third straight. Adam Dennis made 29 saves for the win, and has now been in net for 13 of the team's 16 victories. Andrej Sekera was a game-best +3. Earlier in the week, it was learned that Amerks defenseman Mike Weber was suspended for two games following a checking him from behind major in the final minute of play on Sunday. He'll again sit out tomorrow's contest with Syracuse, then return to the lineup on Sunday against Hamilton. Elsewhere, Tim Kennedy scored a short-handed goal and added an assist in Michigan State's 3-0 shutout of Western Michigan. Kennedy's third period goal ends a career-long thirteen game drought. 2007 third rounder Corey Tropp, who was re-united with Kennedy and Justin Abdelkader (DET) for this one, did not register a point. The win gives the Spartans a first-round bye in the CCHA tournament. The two clubs will play it back tomorrow at Western. Dennis Persson scored his first goal of the season and assisted on another in Nykopings' 4-3 loss Nybro. The Sabres first round pick in 2006, Persson now has three points in his last two games after a quiet offensive season to date. Gatineau's Paul Byron had a goal and an assist the Olympques pounded Shawinigan, 8-1. The 5'10 center, who had five blocked shots to go along with his power play marker, was named the game's #3 star. Harvard sophomore Alex Biega followed a nice showing in the Beanpot final on Monday with two assists tonight in the Crimson's 3-2 win over Princeton. The Montreal-born defenseman has a goal and four assists in his last three games. Nathan Gerbe and Andrew Orpik were both held scoreless as Boston College lost to Lowell, 3-1. In the second period, Gerbe lost his cool by punching a Lowell player in the head to earn a roughing minor. On his way to the box, a few choice words for the official earned himself another ten minutes of "time out". With the Eagles trailing, the frustrated Gerbe has to know better than to hurt his team's comeback chances with a senseless misconduct. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla assisted on the game-tying goal as Cologne went on to defeat Sinupret, 3-2 in overtime. Under contract with Buffalo, Gogulla now has 28 assists and 37 total points this season with the Sharks. Chris Butler was -1 as Denver stumbled in a 5-4 loss at North Dakota. Butler was beaten late on a great wraparound play by T.J. Oshie (STL) to set-up the game winner. North Dakota trailed the Pios 4-1 in the second before scoring four unanswered goals for the win. Matt Generous was -1 as St. Lawrence lost to Yale, 4-3. T.J. Brennan and J.S. Allard both were without points as St. John's fell to PEI, 4-1. Brennan was +1 with five shots on net, while Allard was only able to muster one of the Foggies 52 shots on goal. Benjamin Breault was -1 with five shots on goal in Baie-Comeau's 4-1 loss to Halifax. In the AJHL, Brad Eidsness made 40 saves in a 4-3 OT loss to Olds. The loss was the Sioux recruit's fourth on the year against 26 wins. Drew MacKenzie had three shots on goal in Waterloo's 4-2 win over Des Moines. Drew Schiestel was -3 as Niagara put forth a disappointing effort in their 5-2 loss at Erie. Nick Eno had the night off in Bowling Green's 5-3 loss to UNO.