Joel Armia began his second professional season Friday, finishing -2 with five shots on goal as Assat opened their 2011-12 SM-liiga schedule with a 4-2 loss to Lukko. The intriguing 6'3 wing, who scored two goals and three assists in four exhibition games prior to Friday's opener, looks poised to improve on the 18 goals and 29 points posted a season ago as a 17-year old. The up-and-down affair saw Assat out-shoot Lukko 69-53 while sliding to the 0-1 start.
Assat will try to even their season mark Saturday when they host TPS.
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After their win in Traverse City, the Sabres CHL prospects have remained in Buffalo to participate in the opening skates of training camp.
The Sabres will be using three groups as they run through their opening evaluations. Prospects (for the purpose of the site) can be found in the following groups:
Group "A": Adam, Kassian, Foligno, Tropp, Brennan, Biega
Group "B": Boychuk, Catenacci, Lagace, Henley, Shipley, Parker, Leduc, Crawford, Fienhage, Lieuwen
Group "C": Varone, Szydlowski, Sutch, Schiestel, Pysyk, McNabb, M. MacKenzie, Lepkowski, Legault (AHL deal), Varone (invite)
WHL centermen Kevin Sundher Colin Jacobs are being held off the ice with undisclosed injuries.
