Grigorenko, Russians cap series with loss

Mikhail Grigorenko centered the top line Tuesday but was unable to point as Russia was doubled by Canada 4-2 to close the 2012 Canada/Russia Challenge.  The 6'3 pivot finishes with one assist in the four-game set, while continuing to demonstrate own zone efficiency and awareness.

With the series tied at two games apiece, the two teams played a sudden death overtime that was settled 3:20 in when a Ryan Strome (NYI) wrister from the right circle beat Russian netminder Andrei Vasilevski (TAM).

Despite going without a goal, Grigorenko still showed well offensively throughout the week of games, using his puckhandling skills to draw defenders and his vision to hit his wings. Canada's defensive corps did a good job neutralizing his main target, Nail Yakupov, pushing him wide and blocking his route to the net. While the pair's effectiveness was limited, they did connect for quality chances both at even strength and on the power play but simply couldn't convert.

In his own zone, Grigorenko played his middle slot well by retreating low, sticking to his man, and using his long stick to block lanes and gather loose pucks.


What's next for Grigorenko could be dictated by the NHL labor negotiations, but for now the reigning CHL Rookie of the Year will attend training camp with the Quebec Remparts where he'll continue his strength development and execution of high percentage plays with the puck under the guidance of Patrick Roy.

Grigo blanked as Russians gain series edge

Mikhail Grigorenko was again held off the scoresheet Monday as Russia downed Canada 6-5 to take game #3 of the Canada/Russia Challenge in Halifax. The Russians now lead the series 2-1 with the concluding game #4 taking place Tuesday evening (7pm, TSN).

Grigorenko centered a line with 2012 top pick Nail Yakupov and Memorial Cup hero Anton Zlobin. Despite not getting in on any of the half-dozen goals, the 6'3 pivot continued to impact the play with his vision and puck skills. His best opportunity came on a 2x1 break in the second period when he drove the net and saw his backhand off a Yakupov feed stopped by Flames prospect Laurent Brossiot.

As Sabres fans get acclimated to his game, they'll notice his awareness as a center. He sees the ice well in both zones, and while not being the most intense forechecker on the ice, knows his spots and smartly comes back defensively. The extra gear displayed pre-mono is also starting to re-emerge, as the ability to gobble up ice with the puck on his stick was briefly flashed late in the third. There was one particular play where he could have pushed the puck deep as opposed to trying to make a play to the middle, but overall he has played well in the three series games.

View the video below for shift-by-shift coverage of Grigorenko's game #3:

Grigorenko earns helper in Russian loss

Mikhail Grigorenko recorded an assist Thursday as Russia prepped for the 2013 World Junior Championship with a 3-2 loss to Canada. The game played in Yaroslavl was the first of the Canada/Russia Challenge, a four-game event that will conclude next week with games three and four in Halifax. The two countries will go right back at it on Friday.

Grigorenko stood out with his size and vision. He showed both his raw and cerebral skills when the puck was on his stick, and he seemed to know where his linemates were at all times. His secondary helper came in the third period on a Nail Yakupov power play tally.

Courtesy of my friend James, you can view all of Grigorenko's shifts here:

McCabe marks in White win

Jake McCabe scored a goal and Logan Nelson provided offensive spark Saturday as Team White opened the USA National Junior Evaluation Camp with a 5-2 win over Team Blue. The teams will return to the ice on Sunday for a 4:00 rematch.

I should say that the teams will return to the "soft" ice, as the 90+ degree heat in Lake Placid delivered a chippy surface that challenged the players from the get-go. 

McCabe, wearing jersey #4 in white, started each period on the left point opposite Notre Dame's Robbie Russo (NYI). He began the game well, showing good vision out of his zone and a smart stick that allowed for a few key clears. The second and third periods had peaks and valleys as good offensive chances were balanced out by some mistimed hits and passes. His third period goal stemmed from good awareness by stepping into the high slot to bury a shot. 

Nelson (#22) skated at wing on a line with Cole Bardreau and Blake Pietila. The unit was unable to score but maintained a quick pace throughout, providing pressure and action around the Blue cage including plays off the draw. Nelson unofficially registered three shots on goal and nearly had an assist when his no-look backhand feed from behind to the net went right to Cole Bardreau for a point-blank opportunity. Later on the same shift he corralled a puck in the left corner and made a strong move to the net where his stuff attempt was thwarted by Providence-bound netminder, Jon Gillies.

Blue dominated play for the majority of the opening period, finally striking with a Colin Blackwell (Harvard) goal at 14:46. White would quickly even the score when Sarnia Sting sniper Reid Boucher finished a play less than a minute later to knot the game 1-1 heading into the first intermission.

The teams began the middle frame with a quick exchange as Travis Boyd (White) and Sean Kuraly (Blue) scored within the first two minutes of play. White would get the go-ahead goal with less than seven minutes left when Seth Jones rocketed a pass from his goal line up the left side to Boucher, who hit a streaking Alex Broadhurst for the finish.

White continued to capitalize despite the poor ice conditions in the third. McCabe beat Gillies to make it 4-2 at 9:59. Nealy three minutes later, Tyler Biggs provided the game's final tally by scoring from in front while on a 4x4.

Michigan commit Jacob Trouba, who was one of USA's better rearguards at the 2012 WJC, was a healthy scratch but could play on Sunday as the split squads prepare for Monday tilts with Finland (Blue) and Sweden (White) before the camp's main cutdown.

Ullmark stays behind as Swedes head to Lake Placid

Linus Ullmark, one of four goalies to attend Sweden's U20 Evaluation Camp, will not travel with the team as the defending World Junior champions make their way to Lake Placid, NY to participate in USA Hockey's National Junior Development Camp. The 6'3 netminder played the second half of Sweden's 7-0 shutout win over the Czech Republic on Thursday but was unable to crack the 22-man roster that will battle teams from the U.S. and Finland between August 4-11.

Ullmark entered camp looking to be third on the depth chart behind the talented duo of Oscar Dansk (CBS) and Niklas Lundström (STL), and it appears that not much changed after the Swede's outscored the Czech 14-1 in their two-game set. The World Junior journey isn't over for Ullmark, though, as a strong start to his year with MoDo should keep him in position for valuable reserve status when rosters for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship begin to take shape come December.

Ullmark's omission leaves three prospects - Joel Armia (FIN), Jake McCabe (USA), and Logan Nelson (USA) - as the remaining Sabres properties who will take part in the action starting Saturday.

Prospects set for national camps

With training for the 2012-13 season not officially beginning until late August, a group of Sabres prospects will get a head start by skating with their respective national teams as a first step towards earning a roster spot at the IIHF World Junior Championship. The 2013 tournament will take place in Ufa, Russia from December 26th to January 5th.

The Sabres top pick in 2012, Mikhail Grigorenko, was among 29 players named to Russia's preliminary roster for the Canada-Russia Challenge. The four-game event, which this year replaces Canada's National Junior Development Camp, will be split between Yaroslavl, Russia (August 8-9) and Halifax, Nova Scotia (August 13-14). Filling a prominent role in international play over the past few seasons, the talented center posted five points (2+3) in six games at the 2012 tourney while playing through an ankle injury suffered in the Russians' third tilt. The 6'3 pivot will likely center a line featuring 2012 #1 pick Nail Yakupov down the right side during the series with Canada, who will ice a summer squad absent of any Sabres prospects for the first time since 2007.

Also among the highlighted prospects is 2011 first-round pick, Joel Armia. The 6'3 wing, who recently participated in his first NHL development camp, is a veteran of two U20 tourneys with Team Finland, including a five-goal, seven-point effort at the 2012 event, and should be considered a virtual lock for continued scoring line duty in 2013. A year removed from what he thought was his "worst game ever played", the big-bodied 19-year old will return to New York State (Lake Placid) on August 4th for the four-nation tournament at USA's National Junior Evaluation Camp.

Two picks from the 2012 draft, Jake McCabe and Logan Nelson, will skate in Lake Placid as USA Hockey evaluates a total of 46 under-20 players. The Americans will be split into Team White and Team Blue for intra-squad games and international tune-ups before cutting down for a round robin tourney with their European visitors.

A mobile left-handed warrior, McCabe is one of 17 defensemen in camp, a group that includes four first round NHL picks (Jacob Trouba, Connor Murphy, Jordan Schmaltz, Brady Skjei) and another eyed for top-five status in 2013 (Seth Jones). The 6'0", 195-pounder is set to enter his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin, where he is expected to again log major minutes while manning a point on the Badgers' top PP unit. The Eau Claire, WI native has previous international experience with a 2011 U18 gold medal and should be right in the mix when USA releases their preliminary roster in December.

Nelson, 18, shot on to the radar following his impressive WHL rookie season that saw him collect 23 goals and 62 points (3rd on team, 4th among league rookies) with the Victoria Royals. Playing with an edge while going to the net, the 6'1" wing demonstrated a significant jump from the 6-3-9 posted in 41 games the year before as a member of the USHL's  Des Moines Buccaneers. If the momentum of his stunning rise continues, there is a decent opportunity for him to get a deeper look from the staff headed by fellow Minnesotan and former Sabres first-rounder, Phil Housley.

Linus Ullmark, 19, is one of four netminders in Norrtälje this weekend as Sweden prepares for a two-game set with the Czech Republic on August 1st and 2nd. The 6'3" stopper joins Oscar Dansk (CBS), Niklas Lundström (STL), and Joel Lassinantti in the nets before the Swedes trim their roster from 34 to 22 and head over the pond for USA's camp tourney. Dansk and Lundstrom represent very stiff competition so a strong showing will be necessary for Ullmark to survive the cutdown and get a leg up entering the year with Modo.

Zemgus Girgensons is eligible to play for Latvia at the 2013 tourney, but his availability likely won't be addressed until their selection camp in December. As a contracted NHL player, the Sabres will dictate whether or not he participates. There is no question that the Latvians would love to have their prize forward help them compete after their 2012 promotion.