Three Stars of the Week - 11/24-11/30

Paul Byron - C (Gatineau - QMJHL) With Team Canada ready to formulate its World Junior roster, the summer invite Byron has turned his game up a notch. The nifty center owned the month of November, pointing in all 11 outings, including two goals and three assists in the week's three games. His current 11-game streak is the third longest in the Q this season (17). Tyler Myers - D (Kelowna - WHL) After starting the week with two games as part of the ADT Challenge, the big rearguard scored a goal and an assist in Kelowna's Saturday win over Chilliwack. Myers is amidst a career-high six-game point streak, and with 19 points (4+15) in 23 games this season, has already equaled his entire 2007-08 output (6+13). Andrew Orpik - RW (Boston College - HE) On Friday, the senior wing notched the first two-goal night of his 132-game career as Boston College defeated crosstown Harvard, 5-1.

11/30 Recap: Mr. November rolls on

Gatineau's Paul Byron scored a pair of goals and an assist as les Olympiques defeated Chicoutimi, 5-3. Perhaps the hottest player in the entire CHL, the 5'10 Byron marked in every Gatineau contest in the month of November, compiling nine goals and 18 total points in 11 games. Jacob Lagacé did not play for the Sags in the loss. Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn (-1) posted four shots on goal for PEI in their 3-1 loss to Moncton. The Pincourt, QC native looked gassed at times, making a few mental mistakes early. The Rocket lost their fourth in a row, and seventh in their last eight. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel was -2 as Niagara lost to Brampton, 5-3. With the win, the Troops avenged a mid-week a loss to the Dogs on Thursday that saw their 16-game winning streak snapped. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had a roughing minor in Cologne's 4-2 loss to Augsburger. The Sharks currently sit in 12th place in the 16-team league. Andrew Orpik was -1 as Boston College needed a Barry Almeida overtime winner to defeat Dartmouth, 2-1.

Gerbe grabs 13th, Enroth stops 'em all in win

Nathan Gerbe and Derek Whitmore netted goals, and Jhonas Enroth made 23 saves for his second North American shutout as Portland defeated Manchester, 4-0. Whitmore found twine on a redirect early in the first period to put the Pirates up 1-0. Later, Felix Schutz fed a pass to Gerbe on a 2-1 break, who one-timed the puck past Jonathan Bernier for his 13th of the season. The win ends a five-game losing streak for the Pirates. The Rundown: Gerbe: 1G, +1, 7SOG Whitmore: 1G, +1 Schutz: 1A, +2 Zagrapan: 1A, +1 Gragnani: +3 Kostka: +2 Butler: +2 Weber: 2 PIM Hunter: 1SOG Kennedy: 1 SOG Funk: 1A, +1 Enroth: 23 saves, SO

11/29 Recap: Quartet makes connections

In the WHL, Tyler Myers scored his fourth goal of the season on the power play in addition to an earlier assist as Kelowna defeated Chilliwack, 3-0. With 19 points (4+15) in 23 games this season, Myers has already equaled his entire 2007-08 output (6+13), and is currently riding a career-best six-game point streak. At the College Hockey Showcase, Corey Tropp had two assists as Michigan State surrendered a two-goal lead in their 4-4 tie with Minnesota. The tie snaps a seven-game losing streak for the Spartans while upping thier winless streak to nine. The sophomore made an all-out effort play to give the Spartans a 2-0 first period lead when he completed a pass to Dan Sturges after falling down just inside the Gopher blueline. Tropp later spotted an open Andrew Rowe from behind the net to put MSU ahead 4-2 at the 8:43 mark of the second period. The Gophers, who entered the weekend as the nation's #1 team, finish the Showcase with a loss and a tie. Their leading scorer, Ryan Stoa (COL), was bounced six minutes in after receiving a game misconduct for checking from behind. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel bagged a pair of assists as Niagara lost to Barrie, 4-3. The assists, both of which came as part of the Dogs' third period surge, raise his season total to 24 - good for 4th in the OHL. Nick Crawford (+3) posted a two-assist night of his own as Saginaw cruised to a 7-1 win over Sarnia. The points put Crawford on the first three-game point streak of his major junior career. Sarnia's Joe Rogalski (Lancaster, NY) was -2 with a roughing minor as part of a chippy third period. In the Q, T.J. Brennan (3 SOG) had a power play assist as Montreal lost in overtime to Rouyn-Noranda, 4-3. The New Jersey native now has five points in his last three games. Luke Adam, who moved to center a game ago, was -1 with a pair of minor penalties for the Juniors. J.S. Allard (-1) did not factor as Quebec defeated Saint John, 5-3. Medicine Hat LW Tyler Ennis was kept in check as the Tigers gave up a goal with just :12 remaining to get edged by Brandon, 3-2. In Hockey East, Drew MacKenzie skated even for Vermont in their 3-2 win over Maine. Summer camp invite Brayden Irwin (Jr.) opened scoring with his fifth of the season, and has been playing well at both ends of the ice of late on a line with Viktor Stahlberg (TOR) and Brian Roloff (West Seneca, NY). In NCAA non-conference play, Matt Generous (-1, 2 PIM) had his hands full throughout as St. Lawrence fell to Boston University, 4-1. Brad Eidsness made 28 saves as North Dakota dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Cornell. Sioux freshman Corey Fienhage was scratched in favor of Ben Blood (OTT). 2008 fourth-rounder Justin Jokinen was inserted into the Maverick lineup, finishing even with a shot on goal as Mankato downed Bowling Green, 5-2.

Mancari effect hits five on farm

On Saturday, Portland came up empty for the fifth straight game without leading scorer Mark Mancari with a 5-1 loss to Lowell. Derek Whitmore assisted on the lone Pirates goal, while Jhonas Enroth made 13 saves after Adam Dennis was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots in the first period. Devils goalie Jeff Frazee made 40 saves for the win, while Niklas Bergfors scored two goals and an assist. The Rundown: Whitmore: 1A, -1 Gerbe: -1, 4SOG Kennedy: -1, 4SOG Gragnani: -1, 3SOG Zagrapan: -1, 3SOG Weber: 2PIM Funk: 2PIM Kostka: 2SOG Hunter: 2SOG Schutz: -2 Butler: -3 Dennis: 3GA, 20:00, L Enroth: 13 saves The Pirates held an eight-game winning streak at the time of Mancari's call-up on November 21st.

Persson gets on sheet

In Saturday SEL action, Dennis Persson assisted on the only Timra goal as the Eagles fell to Brynas, 2-1. After being the low-man for a dozen games, the 2006 pick earned top-six minutes for a second consecutive contest, finishing with two shots on goal in 16:45 of time. The helper was Persson's third point (1+2) of the season for Timra, who remains in 10th place in the the twelve-team league with the loss.

11/28 Recap: Adam stars; Byron hangs ten

Luke Adam (+2) earned the game's #1 star with a goal and two assists, and T.J. Brennan (+1) added an empty-netter as Montreal downed Val-d'Or, 5-2. Adam, who was a machine with five blocked shots, notched his first goal in six Q games despite scoring in both of Team QMJHL's tilts with Russia in the ADT Challenge. In Shawinigan, Jacob Lagacé (-1) had a goal and a game-high six shots on goal in Chicoutimi's 5-2 loss to the Cataractes. The goal, his 11th of the season, was his first in five games as the quality road effort was rewarded with the game's #2 star. Paul Byron had an assist to extend his point streak to ten games, yet Gatineau fell to Victoriaville, 5-3. The loss ends the Piques run of four consecutive wins. Jean-Simon Allard assisted on the game-winning goal as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 4-1. The Alma, QC native has three goals and four assists in his past four games for a total of 22 on the year. Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn (2 PIM) finished -1 in PEI's 4-1 loss to Rimouski. In OHL play, Nick Crawford scored for Saginaw in their 4-2 loss at Windsor. The goal, Crawford's second of the year, came :09 into a first period power play after he was checked from behind by the Spits Adam Wallace. St. Lawrence defenseman Matt Generous (+1) posted an assist in the Saints' 4-3 win over #17 Massachusetts. The senior now has five points (2+3) in his last seven games. Freshman Brad Eidsness made 21 saves in the North Dakota crease as the Sioux scored four third period goals to close out Cornell, 7-3. Eidsness has been in the net for all five NoDak victories this season. Corey Fienhage was in the lineup for North Dakota, earning a high sticking penalty while playing bottom pair minutes. At the College Hockey Showcase in Madison, Corey Tropp had two shots on goal as Michigan State lost to Wisconsin, 3-1. Spartan goalie Jeff Lerg made 50 saves in defeat. Justin Jokinen was scratched as Minnesota State played to a 2-2 tie with Bowling Green. Sophomore goaltender Nick Eno remains out of the Falcons lineup with an ankle injury.

Pirates lose fourth in a row

Kings prospect Jonathan Quick was sharp, stopping 41 of 42 shots as Manchester handed Portland its fourth straight loss, 3-1. The only Portland goal took place on the power play when Mike Funk found Chris Butler, whose point shot was tipped by Tyler Bouck past Quick. Felix Schutz saw his three game point streak snapped, while Adam Dennis made 27 saves in the loss. The Rundown: Butler: 1A, -2 Funk: 1A Weber: 4 PIM Schutz: even Hunter: even Kostka: even Whitmore: even Zagrapan: -1, 7 SOG Gerbe: -1, 6 SOG Kennedy: -1, 4 SOG Dennis: 27 saves, L

Eidsness adding color to Sioux crease

We knew when interviewing Brad Eidsness last spring that he was a well-spoken young man. It appears that the North Dakota freshman came across the same when speaking with Brad Eliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. Not your 'typical' goalie

“He knows a lot of useless facts,” Hextall said. “Everywhere we go, he’s asking ‘What’s the population of this town?’ and ‘What is the industry here?’ It’s all of those weird things. He finds weird facts in magazines and he never forgets them. Then, he’ll run around telling everyone about them.” That’s the other thing about Eidsness — he loves talking. “He’ll talk to the wall if there’s no one else to talk to,” Hextall says. “One time, we had a flight really early in the morning, and I sat down and was looking forward to getting some sleep. Then I hear this guy talking two rows behind me and I didn’t recognize his voice. Then, I hear Eids talking to him and I’m like, ‘Great, here we go, these two idiots are going to be talking the whole flight.’ ” When the team got back to the arena, Eidsness told Hextall about the older man who ended up doing most of the talking on the flight. “Maybe it was God getting back at me,” Eidsness said.

If his post draft performance, which includes a World Jr.A Challenge gold medal, AJHL MVP, and a string of WCHA starts as a freshman, is any indication, it seems that more people will be wanting to talk with Eidsness - about a career in hockey beyond college.

Eidsness appears to be taking over the role as UND’s top goaltender. He’s played in nine straight games, the most by a freshman since Karl Goehring appeared in 10 straight in 1997-98. On the season, Eidsness has a 2.85 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. But it’s clear he’s becoming more comfortable with his role. In his last four appearances, Eidsness is 1-1-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

Orpik, Gogulla go for two

Senior Andrew Orpik scored two goals as Boston College defeated Harvard in a Beantown matinee, 5-1. The Thayer product opened scoring at 13:50 of the first when he broke down the left side and stuffed the puck past freshman netminder Matt Hoyle. The two-goal output was Orpik's first as an Eagle, and made for the fourth multi-point game in 132 career NCAA appearances. Crimson rearguard Alex Biega (-1) did a good job of getting the puck to the net in the loss, but failed to register a point for the fifth straight game, a span equal to his previous long drought from last season. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla scored a pair of goals to lead Cologne to a 5-1 win over Ingolstadt. The 6'2 wing, who posted his third two-goal game of the season, now has a total of eight to go along with nine assists in 21 games. Last season through 21 games, Gogulla had six goals and twelve assists with a stronger overall club.

Late-blooming Brennan getting defensive

Friday's Montreal Gazette featured a synopsis of T.J. Brennan's growth from a New Jersey lacrosse star to a top NHL prospect with the Montreal Juniors.

Brennan is now focused on improving his defensive play on the ice. "I've learned a lot over the last couple of years and the most important thing is that you have to keep working hard," he said. "You just don't stop working because you've been drafted. You got drafted because the team sees you for a particular reason. "Everything can be improved on," he added. "I know I'm not the fastest skater, or have the hardest shot, and I'm not the strongest player. There's never a point where you can be too strong or too fast. You've just got to keep improving on every aspect. "I really do want to focus on my defensive play this season because people see me more as an offensive defenceman and I want to become a really good defensive player because it's what I need to become to get to the NHL."

Actually, Brennan's shot is pretty hard. He pumped one into the 90's at the summer conditioning camp, and is credited with a "150 km/h NHL shot" by coach Real Paiement in the article.

Weekend Schedule 11/28-11/20

Friday 11/28 Cologne at Ingolstadt Portland at Manchester Harvard at Boston College St. Lawrence at Massachusetts Minnesota State at Bowling Green Michigan State at Wisconsin Cornell at North Dakota Saginaw at Windsor Baie-Comeau at Quebec Chicoutimi at Shawinigan Montreal Val-d'Or PEI at Rimouski Victoriaville at Gatineau Saturday 11/29 Timra at Brynas Lowell at Portland St. Lawrence at Boston University Maine at Vermont Minnesota State at Bowling Green Michigan State at Minnesota Cornell at North Dakota Sarnia at Saginaw Niagara at Barrie Saint John at Quebec Montreal at Rimouski Chilliwack at Kelowna Brandon at Medicine Hat Sunday 11/30 Augsburger at Cologne Chicoutimi at Gatineau PEI at Moncton Manchester at Portland Niagara at Brampton Boston College at Dartmouth

11/27 Recap: Persson ups time; Schiestel returns

Dennis Persson returned to the top-six, logging 16:44 of action as Timra defeated Skelleftea, 4-3. Persson, who registered a shot on goal, saw a spike in time due to his covering for the ill Mikko Lehtonen. Drew Schiestel (+1) returned to the Niagara lineup after a two-game absence, picking up an assist on his first shift in the Dogs 6-5 OT win over Brampton. Schiestel's 21 assists have him tied for 7th overall in the O. In Prince Albert, Tyler Ennis (-1) and Tyler Myers did not factor into the scoring as the WHL All-Stars concluded the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge with a 2-1 win over the Russian Selects. A night after dominating the Russians in a 5-0 shutout, the WHL again poured it on, owning the shot count by a 46-23 margin. The victory gives the CHL a 5-1 decision in the 2008 get together.

Kostka, Schutz steer ship in loss

Mike Kostka scored two goals, and Felix Schutz scored a goal and an assist as Portland lost to Worcester, 4-3. The goals were Kostka's first as a professional. With Mark Mancari in Buffalo, Schutz has stepped up with three goals in as many games. Jhonas Enroth made 26 saves in the loss, while Nathan Gerbe saw his eight-game point streak snapped. The Rundown: Kostka: 2G, +1, 5 SOG Schutz: 1G, 1A, -1 Whitmore: 1A +1 Zagrapan: 3 SOG Weber: -1 Kennedy: -1 Gragnani: -1 Gerbe: -1 Butler: -2, 2 PIM Funk: -2 Enroth: 26 saves, L

11/26 Recap: Ennis scores; Byron extends streak

In Game Five of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, Tyler Ennis scored a power play goal for Team WHL in their 5-0 win over the Russian Selects. The marker put Team WHL up 4-0, as they outshot the Russians 40-16 en route to connecting four times on the power play. Kelowna's Tyler Myers was whistled for a slashing minor in the first period. The Medicine Hat left wing will look for another goal in Thursday's series finale, equaling fellow Sabres prospects Luke Adam and Paul Byron who each potted two goals in the series' first two games. In the Q, Byron had an assist as Gatineau upped their winning streak to four games with 5-4 win over Cape Breton. The Ottawa native now has points in nine straight games, and eleven overall if you include the ADT Canada-Russia games. Jordon Southorn was -1 as PEI lost to Moncton, 3-2. The Pincourt, QC native has three goals and 16 points this season.

Ennis ready for Russians

As a preview of Game Five of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, Wednesday's Medicine Hat News is running a piece on Team WHL assistant captain, Tyler Ennis. The left wing has been clicking of late, and the international contests should offer the Tigers dazzler an opportunity to shine.

"It’s funny, I mean I’m 19 years old but still look like I’m 12," said Ennis, who now stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165-pounds -- and frankly looks pretty much like any other 19-year-old dude. "Even making the jump to major junior was a big thing," said Ennis. "I feel like I’ve been here for a while and now I’ve got to make that jump to the next level again." The next level as far as junior hockey goes begins in December, with an invite back to the national junior team selection camp ahead of the post-Christmas tournament in Ottawa. Ennis is already involved in the process. He attended the summer camp in Ottawa under then-head coach Benoit Groulx. After slow start to the WHL season, Ennis has now piled up 13 goals over 26 games. He has points in 15 of his last 17 games and has obviously found his fearless style of play again. "I’m really happy that my game’s turned around and I’m starting to play really well," he said. "I had a slow start, but I feel great. That’s important heading in (to the WHL-Russia games)." "Everybody has it in the back of their heads that it is sort of a tryout game for an invite to the (world junior) camp. I had a lot fun last year when the game was in Medicine Hat. I can go into this game with lots of confidence."

11/25 Recap: Great look by MacKenzie

Vermont defenseman Drew MacKenzie (+1) assisted on the overtime game winner as the #13 Catamounts came back to defeat Massachusetts, 3-2. In the final minute of OT, the freshman floated in from the left point and flicked a sweet no-look pass to a streaking Peter Lenes, who one timed the puck past Minutemen goalie Dan Meyers for the road win. The helper was MacKenzie's second collegiate point since arriving in Burlington. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla punched three shots on net in Cologne's 4-1 loss at Hannover. In CHL news, all signs are pointing to Drew Schiestel returning to action on Thursday when Niagara hosts Brampton. The Hamilton native has missed the past two games with a sore shoulder.

Ennis to wear "A" for Team Dub

Medicine Hat's Tyler Ennis has been named assistant captain for Team WHL when the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge closes with the final two games Wednesday and Thursday.

Zach Boychuk (Lethbridge Hurricanes), Tyler Ennis (Medicine Hat Tigers) and Dana Tyrell (Prince George Cougars) have been named as the assistant captains for Team WHL. Boychuk and Ennis are also assistant captains on their respective Clubs, while Tyrell is the Cougars team captain. All three players competed in last years’ ADT Canada Russia Challenge.

Seattle's Thomas Hickey (LAK) will wear the "C".

Persson looking to work back up

In Monday SEL action, Dennis Persson again dressed as the extra defenseman, playing well in his 4:02 of icetime as Timra lost to Djurgarden, 4-2. Persson averaged over 18:00 per game through his first 12 games has since been relegated to #7 status, somewhat because of a knee injury and tentative play, but also due to rest of the Eagles blueline corps returning to health. He's averaged just over 8:00 a game in his last twelve appearances, and he'll need to keep improving if he's to earn bigger, top-six minutes. Chosen 24th overall in 2006, Persson has one goal, one assist, and is -7 in 23 games this season.

Allard nets winner

In the final game of the week, Jean-Simon Allard (+3) scored the game winning goal and added two assists as Quebec downed Rimouski, 6-2. The three-point night was the second in his last three games, and gives the Alma, PQ native 21 points this season.

11/23 Recap: Off night for Gogulla, Sharks

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla was -3 as Cologne got rocked by third place Krefeld, 6-0. Despite the slow night, the Dusseldorf native has four goals and six assists over his last ten games.

Former Avs prospect Charlie Stephens paced the Penguins, who've outscored Cologne 12-1 in the season's two meetings, with two goals and two assists in the win.

Drew Schiestel remained out with a bum shoulder in Niagara's 6-5 shootout win over Kingston. Alex Pietrangelo (STL) had a goal, assist, and the shootout winner for the Dogs, while Ethan Werek ('09) potted a pair of goals and assists for the Fronts.

 Meanwhile the team that made Niagara an offer for Schiestel's services, Windsor, absolutely smoked Sault Ste. Marie 12-1. The trade chip offered by the Spits, 16-year old Niagara Falls native Justin Shugg, led all scorers with a hat trick and an assist.

 In the Q, Jordon Southorn was +1 in PEI's 4-3 shootout loss to Cape Breton.

Schiestel to Spits shot down...for now

Friday's Waterloo Record featured a piece on the potential for OHL deals involving the CHL's top club, the Windsor Spitfires. For weeks, it has been suggested that Niagara rearguard Drew Schiestel could find himself wearing Windsor colors before the end of the year, but it appears that may not be case until the Spits up their offer.

Meanwhile, Rychel is working hard to improve his club in other areas. He wants Niagara defender Drew Schiestel and offered forward Justin Shugg. No thanks, the IceDogs said. Shugg is considered soft.

Pirates streak ends with weekend losses

Portland's eight-game winning streak came to an end this weekend with Friday-Saturday losses to Providence and Hartford. On Friday, Felix Schutz and Derek Whitmore each scored a goal and was solid with 31 saves in the loss, while Nathan Gerbe added an assist for his 21st point of the year. The 5'6 Gerbe also had his first fighting major (vs. Vladimir Sobotka) since a game versus Merrimack in his sophomore year with Boston College. The Pirates were playing without leading scorer Mark Mancari, who was named the game's #3 star for Buffalo in the Sabres loss to Philadelphia. On Saturday, Mancari scored his first NHL goal in another Sabres loss to the Isles. The Rundown: Schutz: 1G, 1A, +2 Whitmore: 1G, 1A, +2 Gerbe: 1A, +1, 7 PIM Butler: +1 Funk: +1 Zagrapan: -1 Kennedy: -1 Gragnani: -1 Weber: 2 PIM Kostka: -1 Enroth: 31 saves The Pirates returned to action on Saturday, suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season with a 6-2 loss to Hartford. Mike Funk scored his first of the year, while Schutz added his fourth to give him points in five straight games. Gerbe picked up an assist to extend his point streak to eight. With the Pirates losing two straight for the first time this season, Tim Kennedy went pointless in back-to-back games for the first time as well. The Rundown: Schutz: 1G, -1 Funk: 1G Gragnani: 1A -1 Gerbe: 1A, -2, 4 SOG Zagrapan: +1 Butler: +1 Kennedy: -1 Weber: -2 Kostka: 2 SOG Whitmore: 1 SOG Dennis: 22 saves, 6 GA Mike Card (cut face) and Dylan Hunter (foot) remained sidelined for Portland.

11/22 Recap: Byron finding groove, Ennis nets winner

A week after ending a 13-game losing streak, Paul Byron and the Gatineau Olympiques continue to grind away. On Saturday, Byron (-1, 5 SOG) scored a goal and two assists as the Piques won their third straight, 6-2 over Lewiston. Byron now has five goals and 13 points in his last five games, and a line of 10-16-26 for the season. Medicine Hat's Tyler Ennis (+2) scored the game winning goal as the Tigers defeated Regina, 4-1. The flashy left-wing later assisted on an empty netter, upping his point total to 31 through 26 games. The Tigers, 8-0-0-1 in their last nine, will not return to action until Saturday after playing 13 games in 23 days. Tyler Myers (+1) had an assist for Kelowna in their 6-2 drubbing of Prince George. The helper gives the DeWinton, Alberta native points in a career-high five straight games. In the OHL, Nick Crawford had a pair of power play assists as Saginaw downed Barrie, 5-2. The 6'1 defender hadn't had a point in six games since jumping out to 11 through his first 14 games. Niagara's Drew Schiestel (shoulder) remained out of the lineup as the Dogs defeated Sudbury, 5-4. In Chicoutimi, Jacob Lagace registered two shots on net in the Sags 4-1 win over Rimouski. The Beloeil, PQ product has just one point in his last four games after his eight-game point streak ended. Matt Generous scored the second St. Lawrence goal as the Saints dropped a 5-2 decision to Quinnipiac. The defenseman ducked in from the left point for his second of the season to put the Saints ahead 2-1 before the Bobcats would storm back with four unanswered. Brad Eidsness made 27 saves but again failed to get adequate goal support in North Dakota's 3-1 loss at Duluth. Last week's WCHA co-Rookie of the Week, Eidsness record now stands at 4-4-1 on the year with a 2.85 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. Corey Fienhage was a Sioux scratch. Drew MacKenzie (-1) had another solid game for Vermont in their 4-3 win over Boston University. The Catamounts move to 7-3-2 on the year after the weekend sweep of the #2 Terriers. Sophomore Corey Tropp finished -1 as Michigan State lost their second straight at Nebraska-Omaha, 3-1. The Spartans fall to 4-8-2 on the season, and have found their first six-game losing streak in nearly 30 years (1979-80). Alex Biega was even with two shots on goal in Harvard's 2-2 tie with Colgate. Freshman Justin Jokinen was re-inserted into the Mavericks lineup, finishing -1 in Minnesota State's 4-2 win over Michigan Tech. In Sweden, Dennis Persson did not get in on the fun, skating for just 1:05 in Timra's 6-2 win over Linkoping. His play appears "uncertain", perhaps due to a lingering knee issue, and so it seems he has work to do before getting back into the top-6 conversation on the Eagles blueline.

11/21 Recap: Brennan sinks three-pointer; Eidsness strong again

T.J. Brennan (+1) piled up three assists for Montreal in their 8-2 trouncing of Quebec. Luke Adam added an assist for the Juniors, while Angelo Esposito (ATL) and Nick Layton paced the winners with a hat trick each. J.S. Allard finished -1 for Quebec in the loss. Tyler Myers (+2) scored a goal in Kelowna's 7-3 beatdown on Prince George. The goal, his third of the season, came in the first period when he beat Cougars goaltender Kevin Armstrong with a low, hard shot to put Kelowna up 3-0. The 6'7 Myers also dropped the gloves for the fourth time this season, earning the major after a third period scrap with Brian Matte. In Lethbridge, Tyler Ennis was held pointless as Medicine Hat edged the Hurricanes, 2-1. The Edmonton native saw his five-game point streak snapped in the win. Jordon Southorn skated even in PEI's 4-3 shootout win over Val-d'Or. Jacob Lagacé (-1) had a productive five shots on goal as Chicoutimi lost to Rouyn-Noranda, 3-2. A night after skating for Team OHL in the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge, Nick Crawford played even as Saginaw defeated Sudbury, 3-2. Brad Eidsness made 33 saves in #15 North Dakota's 2-2 tie with Duluth. Another solid performance by the freshman starter had him headed towards another road win before the Bulldogs tied it up with a fluky power play goal with 1:30 to go. Corey Fienhage made the trip, but did not dress for the Sioux. In Hockey East, freshman Drew MacKenzie was a game-best +2 as Vermont upset #2 Boston University, 4-3. Corey Tropp (-2) fired a team-best five shots on goal as Michigan State was routed by Nebraska-Omaha, 7-1. Matt Generous was -1 as St. Lawrence fell to #8 Princeton, 2-1. Alex Biega was kept off the scoresheet for the third straight game as Harvard lost to #14 Cornell, 2-1. Andrew Orpik picked up a slashing minor in #4 BC's 2-0 shutout of UMass. John Muse made 27 saves in the win. Justin Jokinen was scratched in #11 Mankato's 3-2 overtime win over Michigan State, while Nick Eno remained out of the lineup with a ankle injury in Bowling Green's 5-1 loss at #6 Notre Dame.

Mancari called up

Mark Mancari has been called up to Buffalo for Friday's game with Philadelphia. Per The Buffalo News, Mancari will be skating down the right side with Paul Gaustad at center and Daniel Paille on the opposite wing. Mancari scored 11 goals and 25 points in 14 games with Portland. The Ottawa 67's product picked up an assist during a three-game stint with Buffalo 2006-07.

11/20 Recap: Crawford gets helper vs. Russians

In Guelph, Nick Crawford (Saginaw) picked up an assist on his first shift as Team OHL skated to a 6-3 win over Team Russia in Game Three of the ADT Challenge. The series will move to St. Catherines for Game Four on Tuesday. Philip Gogulla had an assist in Cologne's 6-5 OT win over the Metro Stars. The left wing set up Jerome Flaake's (TOR) second goal of the season in the second period. Ex-Sabre Dave McLlwain scored the OT winner for the Sharks. Dennis Persson dressed but did not see the ice in Timra's 3-2 win over Lulea.

Myers steady in Rockets win

Tyler Myers continued his steady play of late, picking up an assist as Kelowna defeated Tri-City, 3-1. The lanky rearguard displayed his two-way skills throughout, and has now notched points in three straight games for the first time this season. He'll look to equal his previous best of four straight with a point when the Rockets take the ice Friday at Prince George.

Shoulder injury sidelines Schiestel

The St. Catherines Standard has reported that defenseman Drew Schiestel was kept out of action in Wednesday's 8-1 loss to Belleville due to a shoulder injury.

Eight straight for the farm ship

Down on the farm, Tim Kennedy and Chris Butler each scored a goal and an assist as Portland won their eighth straight game, 4-2 over Hartford. Marek Zagrapan, Nathan Gerbe, and Mark Mancari added helpers for the Pirates, who scored three times on the power play and once into an empty net, while Adam Dennis made 34 saves to earn his sixth win. Mike Card sat the game out with a facial injury. The Rundown: Butler: 1G, 1A, +1 Kennedy: 1G, 1A, -1 Zagrapan: 1A Gerbe: 1A Mancari: 1A, -1 Funk: +1 Kostka: -1 Gragnani: -1 Weber: 1 SOG Schutz: 1 SOG Whitmore: even Dennis: 34 saves, W

11/19 Recap: Schiestel rumors fueled; Adam, Byron repeat

Rumors of a Drew Schiestel-to-Windsor deal gained a little more mo' on Wednesday when the defenseman was left out of Niagara's lineup in a tilt with Belleville. The omission of the swift skating rearguard showed on the scoreboard as the Dogs ended on the wrong side of an 8-1 decision. Recently returned Alex Pietrangelo (STL) scored the lone Dogs goal, while Bryan Cameron (LOS) and Eric Tangradi (ANA) paced the Bulls with two goals and three assists each. Two weeks ago, rumors surfaced that Windsor was looking to beef up their back end, and that Schiestel was on their short list. Trade flames were later fanned when the leadership trio of Schiestel, Matt Piva, and Andrew Merrett were scratched in a game with Owen Sound. The club claimed a "flu" bug went about the team. However it seems that it was neither a deal nor a bug, as sources close to the Dogs suggest it was a disciplinary measure after a curfew violation. While we're not downplaying the possibility that Schiestel is actually ill or injured this go round (he might), we will suggest that something may still be brewing in Southern Ontario. Schiestel to the Spits makes a lot of sense for both sides. Staying in the O, Nick Crawford continued his steady play, finishing +1 in Saginaw's 3-2 win over Owen Sound. Edward Pasquale ('09) earned the game's #1 star with 37 saves and the win. Crawford and teammate T.J. Brodie (CAL) will now head to Guelph to represent the OHL for Thursday's Game Three of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Game Two of the Challenge was played this evening in Saint John, with Russia earning the split with Team QMJHL in a 4-3 win. After the pair scored in a Game One win on Monday, Luke Adam (Montreal) and Paul Byron (Gatineau) again collected goals for Team Q. Pavel Chernov had two goals and an assist to lead Team Russia. Tyler Myers is also in action this evening as Kelowna hosts Tri-City in a key WHL match-up.

11/18 Recap: Ennis sets up winner

In Tuesday action, Tyler Ennis set-up the game winning goal as Medicine Hat defeated Prince Albert, 2-1. The Edmonton native went tape-to-tape in a 2-1 break to get the assist with 7:36 to go in the third period. The Tigers win caps a four-games-in-five-nights stretch, and moves them to 7-2-0-1 in their last ten. In Providence, Alex Biega (3 SOG) was +1 in Harvard's 3-3 tie with Brown. Also from Tuesday, Dennis Persson played even over his 17:24 of action as Timra lost to Farjestad, 2-0.

Adam, Byron find net vs. Russians

In Cape Breton, Luke Adam and Paul Byron each scored goal for Team QMJHL in their 5-3 win over Team Russia in Game One of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Adam pounced on a Danick Paquette rebound while on a first period power play to open the game's scoring. In the second period, Byron finished a play just :31 in with assists going to Angelo Esposito (ATL) and Patrice Cormier (NJ), reclaiming Team Q's lead to 2-1. The two clubs will play it back Wednesday in Saint John.

Eidsness clip (11/15 vs. UAA)

Enjoy one of Brad Eidsness' 23 saves from North Dakota's 3-1 win over Alaska-Anchorage on Saturday.

Schedule 11/17-11/23

Monday 11/17 QMJHL (Adam, Byron) vs Russia – ADT Canada/Russia Challenge at Cape Breton Tuesday 11/18 Prince Albert at Medicine Hat (Ennis) Timra (Persson) at Farjestad Harvard (Biega)at Brown Wednesday 11/19 Saginaw (Crawford) at Owen Sound Niagara (Schiestel) at Belleville Tri-City at Kelowna (Myers) Portland (AHL) at Hartford Thursday 11/20 OHL (Crawford) vs Russia – ADT Canada/Russia Challenge at Guelph Lulea at Timra (Persson) DEG at Cologne (Gogulla) Friday 11/21 Rouyn-Noranda at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) Val-d’Or at PEI (Southorn) Quebec (Allard) at Montreal (Adam, Brennan) Saginaw (Crawford) at Sudbury Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Lethbridge Kelowna (Myers)at Prince George Princeton at St. Lawrence (Generous) Harvard (Biega) at Cornell Vermont (MacKenzie) at Boston University Massachusetts at Boston College (Orpik) Michigan State (Tropp) at Nebraska-Omaha Minnesota State (Jokinen) at Michigan Tech Bowling Green (Eno) at Notre Dame North Dakota (Fienhage, Eidsness) at Duluth Portland (AHL) at Providence Saturday 11/22 Timra (Persson) at Linkopings Rimouski at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) Lewiston at Gatineau (Byron) Sudbury at Niagara (Schiestel) Saginaw (Crawford) at Barrie Regina at Medicine Hat (Ennis) Kelowna (Myers) at Prince George Harvard (Biega) at Colgate Quinnipiac at St. Lawrence (Generous) Vermont (MacKenzie) at Boston University Notre Dame at Bowling Green (Eno) Boston College (Orpik) at Massachusetts Michigan State (Tropp) at Nebraska-Omaha Minnesota State (Jokinen) at Michigan Tech North Dakota (Fienhage, Eidsness) at Duluth Hartford at Portland (AHL) Sunday 11/23 PEI (Southorn) at Cape Breton Kingston at Niagara (Schiestel) Cologne (Gogulla) at Krefeld

Three Stars of the Week 11/10-16

Three Stars of the Week 11/10-16 Paul Byron - C (Gatineau - QMJHL) The nifty Ottawanian was named the #1 star in back-to-back games to lead Gatineau to a pair of weekend victories. The 5'9 center had a two goal night to help end the Piques 13-game skid on Saturday, then scored a goal and an assist in a win over PEI. He totaled four goals and six assists in the week's four games. Tyler Ennis - C (Medicine Hat - WHL) After seeing his nine-game point streak end on Monday, the Tigers gunner scored three goals and three assists over his next four games to start another run. Marek Zagrapan - C (Portland - AHL) While names like Gerbe, Mancari, and Kennedy amass most of the Pirates booty, the third-year man emerged from his five-game slumber to pot a goal and two assists in the week's two games as Portland pushed their winning streak to seven.

11/16 Recap: Gogulla stars; Byron, Allard back on track

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla (+3) scored twice and added an assist as Cologne toppled Sinupret, 5-1. The three-point night was Gogulla's first of the season, as the 6'2 winger now has four goals and nine points in his last eight games. Once mired in last place, the Sharks have gone 5-2 in their last seven to jump to 11th in the 16-team league. In the QMJHL, Paul Byron (+2) scored a goal and an assist in the first 1:10 as Gatineau defeated PEI, 5-4 in the shootout. The game's #1 star, Byron also lit the lamp in the tiebreaker, guiding the Piques to their second straight win after dropping 13 straight. Jordon Southorn had a goal and an assist of his own in the Rocket loss, upping his season point total to 16. Jean-Simon Allard potted a pair of goals and an assist as Quebec glided to 5-0 win over Halifax. The three-point night comes after the 6'3 wing collected the same amount in his previous eleven games combined. The loss was the sixth in a row for the Mooseheads. Luke Adam and T.J. Brennan were both held off the scoresheet for the third straight game in Montreal's 3-2 win over Moncton. The Wildcats (18-2-2-0)lost their second straight after entering the weekend undefeated in regulation play. In the Dub, Tyler Ennis (+2) had an assist as Medicine Hat downed Red Deer, 5-2. His recent lift puts the shifty forward 13th in WHL scoring with 28 points. Drew MacKenzie was even in Vermont's 2-1 win over Merrimack. West Seneca, NY native Brian Roloff scored the game winner for the Cats during a second period power play.

Ennis stays warm

In Saturday evening WHL play, Tyler Ennis had a goal and two assists as Medicine Hat suffered a 6-5 shootout loss to Regina. The blazer, who also marked in the shootout, has now collected 12 goals and 27 points this season, including five points in his last three games after seeing his nine-game point streak snapped earlier in the week. 2009 prospect Landon Ferraro had a pair of goals for the Pats. Tyler Myers had a power play assist as Kelowna blanked Kamloops, 5-0. The defender will look for his first three-game point streak of the season when the Rockets take on Tri-City on Wednesday.

11/15 Recap: Eidsness stellar in win

Brad Eidsness put forth a spectacular performance in the North Dakota crease, making 23 saves in the Sioux's 3-1 win over Alaska-Anchorage. The freshman bailed out the NoDak D on more than one occasion, with the only goal against coming on a funky deflection. The rookie moves to 4-3 on the season and is firmly cemented as the #1 goalie in Grand Forks. Freshman Corey Fienhage was a scratch for the winners. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was on the ice for one goal against and one goal for in Saginaw's lengthy 4-3 shootout loss Windsor. The Spirit made things difficult for arguably the CHL's top club all night including in the shootout, where it took 14 rounds before the Spits could get their second (and game deciding) goal. Crawford was stopped in the tenth round. Top 2009 draft prospect Taylor Hall scored two goals to help put the Spits at 21-2 on the year, while Saginaw falls to 12-7-0-1. Drew Schiestel (-1) had a power play assist in Niagara's 6-2 win over Peterborough. The helper was his 11th of the season with the man advantage and 20th overall. Alex Pietrangleo collected three assists for the Dogs in his first game back after playing eight NHL games with the Blues. In the CCHA, Corey Tropp (-1) scored the only Spartan goal as #17 Michigan State lost to #10 Miami, 3-1. The goal, his first of the year, stemmed from a solid effort down low to score on a slapper with less than ten minutes to play in the third. With the weekend sweep, the Spartans are likely to drop out of the Top 20. Senior Andrew Orpik picked up an assist in BC's wild 8-6 win over #6 New Hampshire. Jimmy Hayes (TOR) notched a hat trick and an assist to pace the #5 Eagles. Alex Biega (2 PIM, 4 SOG) was held scoreless in Harvard's 1-0 shutout of #19 St. Lawrence. The junior did however play a pivotal part in killing off a :90 5-3 power play that spanned the second and third periods. Matt Generous posted two shots on goal for the Saints in the loss. Justin Jokinen did not dress for the second straight game as #11 Minnesota State lost to Colorado College, 4-3.

Pirates sail to seventh straight

Felix Schutz and Mark Mancari each potted a goal, and Tim Kennedy added two assists as Portland won their seventh straight, 5-2 over Providence. The goal gives Mancari points in all seven wins, while Nathan Gerbe had an assist to raise his point streak to five games. Adam Dennis made 27 stops to get the win. The Rundown: Mancari: 1G, +2 Schutz: 1G, +1 Kennedy: 2A, +2 Kostka: 1A, +2 Gerbe: 1A, +1 Zagrapan: 1A, +1 Gragnani: 1A Butler: +2 Funk: +2 Card: even Whitmore: -1 Weber: 4 PIM Dennis: 27 saves

Byron's pair solves 'Piques slump

Paul Byron scored a pair of power play goals for Gatineau in their 3-2 victory over Montreal. The speedster also registered a game-high six shots on goal en route to being named the game's #1 star. T.J. Brennan and Luke Adam did not factor into either of the Montreal goals. The win is the first in fourteen games for les Olympiques, as well as the first for new coach Jerome Dupont. Also this afternoon, Jacob Lagacé posted a short-handed assist in Chicoutimi's 4-2 loss to Halifax. In Shawinigan, Jordon Southorn finished at -1 in PEI's 3-1 loss to the Cataractes. The win was the 14th straight for the Cats.

Persson back in action

Dennis Persson returned to the TIK lineup, seeing 12:14 of icetime in the Eagles 2-0 win over SSK. The defender was hobbled by a blow to the knee a week and a half ago, and missed Thursday's win over Frolunda. The shutout was the second in a row for Timra, as the Eagles leap-frog Sodertalje out of last place in the SEL.

Adam chasing NHL dream

Friday's Montreal Gazette featured a story on Juniors leading goal man, Luke Adam. Adam's father Russ had a cup of coffee with Toronto in 1982-83, and the burgeoning forward will look to achieve his own NHL dream in a Sabres sweater once his junior days are complete.

"I guess you have to say the Sabres are my favourite team now," said Adam, a lifelong Detroit Red Wings fan because of the proximity of his father's family in nearby Windsor. "Getting drafted was exciting for the whole family," the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder said. "But for me, it's another step along the way. I know there's a lot of work to do to get there (NHL). "I went to the Sabres' development camp for 10 days this summer and went back for training camp before the start of their season, and I learned an awful lot. When I left, they just told me to keep my cool and keep working hard. There's a lot of stuff I have to work on to get to the next level, but it's something I want to do. It's one of my goals."

Gerbe, Pirates continue to cruise

In Friday AHL action, Nathan Gerbe scored two goals and added an assist as the Portland Pirates beat the Albany River Rats, 6-3. The BC product now has 12 goals in as many games, good for second in the league. Marek Zagrapan and Mark Mancari (shortie) also added a goal and an assist each for the Pirates, while Derek Whitmore scored his first of the year in the win. With another two points, Mancari maintained his spot at the top of the AHL points leader board with 23 on the season. Jhonas Enroth made 27 saves for his sixth straight win. The Rundown: Gerbe: 2A, 1A, 6 SOG, +3 Zagrapan: 1G, 1A, +3 Mancari: 1G, 1A, 6 SOG, +1 Whitmore: 1G, +2 Kennedy: 1A, 5 SOG Kostka: 1A, +2 Gragnani: 1A, +3 Schutz: 1A, +1 Weber: +3 Card: +2 Funk: -1 Butler: -1 Enroth: 27 saves, W

11/14 Recap: Ennis, Myers produce; Genny flows in loss

Tyler Myers (+1) scored a goal and two assists as Kelowna fell to Vancouver, 5-3. All of Myers points came in a 9:00 span in the third period as the Rockets attempted a comeback. The 6'7 defenseman started the surge at the 5:15 mark when he poked a shot through a goal mouth scramble for his second of the year. He would follow with a pair assists, but the effort was too little too late in the loss to their division rival. Tyler Ennis repeated his performance from Wednesday, netting a late goal and then another in the shootout as Medicine Hat defeated Edmonton 3-2 at Rexall Place. The Tigers have won all twelve meetings over Edmonton since the Oil Kings joined the WHL. In QMJHL play, Paul Byron scored the lone Gatineau goal in their 4-1 loss to Shawinigan. The Olympiques (5-16-1-1) have now lost 13 straight games, and will look to end the madness against Montreal on Saturday afternoon. Luke Adam (5 SOG) and T.J. Brennan (1 SOG) were both pointless as Montreal edged PEI, 1-0. Rocket reargaurd Jordon Southorn, who was in consideration for the most recent Defensive Player of the Week award, had five shots on goal in the loss. J.S. Allard was again kept of the scoresheet in Quebec's 4-3 loss to Moncton. The Wildcats have now won ten straight on the road. Jacob Lagacé was -1 in Chicoutimi's 3-1 loss to Cape Breton. The quiet evening ends the Beloeil, QC native's eight-game point streak. In the ECAC, Matt Generous (+1) scored an even strength goal and added an assist for #19 St. Lawrence in their 4-3 loss to Dartmouth. In the final minute of the second period, the Connecticut native pumped one home from the high slot to tie the game at two. Alex Biega had a power play assist as Harvard defeated #16 Clarkson, 5-1. The junior corralled a faceoff win and flicked a wrister to the net that was tipped by Nick Coskren for Harvard's second goal. Corey Tropp garnered an assist in #17 Michigan State's 5-1 loss to #10 Miami. The Spartans only goal came midway through the first when a scrum kicked a loose puck to an open Mike Schepke. Andrew Orpik was even as #5 Boston College played to a 5-5 tie with Merrimack. Drew MacKenzie was -1 as #15 Vermont dropped a 5-3 decision to #7 Northeastern. Justin Jokinen was scratched as his #11 Minnesota State Mavericks defeated #3 Colorado College, 2-1. Brad Eidsness replaced Aaron Walski midway through the second period in #18 North Dakota's 3-2 loss to Alaska-Anchorage. The Albertan made 12 saves in relief, including one on a short-hanaded breakway by Paul Crowder. Corey Fienhage did not dress in the loss. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel (-2) returned to the lineup in Niagara's 4-3 OT loss to Kitchener. A point-shot deflected off Schistel's shin pads into the Dogs net to force overtime. Nick Crawford was -1 as Saginaw was dominated by Plymouth, 5-1. In Germany, Philip Gogulla was -1 as Cologne endured a 3-2 overtime loss to Duisberg.

Crawford to ADT; Schiestel punished?

Saginaw's Nick Crawford has been added to Team OHL for the upcoming ADT Canada/Russia Challenge.

The 1990-born defenseman will represent Team Ontario in the upcoming tournament which is used to evaluate players for the Canadian World Junior Hockey Team. Crawford will join fellow Spirit blueliner T.J. Brodie in the tournament. ‘We are excited for Nick and the opportunity he has been given," stated Spirit Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach Todd Watson, "He deserves this opportunity and we know that he will proudly represent Saginaw and the Ontario Hockey League." Crawford is a third year veteran of the Spirit, having tallied 6 goals and 33 assists in his OHL regular season career. He has posted 1 goal and 10 assists in 16 games this season.

Also from the OHL, it seems that Drew Schiestel was held out of Niagara's lineup due to a curfew violation and not an imminent deal. The rumors do persist that Windsor is interested in the Hamilton native, but for now it looks like there is still a Dogs t-shirt beneath his street clothes.

Rumors swirl as Schiestel sits

Drew Schiestel is out of the IceDogs lineup for tonight's game with Owen Sound. Also sitting are forwards Matt Piva and Andrew Merrett. The trio is not known to be injured. Rumors surfaced last week that first-place Windsor (19-2) was looking to load up early, as their chances of winning the OHL look obviously solid. Many thought that the puck-moving Schiestel was on their list of wanted defensemen. The trade would be an excellent opportunity for the 2007 second rounder. The Dogs (6-8-3) have struggled all season, and the potential of playing for the Memorial Cup would be a nice way to cap a junior career. The Dogs received good news (on paper) Thursday when they learned that the St. Louis Blues were returning defenseman Alex Pietrangelo to the OHL. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the re-building Dogs will look to keep his services, or deal him to a contender for a nice return.

Knee keeps Persson out

Dennis Persson was kept out of the lineup as Timra got back on the winning track with a 2-0 shutout of Frolunda. The defenseman injured his knee in last week's loss to Linkoping. He skated lightly in practice sessions over the Karjala Cup break, but it's expected that Timra will make him get a 100% workout in before getting back to game action. The injuries have piled up on Timra's blueline this season. Top rearguards Mikko Lehtonen and Eric Moe missed time early on, while Kimmo Lotvonen and Par Styf join Persson in the current ranks of the injured. Mired in last place and needing help on the blue, the Eagles are said to have a contract offer out to Janne Niinimaa after losing out in the bidding for former Lightning defenseman Janne Niskala.

11/12 Recap: Ennis nets 10th; dirty dozen for 'Piques

Tyler Ennis (+2) scored a goal as Medicine Hat defeated Edmonton, 4-3 in a shootout. Ennis' tenth of the season put the Tigers up 3-1 in the second period before the Oil Kings would come back to tie it in the third. The Edmonton native made a nice leg-kick deke to the backhand to mark in the shootout. Also from the WHL, Tyler Myers was even in Kelowna's 3-1 loss to Vancouver. Kelowna's Jamie Benn (DAL) and Colin Long (PHX) both failed to hit the scoresheet for the second straight game. In the QMJHL, Luke Adam (-1) and T.J. Brennan (-2) were held pointless in Montreal's 4-0 loss to Acadie-Bathurst. Finding the wrong end of the home shutout is especially displeasing when realizing that the Juniors, who move to 11-11 on the season, outshot the Titan 39-12. J.S. Allard was held without a point as Quebec defeated Cape Breton, 4-2. The Alma, QC native has gone cold, collecting just three points in his last ten games after scoring 12 in his first eight. Paul Byron (+1) had an assist in Gatineau's 3-2 loss to Saint John. Les Olympiques held a 2-1 lead heading into the third, but the Sea Dogs scored a pair to send Gatineau their 12th consecutive loss.

11/10 Recap: Ennis' streak ends

Tyler Ennis did not factor into any of the Tigers goals, finishing with a charging minor in Medicine Hat's 4-1 win over Lethbridge. Drafted 26th overall this past June, Ennis saw his nine-game point streak come to an end in the win. The Albertan had seven goals and 16 points over the stretch, and will look to start another Wednesday when the Tigers drop the puck on a home-and-home with Edmonton.

Mancari earns AHL Player of the Week

Mancari named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week

Now in his fourth professional season after being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 2004, Mancari leads the entire AHL in points (22) and plus/minus rating (plus-14), tallying nine goals and 13 assists in just 11 games. He has totaled 71 goals and 107 assists for 178 points in 226 career AHL games with Portland and Rochester, and added one assist in three NHL games with Buffalo in 2006-07. A 23-year-old native of London, Ont., Mancari participated in the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic and set a league record by registering 102.8 mph during the Hardest Shot event at the annual Skills Competition.

Schedule 11/10-11/16

Monday 11/10 Lethbridge at Medicine Hat (Ennis) Tuesday 11/11 (no games) Wednesday 11/12 Acadie-Bathurst at Montreal (Brennan, Adam) Cape Breton at Quebec (Allard) Saint John at Gatineau (Byron) Vancouver at Kelowna (Myers) Edmonton at Medicine Hat (Ennis) Thursday 11/13 Owen Sound at Niagara (Schiestel) Timra (Persson) at Frolunda Friday 11/14 Cologne (Gogulla) at Duisburg Albany at Portland (AHL) Saginaw (Crawford) at Plymouth Niagara (Schiestel) at Kitchener Moncton at Quebec (Allard) Cape Breton at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) PEI (Southorn) at Montreal (Brennan, Adam) Gatineau (Byron) at Shawinigan Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Edmonton Kelowna (Myers) at Vancouver Miami at Michigan State (Tropp) Northern Michigan at Bowling Green (Eno) Saint Lawrence (Generous) at Dartmouth Clarkson at Harvard (Biega) Northeastern at Vermont (MacKenzie) Boston College (Orpik) at Merrimack Alaska-Anchorage at North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) Colorado College at Minnesota State (Jokinen) Saturday 11/15 SSK at Timra (Persson) Providence at Portland (AHL) Niagara (Schiestel) at Peterborough Windsor at Saginaw (Crawford) Halifax at Chicoutimi (Lagacé) Montreal (Brennan, Adam) at Gatineau (Byron) PEI (Southorn) at Shawinigan New Hampshire at Boston College (Orpik) Miami at Michigan State (Tropp) Northern Michigan at Bowling Green (Eno) Saint Lawrence (Generous) at Harvard (Biega) Alaska-Anchorage at North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) Colorado College at Minnesota State (Jokinen) Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Red Deer Kelowna (Myers) at Kamloops Sunday (11/16) Sinupret at Cologne (Gogulla) PEI (Southorn) at Gatineau (Byron) Halifax at Quebec (Allard) Moncton at Montreal (Brennan, Adam) Merrimack at Vermont (MacKenzie) Red Deer at Medicine Hat (Ennis)

11/9 Recap: Southorn has productive shift; Lagacé cranking

Jordon Southorn (+2) had two assists in :39 as PEI hammered Rouyn-Noranda, 8-2. Well, they hammered them on the scoreboard anyways, as the Rocket only needed 18 shots to score their eight goals. Southorn, who fired two of those shots, supplied the pass for a nice two-on-one goal by Matthew Lachaine as part of his second period roll. Jacob Lagacé scored a power play goal as Chicoutimi defeated Baie-Comeau, 4-3. Tied at two in the third period, Lagacé's tenth of the season was the first of two markers in a 1:16 span as the Sags closed the door on the Drakkar. Lagacé how has goals in his last five games, and will ride an eight-game point streak into Friday's match-up with Cape Breton. Jean-Simon Allard was -1 in the Remparts 3-1 loss to the Cataractes. Allard's play continues to be "up and down" for Quebec. Meanwhile, the Shawinigan victory is their 12th straight, and they look like a team that could make a call on Gatineau's Paul Byron when the QMJHL Christmas Holidays trade window opens from December 20th to January 8th. In a Sunday NCAA battle, Andrew Orpik posted zeros for #2 Boston College in their 2-1 loss to Maine. The loss was the seond in a row for the defending champs after a Friday defeat at the hands of Notre Dame.

Pirates stay hot in win over Phantoms

Mark Mancari continued his scoring tear with a goal and three assists, and Tim Kennedy got back on the sheet with a goal and an assist of his own as Portland defeated Philadelphia, 5-3. The victory makes it five in a row for the Pirates, as Mancari jumps into the AHL point lead with 22 (9+13) through 11 games. With the Pirates taking five straight, Jhonas Enroth made 16 saves to earn his fifth straight win. The Swedish rookie is now 5-1, with a 2.67 goals against average and a save percentage of .912. Mancari: 1G, 3A, +3 Kennedy: 1G, 1A, +2 Gragnani: 1A Gerbe: 1A Card: +2 Funk: +1 Kostka: +1 Weber: +1, 6 PIM Zagrapan: 2 SOG Schutz: even Butler: even Whitmore: even Enroth: 16 saves, W The Pirates will return to action on Friday when they host the Albany River Rats in Lewiston.

11/8 Recap: Ennis stretches streak; MacKenzie factors

Tyler Ennis scored a goal and connected for a pair of assists as Medicine Hat beat-up on Brandon, 6-2. Ennis' goal proved to be the game winner, and his multi-point night extends his streak to nine straight games. Drew MacKenzie notched his first collegiate point, an assist, in Vermont's 3-1 win over Lowell. Wahsontiio Stacey scored the game-winner off the rebound of MacKenzie's point-shot in the early goings of the second period. Brad Eidsness made 29 saves as North Dakota failed pull off a sweep in a 7-4 loss to Colorado College. The score would suggest a debacle, but 80 shots on goal, 17 power plays, and countless screens kept both goaltenders busy. Corey Fienhage was -2 for the Sioux. Justin Jokinen (-1) was held without a point as Mankato tied Alaska-Anchorage, 2-2. Carrying the puck through the neutral zone, the freshman went to flip the puck deep into the Seawolves before joining his four linemates off for a change. Instead of getting it deep, the puck was gloved just inside the Anchorage blueline and quickly advanced up ice for the game-knotting goal. In the ECAC, Matt Generous (2 SOG) was even as St. Lawrence played to a 2-2 tie with Brown. Alex Biega (4 SOG, 2 PIM) was -1 in Harvard's 3-1 loss to Union. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel continued to drive the power play, registering another helper in Niagara's 5-4 OT loss to Peterborough. Ten of Schiestel's 19 assists this season have come with the man advantage. Nick Crawford was even as Saginaw won their fourth straight game with a 5-3 decision over Sault Ste. Marie.

Gogulla scores in tourney; Fienhage flown in

While the DEL is on break, Philip Gogulla is skating for the German National Team at the Deutschland Cup. On Friday, Gogulla had one solid scoring opportunity as the host fell to Switzerland, 1-0. The Germans returned against Slovakia on Saturday, with the Cologne standout netting a goal in their 5-2 win. In the Q, Luke Adam (-1) and T.J. Brennan (-2) followed their big nights by having a quiet afternoon as Montreal lost to Shawinigan, 2-1. Also, Goon has informed us that Corey Fienhage was flown in to dress for North Dakota tonight as they look to sweep #1 Colorado College. Fienhage originally did not make the trip, but was called following Friday's game after Chay Genoway was injured when he was dumped from behind.

11/7 Recap: Eidsness bests #1; Adam pots pair

If you've been reading this space of late, we've talked about a looming shake-up in Gatineau where the Piques were riding a ten-game losing streak heading into Friday's game with Montreal. The shake-up came this week with Mario Richer resigning as coach, and being replaced by former NHLer Jerome Dupont. Gatineau owned the opening period of the new boss' debut, scoring three times on 17 shots, but Montreal stormed back with six unanswered goals for the win. Luke Adam lit the lamp twice, while the Juniors won their second straight game on T.J. Brennan's winner midway through the third period. Brennan and Adam also posted assists on the night, while the Piques' Paul Byron had a power play goal in the 6-3 loss. In other Q action from Friday, Jacob Lagacé scored a goal and an assist in Chicoutimi's 3-2 win over Victoriaville. Tied at one apiece heading into the third, Lagacé first set up Nicolas Deschamps (ANA) at 2:47, then scored his ninth of the year for the game winner about ten minutes later. Jordon Southorn scored a goal for PEI in their 4-3 loss to Cape Breton. The power play marker was Southorn's second of the season, and his play has been both improved and inspired since his return from suspension. J.S. Allard scored his fifth goal of the season as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 8-6. The Remparts went 4/9 on the power play to earn the win. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was +2 in Saginaw's 7-2 win over Ottawa. His +8 for the season ranks him 20th overall in the O. From the WHL, Tyler Ennis scored his eighth goal of the year in Medicine Hat's 4-2 loss to Regina. Ennis tied the game at 2-2 early in the third when he raced in on a short-handed breakaway and made a nifty deke before roofing the puck over Linden Rowat (LA). The Pats would counter with two goals of their own to seal the victory. In NCAA play, Brad Eidsness made 29 saves as visiting North Dakota defeated #1 Colorado College, 3-1. Eidsness, who moved to 3-2 on the year, made many great saves to earn the W and should be back between the pipes when the two clubs play it back on Saturday. Freshman defenseman Corey Fienhage did not travel with the club for the weekend set. Alex Biega (+1) assisted on both Crimson goals as #18 Harvard lost to RPI, 3-2. The junior now has three points in three games. Matt Generous (+1) notched his first point* of the season, assisting on the overtime winner as St. Lawrence defeated Yale, 3-2. The senior started the game-winning play as he broke into the Yale zone and sent a shot just wide of the net. The puck was corralled and fed back to Brandon Bollig, who poked the puck over the line. Andrew Orpik was -1 as #2 Boston College suffered a 4-1 upset loss to #12 Notre Dame. The rematch of last year's NCAA final kicked off a Holy War weekend as the two school's football teams will also meet on Saturday. Corey Tropp (-1) returned to the #11 ranked Spartans lineup after a bout with mono in their 3-0 loss to Ohio State. In Alaska, Justin Jokinen (2 PIM) was even in #13 Minnesota State's 5-3 win over Anchorage. Freshman Drew MacKenzie was even in #16 Vermont's 2-2 tie with Providence. In the AHL, Tim Kennedy scored the shootout winner but saw his nine-game point streak snapped as Portland edged Springfield, 2-1. Mark Mancari scored on the power play, with Nathan Gerbe being credited with the assist. Adam Dennis made 26 saves to earn the win, while Mike Funk made his first appearance of the season after a concussion delayed the start of his schedule. The Rundown: Mancari: 1G, 6 SOG Gerbe: 1A, 7 SOG Kennedy: -1 Butler: 2 PIM Weber: even Schutz: 1 SOG Funk: 2 PIM Gragnani: 3 SOG Zagrapan: 2 PIM Funk: 2 PIM Kostka: -1 Whitmore: 2 SOG Card: even Dennis: 26 saves *Generous still hasn't been credited with an assist on Zach Miscovic's game winner against UNH a few weeks back.

Gogulla goal from Sunday

Here is a clip of Philip Gogulla scoring his club's third goal in the Sharks 4-1 win over Wolfsburg on Sunday. It's a nice puck control play where he was able to jock the first defenseman back. The goal was Gogulla's fourth of the season, upping his point total to 11 through 15 games for the 12th place Sharks.

11/6 Recap: Lagacé scores in loss

Jacob Lagacé (-2) roofed a short-handed goal and later added an assist as Chicoutimi lost to Lewiston, 4-3 in a shootout. On a night when MAINEiacs starter Peter Delmas (COL) was rested, Lagacé was the Sags first shooter in the breakaway session, but saw his attempt stopped by Philip Wright. The multi-point effort brings his season total to 17. In the OHL, defenseman Drew Schiestel was even as Niagara fell in OT to Barrie, 3-2. A bad bounce off the end boards ended up on the stick of the Colts' Colin Behenna, who buried the overtime winner. Reggie Traccitto returned to the Dogs blue line after missing a month. Meanwhile, goaltender John Cullen (Hamburg, NY) made 43 saves in defeat to earn the game's third star after a morning car accident in St. Catherines.

Ennis heating up

In Wednesday's late game, Tyler Ennis (+3) potted a pair of goals and an assist as Medicine Hat pounded Moose Jaw, 8-2. The Edmonton native has scored 12 of his 18 points during his current seven game point-streak, and will look to keep it going on Friday at Regina.

11/5 Recap: On Pommer-like pace, Gerbe nets hatty

Nathan Gerbe scored an empty net goal in the final seconds to notch his first professional hat trick as Portland defeated Worcester, 5-3. Gerbe, who also added an assist, raised his goal total to 10 on the season including a league leading six on the power play. The blazing winger pounced on a Tim Kennedy rebound in the first period to score his eighth goal of the season. He later scored the unassisted game winner in third when he intercepted a cross-ice pass and buried the partial breakaway before topping the game off with :14 to play. Gerbe's early season ten-spot has him cruising at the same pace that Jason Pominville, then 23 in his fourth AHL season, was producing in 2005 before earning a call-up to Buffalo. Now a solid NHL performer, Pominville scored 19 goals in 18 games with Rochester before a J.P. Dumont abdominal injury forced the call-up. The 21-year old Gerbe is currently on pace to pot 20 goals in the same frame as a rookie. Mark Mancari tallied two goals and an assist in the win, while Kennedy added three helpers to extend his season-long point streak to nine games. Marc-Andre Gragnani skated as a forward due to a Colin Murphy injury scratch. Jhonas Enroth made 27 saves to earn his third consecutive win. The Rundown: Gerbe: 3G, 1A, 6 SOG Mancari: 2G, 1A, +2 Kennedy: 3A, +1 Gragnani: 1A Schutz: even Zagrapan: 1 SOG Card: even Butler: +1 Weber: 4 PIM Kostka: 1 SOG Whitmore: even Enroth: 27 saves, W ----------------------------------------------------------------------- In Wednesday QMJHL action, Jordon Southorn was +1 with three hits in PEI's 6-2 loss to Saint John. Luke Adam and T.J. Brennan were held pointless in Montreal's 1-0 shutout of Val-d'Or. Jean-Simon Allard was -1 in Quebec's 3-2 win over Rimouski.

Eno remains out

The Sentinel-Tribune (Bowling Green, OH) is reporting that BGSU netminder Nick Eno will remain out indefinitely due to the high ankle sprain suffered over a month ago in practice.

The sophomore, who hasn't played this season, won't practice for at least the next two and maybe three weeks, Falcon hockey coach Scott Paluch said Tuesday. Eno was expected to be healthy by now but aggravated the injury two weeks ago. He posted a 2.79 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage in 23 games last season when he was named to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's all-rookie team. Eno, who has the injured ankle in a protective boot, was expected to battle senior Jimmy Spratt for the starting job in goal. The earliest Eno is expected to return is Nov. 28-29 for BG's non-league series against 13th-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato. "The best thing now is total rest so we can get this taken care of," Paluch said. "Ultimately, we have to get him back playing games." He injured the ankle going post to post during a practice drill. Tests showed no damage to the bone, but Paluch said high ankle sprains usually take longer to heal than regular ankle sprains. Eno had been doing light workouts.

Jimmy Spratt (CAL) will continue to man the Falcons crease in Eno's absence.

11/3-4 Recap: Biega blasts winner

In an ECAC Tuesday night match-up, Alex Biega (+1) scored the game winning goal as Harvard defeated RPI, 3-1. While on a third period period power play, the junior defenseman blasted a low, hard shot from the right point that beat Engineers goalie Mathias Lange. The win moves Harvard to 2-0 in league play. Tyler Myers was -2 in Kelowna's 4-1 loss to Tri-City. The WHL contest featured a combined 33 shots on goal between the two clubs. In the lone game from Monday, Dennis Persson continued to skate as the sixth defenseman, logging 8:32 of game play in Timra's 3-2 loss to Linkoping. The last place Eagles will return to the ice next Thursday at Frolunda.

Schedule 11/3-11/9

Monday (11/3) Linkoping at Timra (Persson) Tuesday (11/4) Kelowna (Myers) at Tri-City RPI at Harvard (Biega) Wednesday (11/5) Portland (AHL) at Worcester Val-d'Or at Montreal (Adam, Brennan) PEI (Southorn) at Saint John Quebec (Allard) at Rimouski Thursday (11/6) Chicoutimi (Lagace) at Lewiston Barrie at Niagara (Schiestel) Friday (11/7) Springfield at Portland (AHL) Ottawa at Saginaw (Crawford) Cape Breton at PEI (Southorn) Baie-Comeau at Quebec (Allard) Montreal (Adam, Brennan) at Gatineau (Byron) Chicoutimi (Lagace) at Victoriaville Medicine Hat (Ennis) at Regina Harvard (Biega) at RPI Yale at St. Lawrence (Generous) Vermont (MacKenzie) at Providence Notre Dame at Boston College (Orpik) Bowling Green (Eno) at Lake Superior St. Michigan State (Tropp) at Ohio State Minnesota State (Jokinen) at Alaska-Anchorage North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) at Colorado College Saturday (11/8) Philadelphia at Portland (AHL) Shawinigan at Montreal (Adam, Brennan) Sault Ste. Marie at Saginaw (Crawford) Peterborough at Niagara (Schiestel) Brown at St. Lawrence (Generous) Harvard (Biega) at Union Vermont (MacKenzie) at Lowell Bowling Green (Eno) at Lake Superior Michigan State (Tropp) at Ohio State Minnesota State (Jokinen) at Alaska-Anchorage North Dakota (Eidsness, Fienhage) at Colorado College Sunday (11/9) Boston College (Orpik) at Maine Baie-Comeau at Chicoutimi (Lagace) Rouyn-Noranda at PEI (Southorn) Shawinigan at Quebec (Allard)

Three Stars of the Week - 10/27-11/2

Tim Kennedy, C (Portland - AHL) The newly-made pivot is thriving as an AHL rookie. He has scored points (3+9-12) in all of Portland's eight games, including two goals and three assists in three games last week. Jhonas Enroth, G (Portland - AHL) Another ripple in Portland's rookie wave, Enroth guided the Pirates to back-to-back wins over Norfolk. He earned his first AHL shutout in a 4-0 win on Friday, then stopped 35 of 38 shots in a 5-3 win on Saturday. Felix Schutz, C (Portland - AHL) The three stars gets dotted with yet another rookie. The German center is working his way up, posting his first two AHL goals in the weekend wins at Norfolk.

11/2 Recap: Gogulla scores on way to recess

Philip Gogulla connected for a power play goal as red-hot Cologne defeated Wolfsburg, 4-1. The 6'2 wing has points in five of his last six games, while the win gives the Sharks four in their last five heading into the DEL's ten-day break. In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé scored his seventh goal of the season in Chicoutimi's 4-1 win over Victoriaville. The Sags victory comes in Richard Martel's 1,000th game behind a QMJHL bench. Lagacé now has 15 points in as many games. Paul Byron (-1) assisted on a Jan Stransky power play goal as Gatineau fell to Halifax, 4-2. The loss was the tenth straight for the Piques, leaving the proud organization on the verge of a shake-up. Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn was +1 as PEI defeated Lewiston, 3-1. In OHL action, Nick Crawford (+2) had an assist as Saginaw finished the weekend with a 3-2 defeat of Kitchener in overtime. The win moves the team's record to 10-6-0-0 for the season. Out west, Tyler Ennis assisted on the lone Tigers goal as Medicine Hat lost to Calgary, 2-1. The point gives Ennis nine in his past six games for a total of 15 on the season. Kelowna's Tyler Myers also posted an assist as the Rockets defeated the Oil Kings, 5-2. In the NCAA, Drew MacKenzie (1 SOG) was even in #14 Vermont's 3-2 OT win over Dartmouth.

Eidsness clip (10/31 vs. Wisconsin)

How do you bring 11,684 fans in a sold-out Ralph Englestad Arena to their feet? Freshman netminder Brad Eidsness rendered his answer on Friday during the first period of #18 North Dakota's WCHA showdown with Wisconsin.

Kennedy adds to streak; Mancari on pace to place

Tim Kennedy and Mark Mancari continued their hot hands with three-point nights, and Felix Schutz added a goal and an assist as Portland defeated Norfolk, 5-3. Jhonas Enroth was again excellent in the Pirates pipes, making 35 saves to earn the back-to-back road wins over the Admirals. Mancari upped his season points total to 14, and now sits in second place on the AHL leaderboard behind Hershey's Keith Aucoin (18). Nathan Gerbe was -3 in the win, and saw his five-game goal scoring streak snapped along the way. With a goal and two assists, Kennedy has now pointed in all eight games for a total of 12 this season. He had point streaks of eight and seven games last season at Michigan State, and will look to post his longest run since leaving the USHL on Wednesday at Worcester. The Rundown: Kennedy: 1 G, 2 A, +2, 4 SOG Schutz: 1 G, 1 A, +2 Mancari: 1 G, 2 A, +4, 6 SOG Kostka: 1 A, +1 Weber: 1 A, +1, 4 PIM Butler: 1 SOG, 4 PIM Gragnani: -2 Gerbe: 4 SOG, -3 Whitmore: 1 SOG Zagrapan: -2 Card: -1 Enroth: 35 saves, W

11/1 Recap: Byron, Southorn go for two

Paul Byron scored his fourth goal of the year on the power play to add to an earlier assist in Gatineau's 5-3 loss to PEI. Rocket defenseman Jordon Southorn had two assists for the winners, bringing his season point total to 10 while helping send les Olympiques to their ninth consecutive loss. Jean-Simon Allard (+1) scored his fourth goal of the year in Quebec's 6-2 win over Val-d'Or. After ripping off 12 points through his first eight games, the 6'2 forward now has two points in his last seven. Also from the Q, Luke Adam and T.J. Brennan were both +1 as Montreal lost to Rouyn-Noranda, 2-1. Brennan has gone four games without a point and is down from his 41-point pace of the past two seasons, but his plus/minus ratio is at +7 after finishing a combined -23 over the same two-year span. In OHL action, Nick Crawford was +2 as the stout Saginaw defense held John Tavares in check all evening en route to a 5-1 win over Oshawa. The consensus #1 pick next June, Tavares entered the night with 14 goals and 26 points in 15 games played, but failed to notch a point for just the third time all season. Drew Schiestel was even as Niagara defeated Barrie, 3-2. The win was the first raod victory for the Dogs this season. The WHL's Tyler Myers had an assist as Kelowna defeated Lethbridge 4-3. The towering rearguard also picked up a roughing minor after a disagreement with 6'2, 200-pound Mitch Versteeg. In the WCHA, Brad Eidsness held a 2-0 after 40:00, but #18 North Dakota collapsed by surrendering three goals in the first 2:17 of the third period in a 5-2 loss to Wisonsin. The freshman made 27 saves while giving up four goals off a pair of point-shot redirects, a two-on-one, and a turnover breakway. Corey Fienhage had two minor penalties for the Sioux (including one for roughing) in the loss. In Burlington, Drew MacKenzie was even as #14 Vermont got their lunch handed to them by #3 Boston University, 7-2. Alex Biega (-2) posted four shots on goal as Harvard dropped a 4-1 exhibition loss to the USA Under-18 Team. We noted earlier that Justin Jokinen was a healthy scratch in #12 Mankato's Saturday night battle with #5 Minnesota. His replacement on the evening, Mike Louwerse, had two goals for the Mavericks in their 6-3 loss to the Gophers. Also from the DNP file, Nick Eno (ankle) didn't dress in Bowling Green's 5-2 loss to UNO, while Corey Tropp (mono) remained out of the lineup for #11 Michigan State in their 2-2 tie with Western Michigan.

Jokinen scratched

Minnesota State freshman Justin Jokinen has been made a healthy scratch for tonight's rematch with the Gophers as part of the State of Minnesota Hockey Showcase being played at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Jokinen has one goal in five games for Mankato, and has been seeing fourth line duty of late.

Persson ups average in loss

On Saturday, Dennis Persson (-1) skated on Timra's third pair, seeing 16:34 of action in their 5-1 loss to Lulea. Fellow rearguards Kimmo Lotvonen and Par Styf remained out of the lineup due to injury, causing Persson to see a bump in time. Even if Persson, 20, is being relegated to bottom pair minutes, it's still much better than the limited SEL time he saw last season with Djurgardens before being loaned to tier II Nykoping. In 18 games, he's scored two points while averaging 15:26 worth of shifts after a 2007-08 season that saw him average of just 7:22 a night in 21 games. The Swede will next take the ice on Monday when the Eagles skate against Linkopings.

10/31 Recap: Schiestel nets assist trick; Eidsness treats Sioux to W

Drew Schiestel (-1) had three assists as Niagara came up short in a wild 9-7 loss at Sudbury. At one point trailing 7-1, the Dogs clawed their way to respectability with a six-goal third period before Eric O'Dell (ANA) slammed the door with a late power play goal. Marcus Foligno ('09) bagged a pair of goals for the Wolves. In Grand Forks, Brad Eidsness made 20 saves for his second win of the season as North Dakota defeated Wisconsin, 3-2. The freshman was very sharp between the pipes, and likely earned the start when the two clubs play it back on Saturday. Filling in for the injured Joe Finley (WAS), the Sioux's Corey Fienhage (-1) committed a turnover below his own goal line that allowed Derek Stepan (NYR) to score the first goal of the game. Andrew Orpik had an assist as #2 Boston College defeated Merrimack, 4-3 in overtime. Working on the power play, Orpik hooked up with Paul Carey (COL) to get the Eagles first goal of the night. In a WCHA rivalry game, Justin Jokinen was +1 as #11 Minnesota State played to a 3-3 tie with #5 Minnesota. The game featured 22 penalties between the two clubs. Alex Biega (2 PIM) had five shots on goal as Harvard opened the regular season with a 4-1 win over Dartmouth. From the CCHA, Nick Eno (ankle) did not dress in Bowling Green's 3-2 win over Nebraska-Omaha, while Corey Tropp (mono) remained out as #12 Michigan State defeated Western Michigan, 3-1. In the QMJHL, J.S. Allard assisted on a Mikhail Stefanovich (TOR) goal in Quebec's 3-1 loss to Rouyn-Noranda. The second period helper breaks a five-game point scoring drought for the 2007 fifth rounder. T.J. Brennan (-1) and Luke Adam (-2) were both held off the scoresheet as Montreal got spanked by lowly Val-d'Or, 6-2. The Juniors move to 9-8 on the year, while the last-place Foreurs gained their second victory of the season. Paul Byron was -1 as Gatineau fell to Acadie-Bathurst, 5-3. The loss pushes the Olympiques losing streak to eight with roster moves seeming imminent. Out west, Tyler Ennis (-1) had an assist in Medicine Hat's 4-2 loss to Kootenay. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla (4 SOG) saw his four-game point streak snapped in Cologne's 4-3 shootout loss to Straubing. Gogulla saw his number called as the second Sharks shooter, but saw his attempt stopped by former Senator and Bruin, Mike Bales.