10/12 Recap: Amerks open with win

Corey Tropp scored a pair of goals and Mark Mancari scored the only mark in the shootout as Rochester opened the 2012-13 season Friday with a 6-5 win over Syracuse.

Tropp lit the lamp in the game's opening minute when he tapped in a two-on-one feed from Cody Hodgson. Later in the period,  Tropp batted down a Luke Adam shot in front of the net and beat Dustin Tokarski to give the Amerks a 2-1 lead. Marcus Foligno scored shortly after Tropp's second goal to give the Amerks a 3-1 advantage at the first intermission.

Mark Pysyk notched his first professional goal in the second period before the Crunch went on to score four unanswered the take a 5-4 lead midway through the final frame. Mark Mancari rounded out the Rochester scoring to make it 5-5 with under four minutes to play in regulation to force the OT.

David Leggio made 29 saves and another five in the shootout to earn the win. Tropp suffered a lower body injury and is unlikely to play when the Amerks continue their opening weekend Saturday in Toronto.

In the QMJHL, Mikhail Grigorenko continued his superb start to the 2012-13 season by scoring two goals and an assist to extend his point streak to nine games as Quebec defeated Gatineau 4-1. The talented Russian currently ranks second in QMJHL scoring with eight goals and 20 points through the Remparts' first nine games. The Remparts are off until Wednesday's tilt with Saint John.


 In Finland, Joel Armia scored his sixth goal of the year as Assat doubled Tappara 4-2. The 6-foot-3 sniper got the Aces on the board when he cut to the net and directed a Michael Ryan pass past the Tappara netminder. The two clubs will play it back on Saturday.



Linus Ullmark made 30 saves as MODO J20 downed Leksands 6-2. Ullmark was making his return to SuperElit action after a three-week loan to Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan. MODO and Leksands will play a rematch on Saturday.

In the WHL, Colin Jacobs picked up an assist as Prince George downed Lethbridge 3-2. The helper extends Jacobs' season-starting point streak to a career-best eight games (7+7). The Cougars continue their road trip Saturday in Medicine Hat.

Logan Nelson saw his five-game point streak come to an end as Victoria lost to Kelowna 4-1. The Royals and Rockets will again face off Saturday in Victoria.

Andrey Makarov made 24 saves as Saskatoon lost to Kootenay 4-3. The Blades have lost five straight games to occupy last place in the East Division.

In OHL action, Brady Austin was +1 as Belleville pitched a 2-0 shutout of Brampton. The Bulls, who have secured five wins through the season's first eight games, return to the ice Saturday versus Oshawa.

Justin Kea logged a +1 as Saginaw smoked Sudbury 6-1. The Spirit moves on to face Brampton on Sunday.

Alex Lepkowski (-1) did not point as Barrie got past Oshawa 4-3 in a shootout. Barrie will host Sudbury on Saturday.

Christian Isackson scored his first goal of the year as Minnesota downed Michigan State 5-1. Skating with Florida prospects Nick Bjugstad and Kyle Rau, Isackson buried a wrist shot from the slot for the first regular season goal of his collegiate career. The Gophers and Spartans will conclude their opening weekend set on Saturday.


Brad Navin (2 SOG) and Jake McCabe (4 SOG) each went without a point as Wisconsin lost to Northern Michigan 2-1. McCabe was paired with Frankie Simonelli on the Badgers blueline after sitting out last weekend's tune-up win over the U.S. Under-18. Navin formed a line with Keegan Meuer and Brendan Woods. The Badgers will look for the weekend split on Saturday.

Mark Adams finished +1 as Providence opened the season with an 8-2 throttling of Sacred Heart. The Friars finish their weekend Saturday with a visit to Boston University.

Judd Peterson was +1 with three shots on goal as Cedar Rapids dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Muskegon. The RoughRiders take on Green Bay on Saturday.

Armia complete game montage (10/6)

If your hockey jones is getting the best of you, I advise you to check out this montage of Joel Armia's shifts from Assat's Saturday loss to TPS.

10/5 Recap: Grigorenko gets winner as Remparts remain perfect

Mikhail Grigorenko scored in overtime Friday as Quebec remained perfect through their first six games with a 4-3 come from behind win over Victoriaville. Grigorenko, who earlier helped force the extra frame with an assist in the final minute of regulation, has registered a point in all six Remparts' contests for a total of 14 (4+10) on the year. The crafty pivot dazzled with several exciting plays, including a superb blind pass from his knees in the middle period that was nearly converted. The Remparts will look to remain unbeaten on Saturday when they host Rimouski.

In the WHL, Colin Jacobs scored on the power play as Prince George rode a five-goal first period to a 6-3 win over Kelowna. Jacobs now has five goals and 10 points has through his first five games to remain tied atop the WHL points leaderboard. The teams will finish their weekend set Saturday night in Prince George.

Logan Nelson picked up an assist as Victoria lost a hard-fought 4-3 decision at Spokane. The Royals continue their road trip Saturday in Tri-City.

Andrey Makarov got another short rest as Saskatoon got shellacked by Swift Current 10-1. Makarov, who was previously forced into relief action during his game off last week, entered in the 34th minute with the Blades trailing 7-1. He'd allow two power play goals before settling in the third period with 10 saves on 11 shots. The Blades pay a visit to defending WHL champion Edmonton on Saturday.

In OHL action, Dan Catenacci set up the game winning goal as Owen Sound held off Sarnia 4-3. Catenacci stayed out of the penalty box for the first time this season en route to collecting his sixth point (3+3) through the Attack's first six games. Owen Sound returns to action Saturday versus Guelph.

Justin Kea recorded his first fighting major of the year as Saginaw was blanked by Niagara 4-0. Trailing 2-0, Kea tangled with IceDogs forward Joel Wigle late in the second period. Saginaw welcomes Kitchener to town on Saturday.

Alex Lepkowski logged a +1 as Barrie earned a 4-3 shootout victory over Mississauga. The Colts take on Peterborough.

In the USHL, Judd Peterson finished -1 with a shot on goal as Cedar Rapids downed Fargo 5-2. The RoughRiders will play the second of five straight games at home Saturday against Youngstown.

Joel Armia recorded three shots on goal in 15:55 of action as Assat dropped a 2-1 decision to the Blues. The Aces head back to the ice Saturday against TPS.

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In AHL preseason play, Nick Crawford scored a pair of regulation goals and then the shootout clincher as Rochester closed the preseason with a 4-3 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Phil Varone added the other Amerks goal. Rookie netminders Connor Knapp and Nathan Lieuwen split the crease duties, with Knapp stopping 15 of 16 shots before giving way to Lieuwen, who blocked 16 of 18 and another three in the shootout to secure the victory.

9/28 Recap: Nelson comes up big

Logan Nelson scored a regulation goal and the shootout winner Friday as Victoria got past Kamloops 4-3. Nelson, who also added an assist, knotted the game 2-2 when he cut hard to net from the corner to pot his first of the year at 5:52 of the third period. The Royals and Blazers will go at it again Sunday in Victoria.



Colin Jacobs scored his fourth goal of the year on a penalty shot and added an assist as Prince George edged Seattle 4-3. Jacobs now has an impressive eight points through the Cougars first three games. The two clubs will finish the two-game set on Saturday.


Dan Catenacci saw his three-game goal streak come to an end as Owen Sound held on for a 3-2 win over Guelph. The speedy center currently leads the OHL with 19 penalty minutes. The Attack return to action Saturday when they host Alex Galchenyuk and the Sarnia Sting. 

Brady Austin finished with an even rating as Belleville dropped a 1-0 decision to Brampton. The Bulls welcome Oshawa to town on Saturday.

Joel Armia went without a point for the third straight game as Assat was dealt a 2-1 loss at JYP. Armia reaped 19:41 of work with the Aces securing a total of eight power play opportunities in the contest. Assat is off until Tuesday when they host the Pelicans.

9/27 Recap: Cat pounces; Kea breaks seal

In Thursday action, Dan Catenacci notched a power play goal while employing an edgy, physical style as Owen Sound was defeated by Barrie 4-3 in the shootout. Catenacci, who has goals in all three of the Attack's games this season, converted a loose puck down low to tie the game 2-2 in the second period. Owen Sound moves on to a Friday meeting with Guelph, while Alex Lepkowski (even, 2 PIM) and Barrie get a day off before hosting Mississauga on Saturday.


Justin Kea scored his first goal of the season as Saginaw opened the home-ice schedule with a 5-0 win over Sudbury. The power play mark could serve as a confidence booster for the hard-working center as he embraces a larger role following a three-goal output a season ago. Saginaw continues their brief homestand Saturday against Sault Ste. Marie.

In Sweden, Linus Ullmark stopped 19 of 20 shots as Mora was shutout by BIK Karlskoga 2-0. Ullmark held his club in the game with numerous difficult saves before allowing a power play goal at 4:46 of the middle period. Despite the loss, Ullmark's recent performances have elevated him among top Allsvenskan goalkeepers with a 1.51 goals against average (4th overall) and .929 save percentage (6th overall). Next up for Mora is a Saturday contest with Leksands.

In SM-liiga play, Joel Armia was on the ice for one goal for and one against in Assat's 4-3 overtime win at KalPa. Armia directed eight shots but was unable to connect in 14:40 of work to finish without a point for a second straight game. Armia's 38 total shots (includes those that miss the net) currently ranks third in the league. The Aces go right back at it Friday at JYP.

9/25 Recap: Ullmark victorious

In Tuesday action, Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in his first HockeyAllsvenskan start as Mora defeated Vasteras 6-2. Ullmark, who came on in relief in Saturday's come-from-behind win, has started off his loan assignment with two wins, a 1.80 goals against average, and a .917 save percentage. Mora could again lean on Ullmark when they take the ice Thursday versus Bofors.


In SM-liiga, Joel Armia was blanked as Assat gave up a late penalty-shot goal to lose 2-1 to HIFK. Armia, who wore the Aces golden helmet as the team's leading scorer, received a season-high 19:13 of work in the loss. Assat hits the road for Thursday and Friday games at KalPa and JYP.

9/22 Recap: Jacobs begins with career best

Colin Jacobs posted a career-best five points Saturday as Prince George opened the regular season with a 6-0 blowout of Everett.

Jacobs got the ball rolling for the Cougars with a penalty shot goal at 6:43 of the first period. He later struck on the power play in the final minute of the second. The five-point night (2+3), which eclipsed Jacobs' previous high (4) set in December 2010, was a first for a Sabres prospect since Kevin Sundher's one-goal, four-assist performance last October. The Cougars and Silvertips will engage in a rematch Sunday.




Joel Armia scored his third goal of the year as Assat defeated HPK 4-1. The mark, which came in the opening minute of the second period, tied the game 1-1 as Assat began to take control of the game. The Aces get back at it Tuesday when they host HIFK.


In Sweden, Linus Ullmark came on in relief of Daniel Hansen, stopping seven of eight shots in 39:57 of work as Mora rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat Djurgardens 5-4 in a shootout. Ullmark, who was making his Mora debut, allowed a power play goal off a quick feed from behind the night shortly after entering the game but held firm from there while his team carried the play over the final twenty minutes to force extra time. Mora returns to action Tuesday against Vasteras.

Elsewhere, Dan Catenacci notched a goal and an assist as Owen Sound defeated Saginaw 5-2. Catenacci has four points (2+2) after two regular season games. The Attack continue play Thursday at Barrie. Justin Kea finished -1 for the Spirit, who kick off their home schedule Thursday versus Sudbury.


Brady Austin was -2 as Belleville needed a shootout to defeat Plymouth 3-2. The Bulls take on the Battalion Friday night in Brampton.

In the WHL, Logan Nelson picked up a pair of even-strength assists in Victoria's 3-2 win over Vancouver. Nelson showed off his speed and passing on the second helper, breaking into the Giants zone and deftly sending a cross-ice saucer feed to Alex Gogolev. The Royals are off until Friday when they begin a two-game set with Kamloops.



Andrey Makarov made 25 saves as Saskatoon lost their home opener 5-2 to Prince Albert. The Blades made ti tough on themselves from the start, surrendering three goals in the top half of the first period including two on the power play. The Blades next take the ice Wednesday at Brandon.

9/15 Recap: Armia gets helper; Kea, Nelson find net

Joel Armia notched a power play assist Saturday as Assat earned their second straight shutout with a 3-0 win over TPS. Armia now has two goals and two assists in the Aces first two regular season games. Next up for Assat is a Wednesday visit to Karpat.


In Sweden, Linus Ullmark made 26 saves as Modo J20 lost their SuperElit North opener 3-2 to Brynas. Modo came back with a pair of second period goals after trailing 2-0 at the end of the first. The game would remain tied until Henrik Messfeldt struck for Brynas at 4:54 of the third just as a power play expired. Modo J20 tangles with Vasteras J20 on Sunday.

In the WHL, Logan Nelson scored his first goal of the preseason as Victoria doubled Vancouver, 4-2. With the exhibition slate complete, the Royals will now eye the start of their regular season Friday back in Vancouver.


Andrey Makarov played the entire game for Saskatoon, stopping 17 of 21 shots as the Blades were downed by Regina, 4-3. Morgan Klimchuk ('13) scored a pair of goals for the Pats. Saskatoon begins the regular seaosn Friday at Prince Albert.


In OHL preseason play, Justin Kea scored a late second period goal as Saginaw topped Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3. The Spirit, who completed their exhibition schedule with a 4-1 record, begin the regular season Friday evening in Guelph.

On Thursday, Kea got his scrapping on with his first major of the 2012-13 year in a 8-0 loss to Sarnia.


Alex Lepkowski skated without a point as Barrie closed out the preseason with a 4-2 win over Guelph. The Colts outshot the Storm by a 52-28 margin to earn the win. Barrie opens the OHL regular season Thursday at Ottawa.

In the USHL, Judd Peterson did not factor as Cedar Rapids was defeated by Waterloo, 4-2. Peterson, who scored a hat trick the night before in a loss to the Blackhawks, will look to get back on the scoresheet Wednesday when the RoughRiders continue the preseason in Des Moines.

9/14 Recap: Armia leads Aces; Peterson pots hatty

Joel Armia scored two goals and an assist to earn the game's #1 star Friday as Assat opened the regular season with a 3-0 shutout of Lukko. Not a bad start for a player who failed to light the lamp in four preseason appearances, and who a season ago needed 15 games to get his second regular season tally.

The 6-foot-3 wing racked up several quality chances throughout the game, unloading a total of 10 shots in 14:45 of work. He finally got the Aces on the board at 10:58 of the middle period when he took a pass as he crashed the net and calmly lifted a backhand. Armia would strike again just under 10-minutes later by unleashing a heavy wrist shot from the right circle to earn the game winning goal. He capped the three-point night late in the third by finding Mika Niemi from behind the net for the insurance marker. Assat continues their weekend with a Saturday tilt against TPS.


In USHL preseason action, 2012 seventh round pick Judd Peterson scored a hat trick as Cedar Rapids dropped a 5-4 overtime decision at Waterloo. The goals came in just Peterson's second junior "A" appearance after scoring 47 times in 30 games last season with Duluth Marshall High School. Taylor Cammarata, who will be in Buffalo on September 29th to play in the CCM/USA Hockey All American Prospects Game, bagged two goals and an assist including the overtime winner just 38-seconds into the extra period. The two clubs will play a rematch on Saturday.

In WHL play, newly-inked Andrey Makarov stopped all 13 shots faced over 31-minutes of work in Saskatoon's 2-1 win over Regina. Makarov started the game before giving way to Patrick Johnson midway trough the second period. The Blades and Pats will resume their weekend set Saturday in Saskatoon.

Colin Jacobs posted an assist as Prince George was defeated by Kamloops 4-3 in a shootout. The helper gives the 6-foot-2 center a goal and two assists through four preseason contests. The Cougars are now done with the preseason with their sights set on Saturday's regular season opener at Everett.

Logan Nelson went without a point in Victoria's 11-round shootout win over Vancouver. The 6-foot-1 Nelson missed in his attempt as the first Royals shooter in the deciding frames. The Royals head home for Saturday's preseason finale against Vancouver.

In the OHL, Brady Austin was left off the scoresheet as Belleville closed out the preseason with a 5-4 win over Oshawa. Austin, who was paired on defense with 2013 draft eligible Jordan Subban, wore an "A" for the Bulls. Belleville opens the regular season Friday at Sarnia.

Alex Lepkowski did not register as Barrie lost to Kitchener, 6-4. The 6-foot-4 rearguard has posted a goal and an assist in his exhibition work. The Colts will close the preseason Saturday at Guelph.

Jacobs guides Cougars

Colin Jacobs scored a goal and an assist Friday as Prince George rolled to a 3-1 preseason victory over defending WHL champion Edmonton. The goal, which came off a deflection in front of the Rockets cage late in the second period, gives Jacobs a multi-point game in just his second outing as a Cougar after having just two in all of 2011-12 with Seattle. Alex Forsberg ('13) added a pair of assists for Prince George, who moved to a 3-0 thus far in exhibition play. The two teams will go back at it on Saturday in Prince George.


In Finland, Joel Armia notched an assist as Assat completed their preseason with a 4-2 win over Ilves. Armia, who continued to man a scoring line right wing spot, was unable to light the lamp in any of his four exhibition appearances. The Aces open the regular season Friday at Lukko.

Elsewhere, Logan Nelson finished even with a roughing minor in Victoria's 4-1 win over Kelowna. The two clubs will play a rematch of their fight-filled affair Saturday in Kelowna.

In the OHL, Brady Austin recorded a power play assist as Belleville was doubled by Kingston, 6-3. The two clubs will play a rematch on Saturday.

Alex Lepkowski did not point as Barrie dropped a 4-1 decision to Guelph. The Colts next take the ice on Sunday when they take on Kitchener.

In USHL action, Judd Peterson was -2 with three shots on goal as Cedar Rapids opened the exhibition schedule with a 5-3 loss to Dubuque. The two clubs, which combined for 99 penalty minutes on Friday, will resume the home-and-home battle Saturday in Cedar Rapids.

Ullmark firm as Swedes roll

Linus Ullmark earned the win Saturday as Sweden U20 cruised to a dominating 10-2 victory over the Czech Republic at the Four Nations tournament in Kravare, CZE.

Ullmark, who began the trip serving as backup in the Swedes' 3-2 overtime win over Russia on Friday, went unbeaten for nearly two periods until the Czechs scored off a 5x3 power play with 1:21 left in the middle frame. The 6'3 netminder continued to be sharp when called upon until allowing a goal off a rebound with 4:57 left in the game. Elias Lindholm ('13), Sebastian Collberg (MON), Daniel Zaar (CBS), and Filip Sandberg (undrafted) each potted a pair of goals for the winners. The Swedes play Finland on Sunday to wrap the three-day event.

In Finland, Joel Armia went without a point as Assat defeated SEL opponent Vaxjo 4-3 in overtime. Former Sabres/Amerks forward Mike Ryan scored just 57-seconds into the extra time to corral the victory for Assat. Armia, who has spent most of the summer working on a mandatory military conscript, will now have more time to focus on the season after completing the bulk of his service. The Aces are off until Friday when they battle Ilves.

Assat takes tourney; Ullmark prepping

Joel Armia was kept off the scoresheet Saturday as Assat edged Saipa 2-1 to win the preseason tournament in Hämeenlinna. Assat was dominated throughout, registering just eight shots on goal for the entire game, but was able to capitalize on opportunities to eek out the win.

Armia shuttled in from his military conscript to join the club for the pair of games. He went without a point while playing his usual right side on a line with Mika Niemi and former New Jersey Devil Tuomas Pihlman. Assat returns to action next week versus Vaxjo.

In Sweden, Linus Ullmark is starting to see action as the MODO J20 squad has gotten their exhibition schedule underway. The 6'3 netminder began in style Tuesday, stopping all 25 shots he faced in a 3-0 win over Timra.

The J20's traveled south to Gimo over the weekend to continue their preseason rounds with Friday-Sunday games. After MODO opened with a 5-3 win over Brynas on Friday, Ullmark started the next night as MODO dropped a 2-1 decision to Leksand. The J20's close the trip on Sunday with a game against Vasteras before heading home for a Thursday game in Ornskoldsvik.

8/24 Recap: Grigorenko produces in Q tune-up

Mikhail Grigorenko scored a goal and added two assists Friday as Quebec breezed to a 8-2 preseason victory over Shawinigan. The Remparts will play one more exhibition tilt Saturday before opening the 2012-13 regular season Friday, September 21st against Chicoutimi.

Grigorenko, who earned the game's #2 star, showed his playmaking skills in the first 40-minutes with a pair of deft feeds that resulted in goals by Anthony Duclair ('13). In between the helpers, the 6'3 pivot roofed a power play goal early in the second period to give the Remparts a 4-1 lead. Grigorenko rounded out his effort with two shots on goal and a 60% success rate at the faceoff circle (15/25).

In Finland, Joel Armia skated on a line with Tuomas Pihlman and Mika Niemi but was unable to score as Assat defeated HPK 4-3 in a shootout to advance to the Hämeenlinna tournament finals. Former Sabre Mike Ryan scored a regulation goal for the Aces before connecting for the shootout winner. Assat will battle SaiPa on Saturday to conclude the tourney.

Finland finishes trip with win

Joel Armia did not register a point Saturday as Finland defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime to close out the United States National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid. The 6'3 wing finishes his visit with a goal and eight penalty minutes in the week's five games. The win was Finland's first of the week.

Despite the statistical low (he posted a goal and three assists in four games at last year's camp), Armia still showed signs of what's to come by doing a good job shielding the puck and instinctively adding movement on the power play. He's strong at taking the puck off the half-wall to the slot and effectively rotates into position around the net without it. He unleashed a couple of wristers on Saturday that missed high. Overall you want to see him connect more while continuing to increase his even-strength compete level when the SM-liiga season begins next month.

Jake McCabe had another solid game for Team USA. The 6'1 defender was more conservative with the puck than earlier in camp and wisely chose spots to close-in offensively. His strong footwork (at one point he outraced Armia back to his own end to steer away an opportunity) and physical engagement drove his play, but it's hard to suggest that he stood out over any of the other bottom-pair candidates throughout the week. USA's U20 blueline crop is a very competitive group. An impressive start at Wisconsin this fall should keep McCabe right in the mix when USA makes their World Junior picks in December.

Top threats quiet as summer tune-ups continue

Mikhail Grigorenko continued to show flashes of chemistry with Nail Yakupov (EDM) Friday but did not get in on the scoring as Russia doubled Canada 6-3 to even the 2012 Canada/Russia Challenge at one game apiece. The 6'3 center has one assist through the first two games of the series, which now shifts back to Halifax, Nova Scotia for its conclusion on Monday and Tuesday.

In other Friday action, Joel Armia was held off the score sheet for the third straight game as Finland was downed by Sweden 5-2 at the United States National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid. The Swedes, who were coming off a 10-2 blowout loss to Team USA the day before, finish the week with a 3-1 mark. Armia (4GP 1-0-1 8 PIM) will look to end the visit on a high note when Finland goes for their first win of the week versus Team USA on Saturday.

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EDIT: Check out Grigorenko's shifts from game #2 vs. Canada.

McCabe shows well in USA win

Jake McCabe played strong defensively Wednesday but did not get in on the scoring as Team USA defeated Finland 5-2 at the United States National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, NY. Paired with Connor Murphy, the Wisconsin sophomore saw his tough, physical game emerge in his own zone for a full sixty minutes while displaying flashes of his up-ice skills.

The Sabres' top pick in 2011, Joel Armia, did not point for Finland for the second straight game after scoring a goal in their opener versus Team Blue.

Nic Kerdiles scored the game winning goal late in third. Stefan Matteau, Sean Kuraly, John Gaudreau, and Stefan Noesen added the other American marks. Miro Aaltonen paced the Finns with a pair of goals.

Team USA will return to action Thursday against Team Sweden. Finland gets another crack at Sweden on Friday.

Armia shut out as Swedes roll

Joel Armia was held off the score sheet Tuesday as Finland was throttled by Sweden 8-2 at the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid.

Jusso Ikonen ('13) scored his third goal of camp to give Finland a 2-1 lead in the first minute of the second period, but the Swedes took over from there with seven unanswered strikes. The Finns, who drop to 0-2 in their overseas visit, return to action Wednesday against Team USA.

William Karlsson led the Swedes with a hat trick. Viktor Arvidsson potted a pair of goals while Filip Forsberg had a goal and two helpers. Karlsson and Arvidsson each have five points (2+3) through the Swedes first two games. Sweden has outscored their opponents by a 13-3 count through their first two games. They’ll take on Team USA on Friday.

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.

Armia inked

The Buffalo Sabres appear set to announce the signing of Joel Armia to a three-year entry-level contract. Per Capgeek, the deal is worth 925K annually with bonuses bumping it up to a 1.25M cap hit. With his NHL rights now secured, 2011 first-rounder (16th overall) is expected to play out the remaining year of his SM-Liiga contract in 2012-13 before making the North American leap the following year.

Armia, who is currently in the early stages of a mandatory armed forces commitment, scored 18 goals and 38 points with Assat in 2011-12. He started slow (11 points in first 25 games) but heated up right before the World Junior Championships, where he scored five goals and seven points in seven tourney games. The hot hand carried that momentum forward, racking up 20 points (10+10) in the final 23 games before a knee injury forced an early exit after just three playoff contests.

The 6'3 wing was said to have been given a Friday deadline to sign when the offer was tendered last week. It remains to be seen whether or not he'll attend Sabres d-camp following the draft, but the masses will surely get another glimpse of the future scoring line forward over the winter at the 2013 World Junior Championship.

3/27 Recap: Armia goes down with knee

So perhaps Joel Armia wasn't refilling his sport drink after all.

The second-year Assat forward has been ruled out of action for roughly six weeks after an examination Tuesday revealed stress to his knee suffered in Saturday's loss to JYP.

The 18-year wing finished Saturday's game after getting stung in a collision, and also went ahead and collected two assists in over 19-minutes of work on Monday before finally being shut down.

The injury will not require surgery but will cause him to miss the rest of the playoffs and likely take him out of consideration for the World Championships, which take place in Scandanavia in early May.

In the QMJHL, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (+3) scored his third goal of the playoffs as Rimouski edged Val-d’Or 3-2 in overtime. Foreurs captain Cedrick Henley finished -1 with a game-best eight hits in defeat. The Oceanic hold a 3-0 series lead and will look to use the brooms Wednesday night in Val-d’Or.

In the WHL, Kevin Sundher did not factor into the scoring as Brandon defeated Calgary 3-1 in game #4 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal. With a 3-1 series lead, the Wheat Kings will look to eliminate the Hitmen Thursday on home ice.

Gregg Sutch and Alex Lepkowski were each a -1 as Barrie lost at Mississauga, 3-2. With the series evened at two games apiece, game #5 will take place Saturday in Barrie.