12/29-30 Recap: Trio drops three; Run ends for Byron

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had two goals including the game winner plus an assist as Cologne edged defending champion Berlin, 5-4. The goals give the 6'2 left wing a total of 11 in 31 games, a mark equaling his entire 2007-08 output in 51 games.

Luke Adam (5 SOG)had a goal and two assists, while T.J. Brennan (-2, 5 SOG) added a goal and an assist in Montreal's 5-3 loss to the Q's top club, Drummondville. The Juniors (20-17-1-0) held a 1-0 lead entering the third period before the five-goal onslaught by the Voltigeurs (31-4-0-2).

Jacob Lagacé had two goals and an assist for Chicoutimi in their 7-5 loss at Shawinigan. The '08 fifth rounder also posted eight shots on goal while blocking six to earn the game's #3 star.

J.S. Allard took warm-ups but did not play due to a flu bug as Quebec blasted Baie-Comeau, 10-1.

Jordon Southorn was -1 as PEI defeated Halifax, 2-1. LW Benjamin Casavant, a 6'1, 210-pound '07 eligible, scored his 18th goal and 39th point of the season for the Rocket while registering six hits.

Rounding out the Q action, Paul Byron (-1) had an assist as Gatineau defeated Lewiston for the second straight by an identical 5-4 score.

The night before, Byron was limited to one shot on goal as the Piques took the first of two in Lewiston. The statistical shutout ended Byron's 19-game point streak that at one point launched him into the top-10 in scoring. He currently sits 11th with an even 50 points (13+37).

Also from Tuesday, Nick Crawford scored a late for Saginaw in their 4-2 loss to London. After a puck caromed off his skate into his own goal earlier, Crawford hit on a blast from the point late in the third period. With the goal, his third of the season, the 6'1 defender now has 22 points in 33 games for the second-place Spirit after scoring 20 all of last season.

Dressed as an extra defenseman, Dennis Persson walked into 4:55 of third period ice time as Timra lost to Frolunda, 2-1. Persson sat idle before Eagles bench boss Charles Berglund benched Eric Moe following two periods of poor play.

Justin Jokinen was scratched as Minnesota State lost at Yale, 3-2.

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Ennis stays on sheet in win over Germans; Canada-USA next

Tyler Ennis had an assist and three shots on goal as Canada cruised to a 5-1 win over Germany on Monday. Ennis was in on Zach Boychuk's power play tally to open scoring at 7:21 of the first period. The bigger German club played physical and kept a good pace in both ends while holding Canada to a 2-1 lead after 40:00.

Tyler Myers played well for Canada despite being on the ice when David Wolf's tip from the slot resulted in the only German goal. He had a few good outs, protected his crease after the whistle, and showed some aggression after Denis Reul checked Angelo Esposito from behind with a little over 7:00 to go. Statistically, he was even with a shot on goal.

The win sets the stage for Wednesday's prime time match-up between Canada and The United States. Both teams are 3-0 with the U.S. coming off a 12-0 blanking of Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, is anyone wondering if P.K. Subban (MTL) should have been called for goalie interference on his end-to-end run when Evander Kane ('09) made it 3-1?

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Grags and Zags show up in loss

Marc-Andre Gragnani scored a goal and assist and Marek Zagrapan had a goal as Portland lost to Worcester, 3-2. The pair were the only Pirates in the "plus" column (+1).

While on a two-man advantage, Gragnani whistled a shot past Taylor Dakers to tie the game 1-1 with less than a minute to go in the second period.

Zagrapan scored his eighth of the year when he entered the zone, skated through a hit, then deked the goalie before slipping the puck into the open goal.

The Rundown:
Gragnani: 1G, 1A, +1
Zagrapan: 1G, +1
Mancari: 1A
Kennedy: 2 SOG
Hunter: -2, 2 PIM
Kostka: 4 SOG
Whitmore: 1 SOG
Schutz: 1 SOG
Weber: 1 SOG
Enroth: 31 saves, L

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Cepis a Terrier?

Following up on a story from a little over a week ago, whispers suggest that former Bowling Green forward Jake Cepis is likely headed to Boston University. We haven't seen any media confirmation, but whispers are that he's committing there instead of WCHA programs Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Cepis was invited to the Sabres summer development camp after a 31-point freshman campaign landed him on the CCHA All-Rookie Team with teammate and Sabres goalie prospect Nick Eno. He was limited to a goal and four assists in 18 games before departing.

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Pair scores as Nats roll; Lazorenko says size doesn't matter

Tyler Ennis scored his second goal of the tournament to go along with two assists as Canada destroyed Kazakhstan at the World Junior Championships, 15-0. Ennis' linemate Jamie Benn notched a hat trick to lead all scorers. Canada scored eight times on the power play, helping push their two-game goal total to 23.

Defenseman Tyler Myers scored Canada's final goal on the power play, and is sure to take some heat for getting dumped in a corner by Kazakh stumper, Mikhail Lazorenko. Carrying the puck beneath his goal line to his goalie's left, the 6'7 Myers went to spin back towards his net and was met by a thundering check of the 5'4 forechecker that not only sent him down on his duff, but also knocked him clean off the puck.



Hey, hits happen.

Worth noting is the inspired early effort by exhausted Kazakhstan netminder Andrei Yankov, who showed good reflexes and a sharp glove while stopping 35 of 44 shots over two periods of play.

Canada moves on to face Germany on Monday.

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Pirates open up a can on Worcester

Portland erupted for a Sunday touchdown in their 7-1 drubbing of Worcester in the front end of a home-and-home with the Sharks. Dylan Hunter had a goal and two assists for the Pirates, while Jhonas Enroth made 32 saves to earn his 11th win of the season.

Derek Whitmore chipped in with two assists, while Marek Zagrapan, Felix Schutz, and Marc-Andre Gragnani all registered single helpers in the win.

Tim Kennedy did not make it back to Portland in time after being returned by Buffalo earlier in the day.

The Rundown:
Hunter: 1G, 2A, +4
Whitmore: 2A, +3
Zagrapan: 1A, +1
Schutz: 1A
Gragnani: 1A, +1
Weber: +2
Kostka: 2 SOG
Mancari: +1, 4 SOG
Enroth: 32 saves, W

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12/28 Recap: Allard repeats; Southorn climbing

For the second straight night, J.S. Allard set-up Mikhail Stefanovich for a game winning goal in the third period as Quebec downed Chicouitimi, 3-2. Jacob Lagacé had two shots on goal for the Sags in defeat, ending his four-game point streak.

Jordon Southorn (-1) picked up another assist as PEI lost to Cape Breton, 4-2. The 6'2 defender now has points in three straight games, and his total of 29 ranks him ninth in Q defensive scoring.

Luke Adam had an assist, four blocks, and won seven of 11 draws, while T.J. Brennan was +1 in Montreal's 4-1 win over Victoriaville. Adam has 15 goals and 16 assists in 31 games, and was a strong second half player last season in St. John's.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford was +2 as Saginaw clobbered Sault Ste. Marie, 8-3. The Sabres sixth rounder in 2008 has two goals and 21 points this season for the Spirit.

In the Great Lakes Invitational final, Corey Tropp finished -2 as Michigan State ran out of gas against Michigan, 5-1.

In the consolation game, Brad Eidsness made 18 saves as North Dakota lost to Michigan Tech, 2-1. It's not easy to hang anything on goaltending when there is a lack of goal support in front of him. Corey Fienhage was again a scratch for the Sioux.

Playing for third place at the Badger Showdown, Alex Biega was -2 as Harvard fell to Alabama-Huntsville, 4-1.

Philip Gogulla (-1) had a primary assist in Cologne's 4-3 loss to Straubing. Gogulla found a wide open Alexej Dmitriev in front of the net for a first period goal to give the Sharks an early 2-0 lead.

Dennis Persson again suited up but did not see any ice in Timra's 1-1 tie with Linkoping.

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Kennedy goes back down

A night after a successful NHL debut in the Sabres 4-3 shootout win over the hapless Islanders, rookie Tim Kennedy is heading back to Portland of the AHL. He skated for 11:04, registered a shot on goal, went hard around the net, and drew a penalty. It's expected he'll be in Portland in time for their Sunday 4:00 meeting with Worcester.

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Mancari, Zagrapan score as Pirates come up short

Mark Mancari and Marek Zagrapan scored for Portland in their 3-2 loss to Manchester. The goals brought the Pirates back after trailing 2-0, but the Monarchs secured the W with a Scott Parse tally with less than 4:00 to play.

Portland was playing without Tim Kennedy, Chris Butler, and Nathan Gerbe (IR) who are all up with Buffalo.

Mancari pounded a one-timer while on a 5-3 advantage with help from Felix Schutz and Marc-Andre Gragnani before executing a nice give-and-go with Zagrapan for the other Portland goal.

Jhonas Enroth made 29 saves to move to 10-5-2 on the year.

The Rundown:
Mancari: 1G, 1A, 3 SOG
Zagrapan: 1G, -1, 4 SOG
Schutz: 1A
Gragnani: 1A, -1, 3 SOG
Kostka: -1
Whitmore: 3 SOG
Weber: -2
Hunter: -1
Enroth: 29 saves

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12/27 Recap: Tropp sets up win; Biega dazzles in defeat

At the Badger Showdown in Madison, Alex Biega factored in on both Crimson marks with a goal and an assist as Harvard lost to Lake Superior State, 6-2. Biega took a loose puck from his blue all the way home for an impressive first period goal, his second of the year, then later earned a helper after his point shot rebound was cashed in by Daniel Moriarty. Harvard will square off with Alabama-Huntsville for third-place.

At the Great Lakes Invitational in Detroit, Corey Tropp had two assists as Michigan State played their best game of the season, ending their 11-game winless streak with a 2-1 win over North Dakota. Brad Eidsness took the loss for the Sioux, making 28 saves.

Tropp made a nice play with the puck on the second Spartans goal, drawing Eidsness out of range before sliding it to Matt Schepke for his second goal of the game. Freshman rearguard Corey Fienhage did not dress for North Dakota. The MSU win sets up a title clash with rival Michigan, while the Sioux will face Michigan Tech in the consolation game.

In QMJHL action, Paul Byron (+1) had an assist in Gatineau's 4-2 win over Rouyn-Noranda. The helper extends his current streak to 19 games with a point, the longest active run in the league.

Jacob Lagacé had three assists as Chicoutimi smoked Rimouski, 8-2. The output puts the 5'11 forward back on a point-per-game pace with a total of 32 on the season.

J.S. Allard (+1) set-up the game winning goal with :19 to play as Quebec defeated Baie-Comeau, 3-2. Allard is the Remparts 7th leading scorer with 25 points, and is still looking for his first goal since November 23rd.

In an Atlantic Division match-up, Jordon Southorn (+2) had a power play assist as PEI defeated second place Cape Breton, 7-4. Joel Champagne had a goal and three assists for the Rocket in his first game after being traded from Chicoutimi earlier in the week. The win snaps PEI's five-game losing streak.

Luke Adam finished -2 and was overmatched at the dot (6-10) as Montreal fell to Shawinigan, 5-1. The subject of Q trade whispers, defenseman T.J. Brennan was even for the Juniors as the Cataractes win the first game in their new barn.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford (-2) returned from a shoulder ding, posting an assist in Saginaw's 4-3 loss to Plymouth. The Spirit (20-12-0-2) have now lost three straight.

On Friday, Philip Gogulla was -1 in Cologne's 3-2 overtime loss to Iserlohn.

Dennis Persson did not get a shift in Timra's 3-1 loss to Skelleftea on Friday.

React:

Kennedy called up

Word in the email is that Tim Kennedy has his bags packed and is on his way to Buffalo. Guessing he replaces an injured Vanek. More to come.

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Ennis with two points, Myers steady in win; Vincour makes the list

Tyler Ennis scored a goal and an assist as Canada opened their quest for a fifth consecutive WJC gold medal with a 8-1 trouncing of the Czech Republic. I'm not going to go into details about John Tavares, Cody Hodgson, and Zach Boychuk, but they all played great games.

Ennis scored the fifth goal for Team Canada in their dominant second period when he buried a Brett Sonne chip from behind the net. Ennis started the play by winning a one-on-one along the boards to get the puck deep to Sonne's area behind the Czech cage. He'd later add an assist when he dropped a loose puck right onto the stick of DiDomenico to make it 6-0. Earlier on that shift, he showed great deftness in transition, taking the puck on his backhand and quickly cradling it through his legs to his forehand in the neutral zone before dishing it off.

The Edmonton-born winger started the game well on a 5-4 PP in the first. Along with Jamie Benn and Chris DiDomenico, the trio twice set-up a streaking DiDo for two of the better chances in the period. His quick feet were on display all evening, allowing him to both shoot into the zone with the puck where he gets toe-drag wristers off quickly, and to also close quickly defensively to create pressure on the opposing carrier. Ennis also had a Bobby Orr crease dive late when he cut into the middle and was tripped up by the goalie as his attempt was stopped.

Tyler Myers was calm and smooth on the right side for Canada, using a good first step to get out of traffic where he could use the boards to clear the zone or make a good first pass. That's his game. At 6'7, he seals lanes, blocks shots, and breaks plays up with his long reach - I counted at least three (one up high and two down low).

His best play of the evening was a 2-1 break-up when, angling his way from right to left, he dropped to his belly and swiped the puck away from the RW who was about to saucer one over.

One Czech that I watched closely throughout was 2009 draft eligible Tomas Vincour. I've seen the 6'2, 210-pound right wing play with little high-end talent around him this season for the Edmonton of the WHL, so the more mature tourney competition should offer a better gauge of his impact. Entering the tourney, he is 13-15-28 in 35 games for the Oil Kings and has been a dominant figure at times. He missed a few games prior to leaving for Ottawa after getting jammed from behind in a game on December 6th.

A fluid mover for a big guy (lots of arm in his stride), the WHLer naturally was not the least bit shy about using his frame to his advantage as he got pucks deep. He finishes his checks with authority (at least three good bumps), and while not being the most dazzling puck handler, has very good hands around the net and a gets nice velocity on his slapper.

Much like Luke Adam (they do resemble each other on the ice), he has the frame and bullish mentality to get where he needs to go down low, with and without the puck, with his stick on the ice.

From the outside, he can carry the puck into the zone, and excel along the boards where he can lean on defenders. He loves contact. He could wear guys down on the cycle, but has a skill game that pays off in open space. He's not a PK guy, but he has the size and skill set to complement a small, speedy forward crop. It'll be nice to see him progress as he gains more chemistry with his linemates as the tourney wears on.

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Eno almost a go

The Sentinel-Tribune (Bowling Green, OH) offered an injury update on Falcon goaltender Nick Eno, who has yet to see action in 2008-09 due to a high ankle sprain.

“That was the worst thing about getting hurt. — I felt like I was playing the best hockey I’'ve ever played,” said Eno, a member of the CCHA’'s all-rookie team last season.
BG, per NCAA rules, started it's official practices Oct. 1, but Eno was hurt during one of it's unofficial practices organized by the players.
Eno was working on rebound control and had several of his teammates firing pucks at him from close range. He was down on the ice in his butterfly and reached across his body to his left/glove side to make a save and felt his left ankle pop.
“I didn'’t know what it was at first. Then I stood up on it and kept playing for a little bit and it kept hurting,” Eno said.
He eventually was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain that usually takes longer to heal than the traditional ankle sprain. Eno was able to walk and ride the stationary bike, but the high ankle sprain made it hard for him to go up and down and move side to side.
He reinjured the ankle Oct. 22 near the end of practice and that led to the diagnosis of the high ankle sprain.
He finally was held out of all workouts and the ankle was placed in a protective boot for a month. He was cleared to start practicing Dec. 1.
“You go on the ice one day and it feels good and you go out the next day and it kills you,” Eno said, adding the injury was the first time he had ever been hurt. “You just need time and patience to recover.”
Eno is in great physical shape and now his challenge is to return to hockey and goaltending shape. His last game action was March 15.
“It’'s just a matter of me getting my muscles used to skating again and playing hockey again, and doing the things a goalie has to do in a game,” he said. “It’'s been tough, but it’'s awesome to be back on the ice.
“I'’ve had a soreness after I skate, but I haven'’t had the pain in the ankles. The only pain I feel is the soreness of the muscles that I haven'’t used for a while, and I’ll only get used to it by having the practices and games.”

Expect to see the Howell, MI native in the BGSU crease the weekend of January 9-10 when the Falcons host Ohio State.

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Brushing up on the Twin Tylers

Let's burn some time while waiting for the puck to drop on the annual extravaganza that is the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships.

These types of articles are always interesting.

Meet your 2008 Canadian junior team

Tyler Ennis
Hometown: Edmonton
Date of birth: Oct. 6, 1989
Vital statistics: 5-8, 165 pounds
Shoots: Left
2008-09 team: Medicine Hat (WHL)
NHL draft: Buffalo, 2008 (first, 26th)
What you need to know: He went undrafted in 2004 WHL Bantam Draft before being listed by the Medicine Hat Tigers. The most embarrassing song on his iPod is mmmBop by Hanson. His favourite video game is Guitar Hero.

I'm not entirely sure how much time Ennis has had to rock out on Guitar Hero. At the combine and draft in June...at the Sabres Development Camp in July, then off to Ottawa for the Canadian Evaluation Camp...to Medicine Hat in August, then back to Buffalo's camp in September. Reasonably tired, it took him a little while to get clicking in the WHL, before heading back to Ottawa a couple of weeks ago where he's remained with Team Canada. We're thinking he's gotten more use out of his iPod.

We'll cut the dazzler some slack for Hanson given that most iPods these days will hold in excess in 800 songs or more, and because anyone who has seen Slap Shot can tell you that Hanson is a great hockey name. Heck, I know for a fact that a scan of my own gadget will generate a swift defense of how a song landed there. Remember, Anne Murray is from Canada, and so is hockey...

Tyler Myers
Hometown: Calgary
Date of birth: Feb. 1, 1990
Vital statistics: 6-7, 213 pounds
Shoots: Right
2008-09 team: Kelowna (WHL)
NHL draft: Buffalo, 2008 (first, 12th)
What you need to know: He won a bronze medal with Team Alberta at the 2007 Canada Winter Games. His father, Paul Myers III, played for Lehigh University, and his grandfather, Paul Myers II, played for Colgate University.

Nothing too revealing here, but Upstate New Yorkers can make another slight connection with Myers. Colgate, a small ECAC school in central New York, has produced current NHL players Andy MacDonald, Jesse Winchester, and Cory Murphy, as well as a former goalie who yours truly used to regularly burn while breaking windows in the family breezeway.

Myers was born the day after the Sabres defeated Michel Bergeron's last-place Quebec Nordiques on back-to-back nights, 5-2 and 6-3.

Buffalo made the 12th pick in the draft only once before. That came in 1973 when they selected Morris Titanic out of Sudbury in the OHA. Titanic, who also played with the Niagara Falls Flyers in the O, played 19 games over parts of two seasons before moving on to coach NHLers Bob Beers and Todd Krygier with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the 1980's.

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A holiday note from Kris

Seasons Greetings!

I wanted to take a moment to wish all visitors a wonderful holiday season with their family and friends. Spoil those children with sticks and pucks!

With the schedule bare, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank everyone for reading, commenting, and suggesting new things as I try to make this site as resourceful as possible. Hockey fans are great people, but Sabres fans have proven to be a unique pack of passionate, educated folks who give a hack like me a reason, and more importantly, great enjoyment when poking around for the latest happenings on the future of the team. I appreciate you stopping by.

- Kris

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12/21-23 Recap: Buravchikov scores; Enroth with big night

Holiday catch-up.

Vjacheslav Buravchikov scored a goal for Kazan in their 6-1 trouncing of Spartak Moscow on Tuesday. The goal was Buravchikov's second of the season and his sixth point to go along with a +1 in 29 games for the KHL's third place club. Kazan will wrap up their two-game Moscow swing with a Christmas day game with CSKA.

In Tuesday DEL play, Philip Gogulla had three shots on goal in Cologne's 4-3 loss to Hamburg. Two of his best chances came midway through the third when Cologne started applying some late-game heat. Former Sabre Andy Delmore scored the overtime winner for the Freezers.

On Sunday, Gogulla (2PIM) had two shots on goal in their 3-2 OT loss to Ingolstadt.

Also on Sunday, the Pirates earned their first back-to-back wins since their eight-game winning streak ended on November 19th with a 3-2 victory over Worcester. Jhonas Enroth lead the charge with a season-high 41 saves, while Marek Zagrapan scored his third game-winning goal of the season. Mark Mancari added a pair of helpers for Portland to hit the 30 point plateau on the season.

With Chris Butler earning praise from the Sabres coaching staff while on recall, Mike Weber finshed +3 while getting an assist for his third point in the last eight games.

The Rundown:
Zagrapan: GWG, +3, 4 SOG
Mancari: 2A, +2
Kennedy: 1A, +2, 3 SOG
Hunter: 1A
Weber: 1A, +3, 2 PIM
Schutz: +1
Gragnani: -1
Kostka: -1
Whitmore: 1 SOG
Enroth: 41 saves, W

React:

Ennis ready, Myers out as Canada rolls

In a third and final tune-up for the World Junior Championships, Tyler Ennis had a pair of assists for Canada in their 7-0 drubbing of Slovakia. Ennis formed a speedy, all-WHL line with Brett Sonne and Jamie Benn after skating the previous two games with John Tavares and Angelo Esposito at center. He again made some nice moves to get shots off, and used his skating to create plays without the puck.

Tyler Myers did not dress for Team Canada. Info is tight, but it's possible that the defenseman banged up his knee again, as we did not see much if any of him in the third period on Sunday. Myers' knee hit hard into the boards during a selection camp scrimmage on December 13th, causing him to leave the ice. Until stated otherwise, expect him to be in uniform on the 26th when Canada takes on the Czech Republic.

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Myers growing for gold

Monday's Calgary Herald had a short preview on 6'7 Tyler Myers and his quest to win WJC gold for Team Canada.

"Every time we weigh and take the height of our guys, Tyler always seems to get bigger," said a laughing Rockets head coach Ryan Huska, who has known Myers since he joined his Western Hockey League club at age 15. "There was a point last year when he'd had his height taken again and he got mad because he grew a little more.

"He wanted to stop growing; he said, 'I'm tall enough. That's enough.'"

But besides buying pants and driving go-karts, Myers' height hasn't been a total hindrance.

Most recently, the Calgarian's size and ability got him noticed and he was selected to patrol Canada's blueline for Pat Quinn's gang at the world junior championship, which starts on Boxing Day in Ottawa.

While he's been Kelowna's "everything" man -- playing upwards of 30 minutes per game on the power play, killing penalties, and being a leader on the team's back end--Myers is expected to be a physical presence when paired with six-foot-six 2007 Calgary Flames draft pick Keith Aulie.

But Huska said it's Myers' skating ability that puts him with the elite.

"For a guy that's as big as Tyler is, I think one of his biggest and best strengths is his skating ability,"he said. "He skates very well for a big man."

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Canada owns third period, wins 7-3

The quick pace from the second half of the second period immediately carried over into the third.

Just over a minute in, Jesse Jyrkkio's slapper got past Dustin Tokarski to lock the game, 3-3. The puck may have deflected off of Alex Pietrangelo on its way in.

On the following shift, Brett Sonne kept the puck deep and it was jammed home by Tyler Ennis who was camped at the left side, but referee Dave Lewis lost sight and blew the play dead.

At 3:51, Canada took the lead back for real when the rebound of a Thomas Hickey wrister bounced off Stefan Della Rovere to make it 4-3. Della Rovere would later earn a misconduct after conducting some unnecessary business with the Finnish bench.

John Tavares took a backdoor pass on a 5-3 advantage to make it 5-3 Canada at 6:48. Ryan Ellis slowed the play up, drew his man out, and got the puck down to Hodgson who picked up his third point of the night with the assist. A 10:00 misconduct on Colten Teunert thrust Ellis into some regular shifts on the Canadian blueline.

In the remaining PP time, Ennis used his speed and passing skills to work with Zach Boychuk on a few nice opportunities before Finland returned to full strength. Ennis was very good all night for Canada, looking like one of Canada's more viable spark plugs whenever he got the puck.

Jamie Benn and Jordan Eberle would go on to score goals :09 apart as Canada gained total control. Through all of it, Finnish goalie Juha Metsola had a decent third period after an average start.

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Canada 3 , Finland 2 after two

Late getting this one going tonight, but I was able to watch the entire second period of Canada's exhibition with Finland, with the third period forthcoming. The first few minutes had a slow feel to it, as the Fins played a tight defensive zone. At about the halfway point, goals and hits opened the game up some.

Tyler Ennis scored after a nice play by Cody Hodgson for Canada's goal in the opening period as the two teams entered the second frame tied 1-1.

Tyler Myers looked very solid in the period. When he gets the puck, he skates it up fluidly against the plugged Finnish zone. Again, we marvel at this skating ability. Crisp starts and stops, gliding in and out of his end. Defensively, he quickly collects pucks and advances it up ice. I saw his efforts lead to two scoring opportunities against Finnish tender Juha Metsola.

Scoring in the period opened when Tomi Sallinen scored down low on Dustin Tokarski to give Finland a 2-1 lead.

Minutes later, the line of Jordan Eberle-Cody Hodgson-Zach Boychuk connected with a nice rush resulting in the big-bodied Hodgson burying a Boychuk rebound for a 2-2 tie.

Minutes after that, Brett Sonne pounced on a Stefan Della Rovere wraparound to give Canada the 3-2 lead.

React:

Ennis moving as Quinn shuffles deck

With Dana Tyrell falling to knee injury in Friday's win over Sweden, Team Canada coach Pat Quinn will be trying different line combos when his Nats take an exhibition skate with Finland on Sunday.

Left wing Tyler Ennis was originally placed opposite Tyrell with #1 center John Tavares down the middle, with the thought that the banging Tyrell would create space for his offensive mates to create. Ennis will get a different look on Sunday.

As a result of Tyrell's absence at Saturday's practice, Quinn will have to juggle the lines for Sunday's game with Finland. Chris DiDomenico will move up with Tavares and Jamie Benn, Brett Sonne will play with Angelo Esposito and Tyler Ennis, while defenceman P.K. Subban could see some time on the wing with Stefan Della Rovere and Patrice Cormier. The Hodgson line, with Jordan Eberle, and Zach Boychuk will remain intact.

It's interesting that P.K. Subban is being penciled in as a potential wing. Remember, Team Canada carried an extra defensemen in power play specialist Ryan Ellis as opposed to a spare forward. Still, Canada has enough fire in their top three lines to shoulder most of the load. They lost a chunk of tenacity in Tyrell though, and one should wonder what they'll do to replace it.

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Pirates double up Providence

Dylan Hunter scored his first goal of the season and added an assist as Portland defeated Providence, 4-2. Marek Zagrapan added two assists on plays where he simply threw the puck towards the net for his third multi-point game of the season, while Derek Whitmore scored his fourth goal and dropped the gloves in the win. Felix Schutz had an assist for his first point in four games.

Mark Mancari (-1) had a game-high nine shots on goal, but did not score. After a ten-game point streak that wrapped around his NHL call-up, the Pirates leading scorer has just one assist in his last five games. Portland's second leading scorer, Tim Kennedy, has no points in the same five-game stretch.

Jhonas Enroth had to make just 18 saves to earn his ninth win of the season.

The Rundown:

Hunter: 1G, 1A, +2
Whitmore: 1G, +1, 3 SOG
Zagrapan: 2A
Schutz: 1A, +1
Weber: +2
Kennedy: 2 SOG
Mancari: -1, 9 SOG
Gragnani: even
Kostka: -1
Enroth: 18 saves, W

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12/19 Recap: Byron stays hot; Butler solid in debut

Chris Butler scored his first NHL point and was +2 as Buffalo shutout Los Angeles, 5-0. The DU product logged 12:16 of time in first appearance in the bigs, playing solid on the man, and making conservative plays with the puck. Lindy Ruff managed the rookie well, keeping shifts short while allowing him to ease his way into the speed and level of things. The assist came when his low wrister from the point escaped through Jason LaBarbara's legs, and was punched home by Adam Mair to make it 2-0.

Prior to the game, "Buts" tasted a few mics in the Sabres locker room.



In a WJC tune-up in Toronto, Tyler Ennis skated on the top line with John Tavares and Dana Tyrell in Canada's 4-2 win over Sweden. The unit generated chances throughout, with Ennis leaving room to develop more chemistry with his new mates. Tyrell injured his leg after an attempted hit on Viktor Hedman, so we'll have to wait and see what this does to the Canadian lines moving forward. Tyler Myers had a solid outing while paired with 6'6 Keith Aulie on the towering shutdown combo.

In the QMJHL, Paul Byron (+3) had a four assist night as Gatineau defeated Montreal, 5-3. With the effort, the blazing Ottawa native owns the longest current point streak in the QMJHL with 10 goals and 25 assists over his past 18 games. He is now ranked 8th in QMJHL scoring after a slow start that saw him compile three goals and ten assists in his first 14 games. Luke Adam scored his 15th of the year for the Juniors, while T.J. Brennan had a pair of assists.

Jordon Southorn scored a goal and two assists as PEI was handled by Drummondville, 11-7. The Rocket, who at one point had a 4-0 lead in the first period, dropped their fifth game in a row, while the Volts forged their 17th straight victory.

J.S. Allard was +1 as Quebec whipped Rimouski, 7-1. The Remparts broke the game open in the second period with three goals in :18, while Allard has just one assist in his last seven games and hasn't scored a goal since his November 23rd game-winner.

Chicoutimi's Jacob Lagacé (+2) scored an empty netter as the Sags ended their four-game skid with a 4-1 win over Baie-Comeau. The goal was the 15th of the year for Lagacé.

Drew Schiestel posted an assist in Niagara's 4-3 loss to Sudbury. The Dogs fell victim to a Jared Staal goal in the final minute for their sixth consecutive loss.

Nick Crawford (shoulder) did not dress for Saginaw in their 4-2 loss to Windsor. The tail end of the home-and-home featured six fights, including a goalie tilt at center ice.

In exhibition play, Brad Eidsness made 10 saves in split duty as North Dakota defeated the U.S. NTDP U-18, 5-2. Eidsness played the first half of the contest, getting beaten on a nice play for the first goal against, while not being to squeeze a puck in his glove for the second U18 tally. Corey Fienhage dressed for the Sioux, finishing -1 with his requisite roughing minor.

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla was -1 as Cologne lost a tight one to Augsburger, 1-0.

Portland's AHL game with Worcester was canceled due to inclement weather in New England.

React:

Dev camp invitee Cepis quits Falcons

Jacob Cepis, a participant in the Sabres summer conditioning camp, has decided to leave the Bowling Green hockey team for unspecified reasons. Entering the CCHA last season in the same class as Nick Eno, the talented sophomore is expected to re-emerge on the hockey radar sooner rather than later, as this does not appear to be a bizarre situation comparable to Stefan Legien's retirement from the OHL. As suggested, an out-of-conference transfer may be in the air.

Cepis has played left wing most of his career at BG, but was moved to center last Saturday against Notre Dame.
“It’s one of those things that if you’re not happy, the game isn’t fun for you,” Cepis said. “At a certain point, you have to say it wasn’t the right fit. That’s the bottom line.”
The Falcons are 5-10-3 overall and 4-7-1-0 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association entering this weekend’s series against Clarkson (2-8-4). Faceoff is 7:05 Friday night and 5:05 Saturday night.
“It’s a bummer,” BG sophomore goalie Nick Eno said. “He’s a big part of our team. But we have to move on and, hopefully, it’ll the bring the guys a little bit tighter. The guys are going to be down a little bit, but it’ll help us out in the end. Guys will be stepping up more to fill his shoes.”

More to come on this.

React:

12/17-18 Recap: Adam excels; Southy making strides

Luke Adam earned top star honors with a goal and an assist as Montreal pulled away with two goals in the final 6:00 in their 4-2 win over Rimouski.

Centering the top line with Angelo Esposito away with Team Canada, the 6'2, 203-pounder also blocked five shots and won eight of 11 draws while building his current three-game point streak (3+3). T.J. Brennan assisted on Adam's 14th to open scoring for his 18th point of the season.

Jordon Southorn (-1, 4 PIM) fired three more shots and another hit to raise his Top-10 Q totals as PEI was shutout by Victoriaville, 2-0. The recent spike at both ends also has him tied for 11th in Q defensemen scoring with 24 points.

On Wednesday, J.S. Allard registered a game-best seven shots on goal, yet did not factor in on any goals as Quebec downed PEI, 2-0. Southorn (2PIM) had three shots on goal while adding two hits in the Rocket loss.

Drew Schiestel was +1 for Niagara in their 3-2 loss to Belleville. The "plus" outing was his first such effort after ending as a minus in five of his last six games.

In international exhibition play, Philip Gogulla played even as Germany lost to Switzerland, 2-1. The two clubs met as a precursor to Germany's participation in February's Olympic qualifier with Slovenia, Austria, and Japan.

React:

Butler to Buffalo; Gerbe on IR

The Sabres have called-up defenseman Chris Butler. In his first pro season after leaving Denver (WCHA) a year early, the St. Louis native is expected to make his NHL debut when the Sabres host the Kings on Friday.

BUFFALO, NY (December 18, 2008) Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have recalled defenseman Chris Butler and forward Matt Ellis from Portland (AHL). In addition, Regier also announced that Nathan Gerbe has been placed on Injured Reserve.

Butler (10/27/1986, 6’1”, 200 lbs.) has 12 points (2+10) and 14 PIMs in 27 games in his first professional season with Portland. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Butler played college hockey with the University of Denver for three years before turning pro. He finished with 66 points (20+46) in 115 games for the Pioneers, with 11 of his 20 goals coming on the power play. Butler was Buffalo’s 4th-round selection (96th overall) in the 2005 Entry Draft.

Nathan Gerbe, who has one point with a +3 in five games with Buffalo, heads to the injured reserve list with an upper body injury.

React:

Ennis, Myers discuss dream gig

Below are a few quick reactions from Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers regarding their earning of roster spots on Team Canada for the 2009 World Junior Championships.

Ennis quote

“I woke up at 6 a.m. and couldn’t fall back asleep,” recounted Ennis. “When the phone rang I was pretty nervous.”
The voice on the other end asked for Ennis’s roommate, defenceman Tyler Cuma who had injured his knee during an intra-squad game at the four-day tryout camp.

Ennis, who later heard the knock at the door, will join 21 other members of the national junior team that now moves base camp to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa for a two-day team bonding session.

After a proper on-ice training camp in Orangeville, Ont., the squad will play Sweden on Friday at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre in preparation for the start of the IIHF under-20 world championship tournament on Boxing Day.

“I’m really excited and can’t wait for things to get underway,” said Ennis. “In Ottawa, in Canada. There’s going to be a lot of things going on and it will be a lot of fun.

“It was nerve-racking, fun and exciting all at the same time.”

Ennis becomes the first Tiger since Kris Russell and Darren Helm two years ago to compete for Canada, and the slippery forward has a stellar outing at the selection camp to thank.

“He performed well,” said Medicine Hat Tigers coach Willie Desjardins, an assistant with Team Canada.

“It’s a tough camp coming in to; you have to perform well. I think he was first or second in scoring (during the intra-squad games), that’s important because they were looking for offence from him.

I can see Ennis skating on a second line centered by Cody Hodgson, but we shall see.


Myers quote

“I think I slept maybe two hours at most,” Myers says. “A bunch of us ordered pizza and watched TSN really late, then my roommate and I (goalie Dustin Tokarski, who also made the team) stayed up until 4:30, just waiting and wondering. We woke up again around seven, and just hoped we’d get the knock on the door instead of the phone call. At about 7:45, we got the knock. It was (captain) Thomas Hickey. He had our suitcases. It was an amazing feeling. It’s just a dream to be part of this team.”

Myers is one of eight Canadian defenseman, forcing the team to only keep 12 forwards. The bucking of the usual 7-13 breakdown is the result of 17-year old Ryan Ellis being kept as a power play specialist.

React:

12/16 Recap: Tropp goes to bat in loss

At Munn, Corey Tropp scored a goal for Michigan State in the Spartans 4-2 exhibition loss to the U.S. NTDP U-18 club. The sophomore swatted a puck out of the air in the third period to create a 2-2 tie before the U18's scored the go-ahead goal with 5:35 remaining. The six-footer also posted a game-best six shots on net.

In the OHL, Nick Crawford finished -1 as Saginaw got tripled up on the road by Windsor, 6-2. The defenseman was on the ice for a first period shortie by Adam Henrique (NJ), sending to Caledon, Ontario native to his ninth game in the minus column for the 20-10-0-2 Spirit. The two clubs will play it back on Friday in Saginaw.

React:

Myers, Ennis make the cut

Congratulations to Sabres prospects Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis for being selected to skate for Team Canada at the U20 World Junior Championships. We'll have more thoughts later.

Goalies:
Chet Pickard, Dustin Tokarski

Defensemen:
Keith Aulie, Ryan Ellis, Cody Goloubef, Thomas Hickey, Tyler Myers, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban, Colten Teubert

Forwards:
Jamie Benn, Zach Boychuk, Patrice Cormier, Stefan Della Rovere, Chris DiDomenico, Jordan Eberle, Tyler Ennis, Angelo Esposito, Cody Hodgson, Brett Sonne, John Tavares, Dana Tyrell

React:

Ennis points again; Sabres duo awaits word

At the Canadian Junior Selection Camp, Tyler Ennis assisted on the only Team White goal in their 3-1 loss to Red. The game was the last of three intrasquad scrimmages in the Ottawa area before 16 players receive their exit passes as the final cut down takes place.

Ennis, who set-up Zach Boychuk for the power play one-timer in the finale, hit the scoresheet in all three contests (1+3), and looks to have made a strong case to glide down the left wing wearing the Maple Leaf when play begins the day after Christmas.

Defenseman Tyler Myers also participated in the camp, and should be considered a strong candidate to remain with the Team following Monday's cuts.

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12/14 Recap: Two in the bag for Byron, Adam, Gogulla

Luke Adam (+2) scored two goals, earning the game's #1 star as the Juniors overcame a three-goal deficit to win their third straight, 6-4 over Chicoutimi. The second rounder won nine of his 12 draws, and contributed two hits and two blocked shots to pace the Juniors. T.J. Brennan (-1) had four shots on goals for the winners, while Jacob Lagacé assisted on a Nicolas Deschamps goal in the opening minute for the Sags.

Paul Byron scored an unassisted shorthanded goal and later chipped in on the game-tying mark in the final minute of play, but Gatineau lost at Victoriaville in the shootout, 3-2. Byron was stopped as the Piques' second shooter, but did raise his career-high point scoring streak to 17 games with his regulation effort.

Jordon Southorn had an assist and three shots on goal in PEI's 3-2 shootout loss to Saint John. With points in five straight, Sothourn himself is amidst a personal best point streak.

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had a goal and an assist as Cologne cruised to a 5-1 win over Wolfsburg. Gogulla, who has needed to be more of a finisher this season, has already scored nine goals in 25 games after netting 11 in all of 2007-08 (51 games). The Sharks move to sole possession of 11th place with the victory.

Drew Schiestel was -1 as Niagara took a beatdown from the Batallion, 9-2.

React:

Pirates drop third in a row

Portland ended a disappointing week with their third straight loss, 3-1 at Albany. Mike Kostka opened scoring with a power play goal, his third of the year, when his point shot was deflected at 5:41 of the first period. Marc-Andre Gragnani drew an assist on the play. Jhonas Enroth gave up two goals on 23 shots in the loss.

The Rundown:
Kostka: 1G
Gragnani: 1A
Butler: 5 SOG
Kennedy: -1, 4 SOG
Schutz: 2 SOG
Mancari: 2 SOG
Zagrapan: 1 SOG
Weber: -1, 4 PIM
Hunter: 2 PIM
Whitmore: even
Enroth: 21 Saves, L

React:

Myers dinged, Ennis effective as selection nears

A night after seeing defensive partner Tyler Cuma (MIN) go down to a knee injury, Tyler Myers and fellow WHL dman Colten Teubert (LAK) found themselves shaking off bumps of their own as Team Red cruised to a 7-2 White at the Canadian Selection camp in Gatineau on Saturday.

Myers, who switched teams after previously skating with White, assisted on a Stefan Della Rovere (WAS) power play goal to open scoring in the first period. Myers later left the ice after bumping his knee hard into the boards, but should be OK for Sunday's finale at 6:00.

After a goal and an assist on Friday, Tyler Ennis of Medicine Hat got back on the sheet with a helper on a very pretty goal by Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith (DET).

Jamie Benn (DAL) and Evander Kane ('09) also potted pairs to lead Red.

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12/13 Recap: Schiestel loving PP; Eidsness wins again

In a sold-out barn in St. Kitts, Drew Schiestel had a pair of assists as Niagara lost to Mississauga, 4-3. Both helpers came on the power play, upping Schiestel's total to 15 assists this season with the man advantage, good for fifth in the O.

The Hamilton native continued to display his superior feet and ability to get the puck to the net, but with a -2 for the third straight game, has sunk to -18 on the season which ranks last in the league.

John Cullen ('09, Hamburg, NY) got the call for the Dogs, having a solid first period before getting beaten four times in the final 40:00 including twice through the five-hole on a pair of short-handed breakaways. Cullen did not fare well one-on-one, and will need to be more crisp with his movement in the crease in order to improve his draft position. He sometimes goes down prematurely, rewarding a patient puck carrier.

Mississauga forward Casey Cizikas ('09) showed excellent skating ability and nice set of hands with two goals and an assist, while Andrew Shaw ('09) of the Dogs put forth a spirited effort with a goal and assist. Add 15-20 pounds of beef to his 5'11 frame and you have yourself an intriguing 17-year-old.

Also from the OHL, Nick Crawford was even as Saginaw posted a 3-2 home-ice win over Erie.

In the NCAA, Brad Eidsness made 19 saves to win his fourth straight start, 7-4 over St. Cloud State. The weekend wins over the Huskies represent the first WCHA sweep of the season for the Sioux. Corey Fienhage was again a scratch as Ben Blood saw action as the #6. The Sioux are playing confidently in front of their freshman keeper, using a more open style en route to a 9-5-1 record after dropping their first three games.

Matt Generous was even as a Jared Keller goal with less than :01 remaining pushed St. Lawrence to a 4-3 upset of #11 Vermont. The senior defenseman closes the semester with six points (3+3) and a +2 through 16 games. Freshman Drew MacKenzie was +1 for the Catamounts in the loss.

Justin Jokinen was even in limited action as #14 Minnesota State was swept by #5 Denver, 5-2. The Pios won their seventh straight without the services of free-agent prospect Tyler Bozak, who was injured in Friday's win. The Mavericks lost their fourth in a row.

In the QMJHL, J.S. Allard (+1) garnered an assist for Quebec in their 2-1 win over Acadie-Bathurst. The Alma, QC product picked up the primary on Kelsey Tessier's 10th of the season in the first period for his first point in three games, and 24th on the year.

Dennis Persson was even over 16:09 of icetime as Timra got shutout by Farjestad, 3-0. The game was Persson's second in a row on the middle defensive unit while the rotating door into the Eagles infirmary stays active. Mikko Lehtonen returned to the Timra lineup, while Robin Jonsson and Par Styf remain sidelined.

React:

Pirates lose to Baby Pens

Portland stumbled out of the gate, giving up three first period goals in a 5-1 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Mark Mancari and Chris Butler assisted on Mathieu Darche's third period tally, but at that point the paint was already drying on the Pirates' second consecutive loss.

Jhonas Enroth made 20 saves, dropping his record to 8-3-2.

The Rundown:

Butler: 1A, -2
Mancari: 1A, -2
Schutz: even
Gragnani: -1
Kostka: -1
Kennedy: -2
Hunter: 1 SOG
Weber: 5-for-fighting
Whitmore: -1
Zagrapan: -1

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12/12 Recap: Adam back on track; Byron sweet for 16

Luke Adam (+1) had a pair of assists and five shots on goal to earn the game's #1 star as Montreal defeated Val-d'Or, 3-2. Playing center, the 6'2, 203-pounder won 10 of 18 draws while also blocking four Drillers shots. The points snap a four-game drought for the Newfoundland native, while raising his season total to 25. T.J. Brennan added an assist on the power play for the Juniors (17-14-1).

Paul Byron chipped in two assists as Gatineau topped Quebec, 4-3. The speedy pivot has now rung up points in 16 straight games datng back to November 1st. J.S. Allard was -3 with a team-leading six shots on goal for the Rems in the loss.

Jordon Southorn posted two more assists as PEI came up short versus Moncton, 3-2. Continuing his upward trend of late, both of Southorn's assists came on the power play to give him seven points in his last four games.

Also from the Q, Jacob Lagacé assisted on a Michal Hlinka ('09) goal as Chicoutimi lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 4-3 in OT. Lagacé continues to lead the Sags with 27 points in 29 games.

Drew Schiestel (-2) drew an assist as Niagara dropped a 7-4 decision to the Majors. The helper was his 27th point of the season, while his -2 dips his overall rating to -17, good for second-worst in the entire OHL. 2009 eligible Casey Cizikas of the Majors had a goal to earn the game's #1 star.

Nick Crawford was even as Saginaw lost to Soo 2-1 in a shootout.

In the WCHA, Brad Eidsness ran his record to 8-5-1 with a 3-2 decision over St. Cloud. The Albertan made 32 saves in the win, but wasn't as sharp as his previous starts. Freshman rearguard Corey Fienhage did not dress for the Sioux.

Justin Jokinen was a healthy scratch for Mankato in their 3-2 loss to Denver.

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla finished -1 with a pair of minor penalties in Cologne's 4-2 loss to Hannover.

React:

Pirates update (12/7-12/12)

On Friday, Portland fell to Binghamton, 2-1. Matt Ellis scored the only Pirates goal, with Mike Weber getting an assist on the play. Adam Dennis made 26 saves for his fifth loss in his last six starts.

The Rundown:

Weber: 1A
Schutz: +1, 4 SOG
Kostka: 2 SOG
Mancari: 1 SOG
Gragnani: 1 SOG
Kennedy: 1 SOG
Butler: -1, 2 SOG
Hunter: -1
Whitmore: -1, 3 SOG
Zagrapan: -1, 3 SOG
Dennis: 26 saves, L


The Pirates fared better earlier in the week, taking a 4-3 shootout over Manchester on Tuesday. Mark Mancari and Tim Kennedy scored the Pirates goals in the shootout to ice the win. Marc-Andre Gragnani had pair of assists in regulation, while Mike Kostka, Felix Schutz, and Dylan Hunter all had single helpers in the win.

Adam Dennis shut the door in relief of the Jhonas Enroth, who was pulled after making 17 saves through 40:00.

The Rundown:

Gragnani: 2A, +1
Kostka: 1A, +1
Hunter: 1A, +1
Schutz: 1A
Butler: 5 SOG
Mancari: 2 SOG
Weber: 3 SOG, 4 PIM
Kennedy: 2 SOG
Whitmore: +1
Zagrapan: 2 PIM
Dennis: 12 saves, W
Enroth: 17 saves

Last Sunday, Portland lost to Worcester, 4-2. Marek Zagrapan netted his fifth of the season when he tipped a Mancari blast on a second period power play. The assist put Mancari on the scoresheet in ten straight AHL contests going back to before his call to Buffalo. Adam Dennis made 26 saves in defeat, while old frined Claude Lemieux scored the second goal of his comeback attempt with the Sharks.

The Rundown:
Zagrapan: 1G
Gragnani: 1A, -2
Kennedy: 1A, -1
Mancari: 1A, -1
Schutz: -2
Butler: -1
Weber: even
Kostka: -2
Hunter: -1
Whitmore: 1 SOG
Dennis: 26 saves, L

Mike Funk did not play and will remain out indefintely after suffering his second concussion of the season thanks to a brutal boarding by Lowell's Anssi Salmela last weekend.

React:

Ennis makes case in Game #1

Medicine Hat's Tyler Ennis scored a goal and an assist for Team White in their 6-3 victory over Red at the Team Canada Selection Camp on Friday. The Edmonton native started (from his knees) and finished a nice passing play with Matt Duchene and Brett Sonne in the third period after assisting on a Duchene goal earlier in the game.

Tyler Myers skated for White in the win, and played steady amidst a talented defensive bunch. Some may consider Ennis a safer pick for the team, but Myers has the successful experience of playing for coach Pat Quinn at the U-18's last year.

The split squad will play two more games on Saturday and Sunday before the final roster is pared down at the beginning of the next week. The WJC's open December 26th.

React:

12/11 Recap: Persson steps in

Dennis Persson picked up an even-strength assist while totaling 21:35 of time on Timra's second pair as the Eagles defeated Farjestad, 4-3 in overtime. The 6'1 defenseman just missed a scoring opportunity of his own when he rang a shot off the pipe in the third period. Blueliners Mikko Lehtonen and Robin Jonsson were both ill, causing the drastic spike in time for Persson after failing to get a shift in Tuesday's loss. The helper was his fourth point in 30 games this season.

React:

Ennis, Myers skating for Team White

The lines are in from tonight's opening practice of Team Canada's Selection Camp. The five-day camp will determine the final roster for the World Junior Championships that will be played in Ottawa in a couple of weeks.

Team Red

Jamie Benn (DAL) - John Tavares ('09) - Chris DiDomenico (TOR)
Angelo Esposito (ATL) - Patrice Cormier (NJ) - Dana Tyrell (TAM)
Evander Kane ('09) - Riley Nash (EDM) - Jamie Arniel (BOS)
Stefan Della Rovere (WAS)

Defence

Thomas Hickey (LAK) - Colten Teubert (LAK)
Brendan Smith (DET) - Cody Goloubef (CBS)
Patrick Wiercioch (OTT) - Alex Pietrangelo (STL)
Kevin Marshall (PHI)

Goalies: Jake Allen (STL), Tyson Sexsmith (SJ)

Team White

Zach Boychuk (CAR)- Cody Hodgson (VAN) - Jordan Eberle (EDM)
Tyler Ennis (BUF) - Nazem Kadri ('09) - Matt Duchene ('09)
Taylor Hall ('09)- Brett Sonne (STL) - Matt Calvert (CBS)
Brayden Schenn ('09)

Defence

PK Subban (MTL) - Ryan Ellis ('09)
Tyler Cuma (MIN) - Tyler Myers (BUF)
Keith Aulie (CAL) - Travis Hamonic (NYI)
Jared Spurgeon (NYI)

Goalies: Chet Pickard (NAS), Dustin Tokarski (TAM)

React:

Eno likely out until January

Ethan Magoc of the Bowling Green News has reported that sophomore Nick Eno will likely lay idle for a few more weeks with a high left ankle sprain suffered before the season opener. The Howell, MI native began skating on the side and doing some individual drills over the course of the week, and should be ready to go after the holiday break.

Paluch also said that Nick Eno will not start this weekend, and likely will not return for the Clarkson series next weekend either. That pushes his first potential start all the way into 2009, for the Ohio State series on Jan. 9-10. Those ankle sprains can be killer.

React:

Eidsness earns WCHA rookie honors

Continuing to play catch-up amidst a tumultuous week...

As speculated over the weekend, Brad Eidsness was named the WCHA Rookie of the Week for the week of 12/3-12/9.

University of North Dakota goaltender Brad Eidsness, who backstopped the visiting Fighting Sioux to a two-game road sweep over host Harvard last weekend, is the Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week for Dec. 9-16.

A 6-0, 173-pound freshman from Chestermere, Alberta and a draft choice of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, Eidsness stopped 72 of the 76 shots on goal he faced in the 10-1 and 4-3 victories, a series saves percentage of .947, while surrendering just two even-strength goals. Last Friday (Dec. 5) night, Eidsness made a career-high 39 saves in UND's 10-1 win over Harvard, making 20 saves in the second period alone. He also stopped 13 shots while shorthanded, helping the Sioux kill all five Crimson power-play chances.

In last Saturday's (Dec. 6) 4-3 come-from-behind triumph, Eidsness stopped another 33 shots, including all six he faced during a crucial 5-minute Harvard power-play in the first period.

Eidsness also appeared in his 12th and 13th straight games for North Dakota, the longest streak by a Sioux freshman in 12 years. In his last eight games, Eidsness is 4-2-1 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .933 saves percentage.

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12/10 Recap: Brennan solid in win; Ennis heads east

T.J. Brennan (+3) had two assists, including a set-up on the game winner, as Montreal defeated the Q's top-club, Shawinigan, by a 4-1 score. Luke Adam (2 PIM) failed to hit the sheet for the fourth straight game as the Juniors take tail end of the home-and-home. Cedric-Lalonde McNicoll scored the lone Cataractes goal, extending his current point-streak to an alarming 21 games.

In snowy Charlottetown, Jordon Southorn had an assist and his usual two hits for PEI in their 5-2 win over Halifax. The 6'2 defenseman is even with five points in his last three games.

Also from the Q, Jean-Simon Allard was +1 but failed to register for the fourth straight game as Quebec stomped on Chicoutimi, 7-1. The 6'3, 193-pounder has been hot and cold all season long after getting traded to the Remparts at the Q draft last offseason, and he'll need to be a more consistent presence moving forward. The Sags' Jacob Lagacé posted a -5 in the loss, a season low amongst all of the Sabres prospects.

In Michigan, Nick Crawford was -1 as Saginaw lost at Plymouth, 3-2. The minus took place when Crawford got beat on a play by Chris Terry, who skated past the sixth-rounder and bested Edward Pasquale from 20-feet out for the Whalers second goal of the night, and his 14th of the season.

And now, catch-up time.

On Monday, Tyler Ennis (-1) had an assist as Medicine Hat fell to Lethbridge, 4-3. The game was the final tune-up for the left wing before skating in Team Canada's camp beginning Thursday.

In the DEL, Philip Gogulla was -1 with three shots on goal as Cologne dropped a shootout to Iserlohn, 3-2. The winger did not make the Sharks shooter list.

In Tuesday evening action, Jean-Simon Allard was quiet for his third straight game, finishing -1 as Quebec was shutout by Baie-Comeau, 4-0.

Over in Sweden, Dennis Persson dressed but did not get a shift as Timra lost to SSK, 3-2.

React:

12/7 Recap: Trio contributes with mixed results

In the OHL, Nick Crawford (-1) posted three primary assists on the power play as Saginaw dumped Sault Ste. Marie, 6-3. The third-star effort gives the Caledon, Ontario native six multi-point games this season through the first 26 outings, while his 20 total points have already equaled his 2007-08 output (68 games). 2009 eligible Michael Fine had a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds in the loss, while highly rated netminder Edward Pasquale of Saginaw made 22 saves for his 18th win of the season.

Jacob Lagacé posted two first period goals for Chicoutimi in their 5-3 loss to Val-d'Or. Looking for their third win in as many nights, the Sags top line of Lagacé, Nicolas Deschamps (ANA), and Joel Champagne (TOR) was clicking early, but fell victim to four unanswered goals from the Foreurs in the final 7:32 of play. Maxime Sauvé (BOS) had a goal and two helpers to lead Val-d'Or.

Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn had a goal and an assist as PEI got pounded by Drummondville, 8-3. The 6'2 defenseman has picked up his play in recent weeks for a Rocket club that has now lost six straight games. On the other side, the Volts victory was their 13th in a row.

Luke Adam (-2) and T.J. Brennan (-3, 6 PIM) both failed to hit the sheet as struggling Montreal dropped their third straight game, 5-2 at Shawinigan. Both Juniors prospects are a cumulative -5 over the past three, with the former going pointless while seeing more shifts at center away from the top-line combo of Angelo Esposito (ATL) and Nick Layton.

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12/6 Recap: Myers ready to compete; Byron keeps pilin'

Tyler Myers (+1) was a controlling presence throughout as Kelowna needed a three-goal third period to defeat Chilliwack, 5-2. Paired with offensive-minded 2009 prospect Tyson Barrie, the 6'7 World Junior hopeful stepped up and labeled a Bruin forward with a solid shoulder midway through the opening period, and was steady on the puck in all zones in the win. Showing a physical spike while making quick, simple plays up ice for the bulk of his 26 games to date, the mobile Myers will take a five-day break before hitting the ice at Team Canada's selection camp on Thursday in Ottawa.

Tyler Ennis was -2 as Medicine Hat lost at Brandon, 4-1. The speedy left wing will play one more game on Monday before heading east to Ottawa. The Wheaties' 2009 eligible duo did not disappoint with Scott Glennie potting pairs of goals and assists while Brayden Schenn hit for a three-point night (1G, 2A).

Red hot Paul Byron (+2) had a pair of assists for Gatineau in their 3-0 shutout of Montreal. Byron has now connected for a point in 15 straight games, the second longest streak in the Q this season (Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll is currently amidst a 19-gamer for Shawinigan). T.J. Brennan and Luke Adam were both -2 for the Juniors.

In Lewiston, Jean-Simon Allard snagged an unassisted goal as Quebec downed Lewiston, 5-4. Lewiston goaltender Peter Delmas became the first of two QMJHL goaltenders credited with a goal on Saturday (Rimouski's Maxime Gougeon was the other) when former Sabres pick Benjamin Breault sent a point pass all the way back into his own net on a delayed penalty.

Also from the Q, Jacob Lagacé (+2) scored an empty-netter in Chicoutimi's 3-1 win over Rouyn-Noranda. The goal was the 12th of the season for the Sags' top-line winger.

Drew Schiestel was -2 as Niagara couldn't keep up with #1 ranked Windsor in an 8-4 loss. The Spits closed strong, posting four goals in the final 12:00 to up their record to 26-3. 2009 eligible Taylor Hall had a goal and three assists for the winners.

In the NCAA, Brad Eidsness made 33 saves, some of the spectacular variety including 13 in the third period, as North Dakota earned the sweep at Harvard with a 4-3 win. The weekend wins improve Eidsness' line to 7-5-1, with the first star performance placing him into contention for WCHA Rookie of the Week for a second time this season. Corey Fienhage dressed for the ninth time, finishing +1 while registering his fourth shot on goal of the year. Alex Biega combined with his brother Michael to set-up the first Harvard goal.

Corey Tropp (-2, 2 PIM) assisted on Jeff Petry's slapper goal as Michigan State got swept by rival Michigan, 5-3. The Spartans (4-11-3) held a 3-2 lead with 4:00 to play before a three goal collapse extended the season-long frustration in E. Lansing.

Matt Generous had another steady game defensively as St. Lawrence was shutout at Lynah, 1-0. Colin Greening (OTT) scored the game's only goal to put Cornell into a tie for first place in the ECAC with Princeton.

In Hockey East, Andrew Orpik was whistled for an interference minor as Boston College lost to BU, 3-1. The senior has three goals and eight points on the year.

After a rather less-than-savory effort on Friday, Justin Jokinen was scratched in Mankato's loss to St. Cloud.

In the SEL, Dennis Persson was -1 in 7:55 of shifts as Timra defeated Rogle, 5-2.

React:

Funk injury mars Pirates victory

Marek Zagrapan scored his fourth goal of the season, and Tim Kennedy had three assists as Portland rode a Colton Fretter hat trick past Lowell, 5-2. Kennedy now has points in two consecutive nights after a six-game slumber.

Jhonas Enroth made 31 saves for his eight win of the season, while Mark Mancari picked up an assist in his first game back from Buffalo.

The game became secondary at 10:29 of the third period when Mike Funk was taken off the ice on a stretcher after getting checked from behind by the Devils' Anssi Salmela. He'll be hospitalized overnight with his injury status yet to be determined.

The Rundown:
Zagrapan: 1G, -1
Kennedy: 3A, -1
Mancari: 1A
Butler: 2A, -1
Schutz: +1, 4 SOG
Gragnani: 1 SOG
Kostka: 1 SOG
Whitmore: -1
Weber: 1A, 2 PIM
Hunter: 2 PIM
Funk: -1, injured
Enroth: 31 saves, W

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Gerbe called up; Mancari goes other way

The Sabres today announced that Nathan Gerbe has been called up from Portland of the AHL, while Mark Mancari has been sent back down. The shifty left wing is expected to skate with the Sabres in Saturday night's contest with the the Lightning.

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have recalled C Nathan Gerbe from Portland (AHL). In addition, the Sabres have returned RW Mark Mancari to Portland.

In just his first professional season, Gerbe (7/24/1987, 5’6”, 160 lbs.) is currently second on the Pirates in scoring with 24 points (14+10) in 21 games. Included in his goal totals are 7 PP tallies and a pair of game winners. Gerbe also has 25 PIMs and has taken a team-high 91 shots.

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12/5 Recap: Byron lends helping hand; Fighting Fienhage fetches first

Paul Byron continued to shake his disappointing omission from Team Canada's WJC camp by posting a five-assist night in Gatineau's 7-4 win over Val-d'Or. The explosion gives the Ottawa native points in fourteen straight games, propelling him into a tie for 11th overall in the Q with 38 points.

Jordon Southorn had a pair of assists in PEI's 5-4 overtime loss to Victoriaville. The Rocket jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first minute of the second period, but surrendered five unanswered goals by the Tigres, capped with Philip-Michael Devos' winner in the first minute of OT.

The talk of goal support being an issue for Brad Eidsness and the Fighting Sioux simmered some on Friday as NoDak marched into Harvard with a pummeling 10-1 victory. Eidsness made 39 saves, including a solid breakaway stop, to improve his record to 6-5-1.

Freshman Corey Fienhage notched a power play assist for his first career point, and played policeman in the final 10:00 as Harvard took their frustrations out with some questionable hits. Fienhage, who earlier was called for a roughing penalty, earned another plus a game misconduct after a scuffle with 3:29 remaining that stemmed from Alex Biega (-3) boarding a Sioux forward.

Matt Generous (+2) buried a bomb from the slot as St. Lawrence fell to Boston University, 4-1. The goal was the third of the year for the senior rearguard, who later received two-and-a-ten after a melee following the fourth Saints goal.

In WHL play, Tyler Ennis scored a goal and an assist as Medicine Hat defeated Moose Jaw, 5-4. The goal was Ennis' 15th of the season, as the Edmonton native now has 35 points in 29 games.

Tyler Myers was even with a tripping minor as Kelowna edged Regina, 3-2.

Rounding out the evening's NCAA action, Justin Jokinen was on the ice for the first Mavericks goal, finishing +1 as Minnesota State lost to St. Cloud, 4-2.

Andrew Orpik was -1 as Boston College played to a 1-1 tie with BU.

In the CCHA, Corey Tropp (2 PIM, 1 SOG) finished -1 as Michigan State was throttled by Michigan, 6-1.

In the OHL, Drew Schiestel saw his point shot tipped in for the game winner as Niagara defeated Sarnia, 2-1. His 24 assists on the season rank 7th in the OHL.

Nick Crawford had an assist and was +2 as Saginaw defeated Kitchener, 4-3. 2009 eligible Jordan Szwarz had three assists for the Spirit.

In other Q action, Jacob Lagacé posted an assist in Chicoutimi's 3-2 shootout win over Rouyn-Noranda. Lagacé was stopped as the second shooter in the deciding frame.

J.S. Allard was -1 Quebec defeated Lewiston, 5-2.

In an exhibition contest, Drew MacKenzie was even as Vermont downed the USA Under-18 squad, 6-4.

React:

Gerbe gets 14th as Pirates slip

Nathan Gerbe scored his 14th goal of the season, and Marc-Andre Gragnani forced OT by one-timing a nice backhand pass from Felix Schutz while shorthanded as Portland fell to Springfield, 3-2 in a shootout. Jhonas Enroth made 30 saves, while Gerbe was only successful Pirate in the breakway drill.

The Rundown:
Gerbe: 1G, 4 SOG
Gragnani: 1G, +1
Schutz: 1A, +1
Butler: 1A
Kennedy: 1A
Kostka: +1
Funk: even
Weber: -1, 2 PIM
Zagrapan: -1
Whitmore: 2 PIM
Hunter: 2 PIM
Enroth: 2 GA, 30 saves, SOL

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Byron and Myers stretch streaks

In Wednesday action, Tyler Myers celebrated his chance at skating for Team Canada with an assist in Kelowna's 4-2 loss to Saskatoon. The 6'7 defenseman now has points in seven straight games, and upped his season PIM total to 59 after a two-and-a-ten late in the third period.

In the Q, Paul Byron stretched his scoring streak to 13 games by netting an assist in Gatineau's 6-2 loss to Shawinigan. The pivot has scored an even 20 points over his run.

On Thursday, Nick Crawford was even in Saginaw's 5-2 win over Brampton. He was whistled for a checking-from-behind minor in the first period. The Spirit remains in third place in the OHL Western Conference with 35 points.

Dennis Persson did not see the ice for Timra in their 3-2 win over HV71.

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Tylers in, Byron draws short straw

The Sabres pair of 2008 first round picks, Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers, have been chosen to skate in Team Canada's World Junior selection camp. Starting December 11th, the CHLers will toil in the five-day session in hopes of earning a chance to play for Canada's fifth-straight gold medal on home ice in Ottawa at the end of the month.

Gatineau's Paul Byron, an Ottawa native, participated in the Canadian summer evaluation camp, but did not get a second look as only five QMJHLers will contribute to the 38-man camp roster.

Prior to the roster release, the slick center had potted points in 12 straight games along with a goal in each ADT Canada-Russia Challenge contest, but it wasn't enough to move Pat Quinn's pencil. It's not a huge surprise, as the coach hinted late last week that the roster would be dominated by WHL talent (18). Byron's coach in Gatineau last season, Benoit Groulx, was originally tabbed to man the Canadian bench, but had to step away in August was he left the Q for Rochester of the AHL. Again, another possible tick working against the 5'10 playmaker.

And so the chip on Byron's shoulder will only get bigger as the Q season wears. Getting hot with the QMJHL trade period still a few weeks away, look for the talented stick to get moved to a contender like Shawinigan, giving him the opportunity to dominate offensively while being reunited with ex-Pique linemate, Matthew Pistilli.

Here is the complete roster:

Goaltenders
Player Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown 2008-09 Team Pro Status
Jake Allen 6'1 180 08/07/90 New Maryland, NB Montreal (QMJHL) STL
Chet Pickard 6'1 216 11/29/89 Winnipeg, MB Tri-City (WHL) NSH
Tyson Sexsmith 5'11 211 03/19/89 Priddis, AB Vancouver (WHL) SJ
Dustin Tokarski 5'11 189 09/16/89 Watson, SK Spokane (WHL) TB

Defence
Player Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown 2007-08 Team Pro Status
Keith Aulie 6'6 215 06/11/89 Rouleau, SK Brandon (WHL) CGY
Tyler Cuma 6'1 189 01/19/90 Bowmanville, ON Ottawa (OHL) MIN
Ryan Ellis 5'9 176 01/03/91 Freelton, ON Windsor (OHL) 2009
Cody Goloubef 6'1 194 11/30/89 Oakville, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) CBJ
Travis Hamonic 6'0 202 08/16/90 St. Malo, MB Moose Jaw (WHL) NYI
Thomas Hickey 5'11 194 02/08/89 Calgary, AB Seattle (WHL) LA
Kevin Marshall 6'0 203 03/10/89 Boucherville, QC Quebec (QMJHL) PHI
Tyler Myers 6'7 213 02/01/90 Calgary, AB Kelowna (WHL) BUF
Alex Pietrangelo 6'2 204 01/18/90 King City, ON Niagara (OHL) STL
Brendan Smith 6'1 181 02/08/89 Mimico, ON Wisconsin (WCHA) DET
Jared Spurgeon 5'8 167 11/29/89 Edmonton, AB Spokane (WHL) NYI
P.K. Subban 5'11 206 05/13/89 Rexdale, ON Belleville (OHL) MTL
Colten Teubert 6'3 189 03/08/90 White Rock, BC Regina (WHL) LA
Patrick Wiercioh 6'4 185 09/12/90 Maple Ridge, BC Denver (WCHA) OTT

Forwards
Player Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown 2007-08 Team Pro Status
Jamie Arniel 5'10 183 11/16/89 Kingston, ON Sarnia (OHL) BOS
Jamie Benn 6'1 202 07/18/89 Victoria, BC Kelowna (WHL) DAL
Zach Boychuk 5'10 175 10/04/89 Airdrie, AB Lethbridge (WHL) CAR
Matt Calvert 5'10 175 12/24/89 Brandon, MB Brandon (WHL) CBJ
Patrice Cormier 6'1 201 06/14/90 Cap-Pele, NB Rimouski (QMJHL) NJ
Stefan Della Rovere 5'11 200 02/25/90 Maple, ON Barrie (OHL) WSH
Chris DiDomenico 5'11 170 02/20/89 Woodbridge, ON Saint John (QMJHL) TOR
Matt Duchene 5'11 201 01/16/91 Haliburton, ON Brampton (OHL) 2009
Jordan Eberle 5'10 181 05/15/90 Calgary, AB Regina (WHL) EDM
Tyler Ennis 5'8 165 10/06/89 Edmonton, AB Medicine Hat (WHL) BUF
Angelo Esposito 6'1 180 02/20/89 Montreal, QC Montreal (QMJHL) ATL
Taylor Hall 6'0 181 11/14/91 Kingston, ON Windsor (OHL) 2010
Cody Hodgson 5'11 189 02/18/90 Markham, ON Brampton (OHL) VAN
Nazem Kadri 5'11 174 10/06/90 London, ON London (OHL) 2009
Evander Kane 6'1 180 08/02/91 Vancouver, BC Vancouver (WHL) 2009
Riley Nash 6'0 176 05/09/89 Kamloops, BC Cornell (ECAC) EDM
Brayden Schenn 6'0 199 08/22/91 Saskatoon, SK Brandon (WHL) 2009
Brett Sonne 6'0 187 05/16/89 Maple Ridge, BC Calgary (WHL) STL
John Tavares 6'0 203 09/20/90 Oakville, ON Oshawa (OHL) 2009
Dana Tyrell 5'9 182 04/23/89 Airdrie, AB Prince George (WHL) TB

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12/2 Recap: Ennis, Byron get last licks in while awaiting call

On the eve of Hockey Canada releasing their selection camp roster for the 2009 World Junior Championships, a pair of Sabres prospects made one last effort in hopes getting the call in the morning.

In the Q, Paul Byron set-up Jan Stransky's game winning goal as Gatineau edged Rouyn-Noranda, 2-1. The power play helper extends Byron's point streak to 12 games while the Piques have won six of their last seven games.

While marveling at Byron's splendid November reign, let's not forget the crafty WHL forward who also scored 17 points (8+9) over the course of the month - Tyler Ennis.

Ennis scored a goal and an assist in Medicine Hat's 7-2 win over Edmonton on Tuesday. Ennis now has 14 goals this season, and a total of nine multi-point games. 2009 eligible Tomas Vincour, a 6'2, 203-pound center, was -3 for the Oil Kings.

Byron and Ennis joined Kelowna's Tyler Myers at Team Canada's summer gathering. All three are expected to get a last look at the five-day camp that begins December 11th in Ottawa, while Montreal's Luke Adam has a shot at getting an invite after a strong overall start and a pair of goals in the ADT Challenge.

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