Per the Grand Forks Herald, Brad Eidsness looks poised to win the starting job as a freshman at the University of North Dakota...and to be an exemplary student.
The 19-year-old goaltender recruit said he hopes to enroll in summer classes at UND and get to campus early in order to prepare to battle for the starting job this fall.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Eidsness, a Chestermere, Alta., native who is expected to compete with senior-to-be Aaron Walski for playing time. “Knowing I have a chance to play my first season is quite exciting. When (Anthony) Grieco left last fall, I knew I might get a chance to play more this season and I think that helped motivate me a little bit more.
“I want to get there this summer to get in the swing of things and hopefully I’ll be ready to go right off the bat.”
Full article talking about UND's incoming class can be found here (registration required).
After being named AJHL MVP, the Sabres 2007 5th round pick was also tabbed as the Okotoks Oilers MVP at their season banquet.
Elsewhere from the banquet circuit:
Harvard D Alex Biega was named an Assistant Captain for the 2008-09 season. The "A" he'll wear next season will be the first on a Crimson sweater since 2005.
At Denver, D Chris Butler received his second consecutive Keith Magnuson Memorial Award given to the club's best defensive player. This past season also saw the St. Louis native become the school's 34th All-American.
Across town at the 59th Annual Pike's Peak Club banquet, Boston College junior Nathan Gerbe was given the Norman H. Dailey Memorial Award as team MVP. The Oxford, MI native was also the recipient of the Herb Gallagher Award (New England's top forward) at the New England Hockey Writer's banquet.
Junior Tim Kennedy was named Michigan State's Outstanding Offensive Player at their mid-April celebration.
Freshman netminder Nick Eno earned Most Improved Player honors at Bowling Green's season ending fete.
In St. Catharines, D Drew Schiestel was named Most Sportsmanlike Player by the Niagara Ice Dogs.
Nathan Gerbe scored an empty net goal and dodged a check to set-up the eventual game winner as Boston College shut down Vermont 4-0 to win the Hockey East tournament title. Now the national leader in points (Kevin Porter of Michigan went 0-0-0), Gerbe's four goals and five assists in four games earned him Tournament MVP honors. Also contributing was C Andrew Orpik, whose pretty pass resulted in a first period power-play goal for BC. The Eagles figure to be a #2 seed in Worcester when the brackets are rolled out tomorrow morning.
Chris Butler played another strong game as Denver earned the WCHA tourney title and Broadmoor Cup with a 2-1 win over Minnesota. In a very competitive tournament, Butler was recognized for his excellent play with placement on the All-Tournament Team. The Pioneers enter the NCAA tourney on a strong note, and will be a #2 seed in possibly Albany when play begins next week.
In the ECAC Tournament championship game, D Alex Biega had an assist as Harvard fell to Princeton, 4-1. With the Crimson trailing 2-1 in the third, Biega took an interference penalty that enabled a Tigers goal on the ensuing power play. It would appear that Harvard's season is over, as an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament is unlikely for the Crimson. The sophomore played 34 games this season, scoring three goals and 19 assists to wind up as the team's fourth-leading scorer.
In the QMJHL playoffs, Paul Byron had an assist as Gatineau trounced Shawinigan, 9-3. Les Olympiques now lead the first-round series 2-0.
T.J. Brennan (-2) had an assist as St. John's lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 5-4. The Foggies now trail the Titan 2-0 in the series. J.S. Allard went pointless for St. John's in the loss. Benjamin Breault and the rest of his Drakkar teammates were shut down as Baie-Comeau dropped the first game of their match-up with Rimouski, 3-0.
In the AHL, Marc-Andre Gragnani had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Hunter added his 18th of the season as the Amerks lost to the B-Sens, 7-4. Clarke MacArthur and Mark Mancari also added assists for Rochester. In the loss, Gragnani and Hunter extend their point streaks to four games each, while MacArthur has now registered a point in three straight. Once the Amerks leading scorer, Marek Zagrapan has now gone 14 games without a goal.
Drew MacKenzie did not dress in Waterloo's 3-2 overtime win over Ohio. After last night's game misconduct, his third of the season and second for grabbing a facemask, it's possible that his absence is due to a mandatory league suspension.
Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe piled up three assists as the Eagles stunned favorite New Hampshire in triple overtime, 5-4, to advance to the Hockey East championship game against Vermont. The NCAA leader in shots on goal, Gerbe used the extra time to rack up an impressive 15 on the night. Two of his assists were secondary, but he had many scoring chances of his own throughout. The junior was robbed by a Kevin Regan (BOS) kick save early on, missed an open net on a late-second period power play, and later was unsuccessful on breakaway in the second overtime. The triple helper vaults Gerbe into the national lead for points-per-game (1.45). Andrew Orpik, perhaps still feeling the lingering effects from his previous shoulder injury, again centered the Eagles' fourth unit.
At the WCHA tournament, D Chris Butler was even in Denver's 3-1 win over North Dakota. The win propels the Pioneers into the tourney finals this evening in St. Paul, where they'll face surprising Minnesota fresh off an upset of Colorado College.
Harvard D Alex Biega notched an assist in their 3-1 ECAC semifinal win over Cornell. The sophomore earned the point when his point shot was tipped by Jon Pelle for the third Crimson goal. Harvard will face Princeton tonight in Albany.
In game two of their first-round playoff battle, D Drew Schiestel was +2 with a power-play assist as Niagara defeated Mississauga-St. Michael's, 3-1. The IceDogs jump out to a 2-0 series lead, with game three dropping on Easter Sunday.
Paul Byron scored Gatineau's third goal as les Olympiques opened their playoff year with a 4-3 win over Shawinigan. Byron's first of the playoffs came on the power play in the final minute of the second period. Ray Giroux (PHI) made a pretty pass to the centerman, who corralled the puck on his tape to snap a quickie past Cats' goalie Kevin Maletto.
J.S. Allard cashed-in a pair a goals, while T.J. Brennan added one of his own in the Fog Devils' 8-5 loss to Acadie-Bathurst. Allard and Brennan each picked up assists as well as St. John's falls behind 1-0 in the first round match-up.
The Waterloo Black Hawks’ five-game win-streak ended with a 4-3 loss to Chicago that saw a total of 63 minutes in penalties doled out to both teams. Drew MacKenzie of Waterloo drew the harshest penalty of the game when he received a five minutes major for grabbing the face mask, and a 10 minute game misconduct for the face mask incident.
In the AHL, Rochester won their second in a row with a 4-2 defeat of Grand Rapids. Marc-Andre Gragnani one-timed his 11th of the season to get the Amerks on the board in the first. Dylan Hunter would add a pair of goals (16,17), while Clarke MacArthur scored his 13th in the win. Adam Dennis made 32 saves for Rochester, who heads to Binghamton tonight for a 7:05 start.
The Rundown: Hunter - two goals, +2 MacArthur - goal, assist, +2 Gragnani - goal, assist, +1 Mancari - assist, +1 Zagrapan - 0-0-0 0 0 Dennis - 32 saves
In CCHA tourney play, wingers Tim Kennedy and Corey Tropp were each held scoreless as #3 seed Michigan State was ousted by #6 Northern Michigan, 3-2. Tropp, on a break with Kennedy and Justin Abdelkader, missed an opportunity by clanging one off the post in the middle period. The NMU win sends the 'Cats to the CCHA Final Four where they will take on Michigan. The Spartans now get a week off, waiting to learn which NCAA regional bracket they'll be skating in as they attempt to defend their 2007 national title.
Defenseman Alex Biega assisted on the game winning goal as Harvard closed out their ECAC series against Quinnipiac with a 3-1 win. It will be an all-Ivy semifinal as the Crimson move on to face Princeton next week.
With North Dakota closing out Michigan Tech today, the table is now set for an exciting match-up with Chris Butler and Denver next weekend.
The CHL regular season concluded on Sunday, with all four clubs containing Sabres futures qualifying for post-season action.
Steady IceDogs rearguard Drew Schiestel closed out his OHL regular season with a power play goal in Niagara's 3-2 overtime defeat of Peterborough. His 8th of the season came on a slapper from the blue line, and coupled with his solid defensive play, helped him earn the game's #1 star. Niagara and Missisauga-St.Michael's will begin their best-of-seven on Thursday in St. Catharines.
In the Q, Ben Breault had a goal and an assist as Baie-Comeau edged Rimouski, 4-2. Breault was also +3 while posting a game-high six shots on goal. The 2006 seventh rounder finished the regular season 36-41-77, and will help lead the Drakkar in their first-round match-up with Rimouski.
With Claude Giroux resting, Paul Byron had an assist in Gatineau's 3-1 win over Val-d'Or. Finshing the #3 team in the Telus Division, les Olympiques will take on Shawinigan in the first round.
2007 picks T.J. Brennan and J.S. Allard were both held without a point as St. Jonh's lost their second straight to Acadie-Bathurst, 3-2. Brennan's six-game point streak came to an end in the loss, as did the club's final regular season in the Newfoundland outpost. The franchise is packing up and moving to Verdun of the metro Montreal area for 2008-09 play. In the meantime, the Foggies will renew acquaintances with the same Titan team when round one action starts this week.
Someday the Sabres will achieve synergy in all facets of the organization. On a night when the top club gave Toronto a licking to boost their playoff hopes, a few members of the prospect stable had their seasons derailed by key losses. Not all was bad, though.
One name in the "good" column is that of Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe, who tonight continued to battle shadowing defenders with a one goal, one assist effort in a 5-1 win over Providence. Gerbe's goal, his 27th of the season, came on a dazzling penalty shot after he was hauled down on an end-to-end rush in the second period. Andrew Orpik remained at center, checking out for the night with a -1 rating. The Eagles will face #1 seed UNH next weekend.
(Tip of the hat to Devo for finding the Gerbe penalty shot)
Already thought to have a spot in the NCAA tourney locked up, Chris Butler and the Denver Pioneers closed out their WCHA series with a 1-0 win over Duluth. Paired with sophomore Cody Brookwell, the St. Louis native was even with a pair of minor penalties in the win. With a couple match-ups yet to be settled, the Pios next opponent will be determined tomorrow.
As expected, Nick Eno got the start for Bowling Green, but the Falcons season ended with a 4-2 loss to Miami. A 7th round selection in 2007, Eno didn't have the greatest night against the strong Miami offense, allowing four goals on just 11 shots through the first two periods. His tentative play set-in after he was tripped up while skating out to play a puck in the mid-second period. Regardless, the loss completes a solid season that saw the freshman goaltender post a 12-10 record for the surprising Falcons.
The battle for who will face Miami next weekend remains unsettled. Michigan State had their eyes on a sweep, but despite out-shooting the Wildcats by a 42-30 margin, instead fell to Northern Michigan, 2-1. The Spartans first line, made up of Buffalo natives Tim Kennedy and Chris Mueller flanking Detroit prospect Justin Abdelkader, was kept off the scoresheet in the loss. Freshman Corey Tropp again skated on the bottom unit for MSU, mustering two shots on goal.
Harvard defenseman Alex Biega cranked out eight shots on goal, but the Crimson didn't have enough in a 7-4 loss to Quinnipiac. The series is now knotted at one game apiece, with the puck dropping on the deciding game three tomorrow night at 7:00.
In the AJHL playoffs, the standout junior career of Okotoks goaltender Brad Eidsness came to an end with a 1-0 loss to underdog Drumheller. The league MVP stopped 29 Dragon shots, but the Oiler offense that scored just eight goals all series long failed to produce with their paltry 17 shots on the evening. As one chapter ends for Eidsness, a more prestigious one begins next fall as he enters the WCHA as a North Dakota frosh.
A night after defeating the league's top team in Omaha, Drew Mackenzie was -1 as Waterloo downed Sioux City, 5-1. The streaking Black Hawks have now gone 9-1 in their last ten games, and sit in second place in the USHL Eastern Division.
When we last left the RSL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov and #7 seed Ak-Bars were waiting for their quarterfinal opponent while Artem Kriukov and #6 SKA were heading to a first-round game five with Spartak. SKA pulled through, earning the right to face Kriukov's former team, Lokomotiv, in the second round. Meanwhile, Ak-Bars drew a match-up with #3 CSKA Moscow.
In game one, Kriukov went scoreless as his club shutdown Alexei Yashin and the rest of the Yaroslavl attack in a 4-0 win. The following night, Yashin notched a hat trick as Lokomotiv evened the series with a 5-1 win. Kriukov was quiet in that contest as well.
Buravchikov scored the third Kazan goal in their 6-0 game one rout of CSKA. The goal was his second of the entire 2007-08 campaign. In game two, Buravchikov did not hit the scoresheet as Kazan got a Petr Cjanek goal late to edge CSKA, 6-5. Game three results for both Russians will be available after their Sunday completion.
Finally, the Rochester Americans put up a valiant come-from-behind effort with just 15 skaters in a 4-3 overtime loss at Binghamton. Mark Mancari fueled the comeback with a goal and two assists, and Dylan Hunter added a spark with a goal and an assist of his own. Adam Dennis did his part, making 40 saves to keep the game within reach. For the B-Sens, former Sabres prospect Denis Hamel had a goal and an assist, while Buffalo's fifth-round pick in 1999, Matt Kinch, set up the short-handed winner in overtime.
The Rundown: Mancari - goal, two assists, -2, 5 SOG Hunter- goal, assist, -1, 5 SOG Gragnani - assist Zagrapan - 1 SOG, 2 PIM Dennis - 40 saves
In Sweden, Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as SSK fell out of the elitserien race with a 2-1 loss to Linkopings. With the 2006 2nd round pick pitching a shutout in his last start, SSK coach Leif Stromberg bucked his rotation to stay with the hot hand. Tied at one entering the third, SSK poured it on with 25 shots, but was unable to solve former Capital Rostislav Stana. Linkopings scored the game winner on the power play midway through the period.
Rochester made the short drive down the 90, where they met their third straight defeat in a 3-1 decision with the Crunch. Marc-Andre Gragnani extended his point-streak to nine games with an assist on the sole Amerks goal, while Dylan Hunter also contributed to the tally. Gragnani is now second on the Amerks in points, and ranked eighth among AHL rookies. 2005 pick Adam Dennis made 22 saves in the loss.
In the AJHL playoffs, Brad Eidsness made 16 saves in Okotoks' 5-3 win over the Calgary Canucks. The win gives the Oilers a 1-0 lead in the first round best-of-five series.
Tim Kennedy ended the regular season on a strong note, posting a goal and an assist as Michigan State swept Bowling Green with a 4-0 shutout. Kennedy was +7 in the weekend home-and-home while pushing his season totals to 18-20-38 in 37 games. Since his 13-game run without a goal, Kennedy has scored five goals and four assists over a six-game point streak. Freshman RW Corey Tropp flipped a shot on goal in the win, while Nick Eno sat this one out for Bowling Green. The Spartans will now enjoy a bye week, returning on March 14th to face the winner of Ohio State and Western Michigan in the second round of the CCHA playoffs. Bowling Green will begin their tourney quest next weekend against Lake Superior.
Junior sparkplug Nathan Gerbe scored his 23rd goal of the season as Boston College played to a 2-2 tie with Providence. With under five minutes to play in the opening period, Gerbe took a Ben Smith pass and buried one of his team-best six shots on goal. Andrew Orpik did not dress for the Eagles after leaving last night's game due to an upper body injury.
DU assistant captain Chris Butler notched an assist in Pioneers 2-1 upset loss to Michigan Tech. The assist, Butler's 16th point of the year, came as he set up Rhett Rakhshani's power play goal in the third period. He nearly tied the game on an earlier third period power play when his shot from the right point clanged off the far post.
Harvard defenseman Alex Biega pumped three shots on the Cornell goal in the Crimson's 3-1 win. Harvard's hot finish earned them a #3 seed and first-round bye in the ECAC tournament. They await the winner of Quinnipiac and Brown.
Matt Generous (+1) raised his team-best rating to +13 as St. Lawrence defeated Princeton, 3-2. The steady junior's importance to the Saint blueline is clear when noticing that the next best rating on the club is +3. As the #9 seed in the ECAC, St. Lawrence will face #8 Colgate in a first round tournament match up next weekend.
In the QMJHL, T.J. Brennan scored another goal as St. John's lost to Cape Breton in a shootout, 5-4. Brennan's goal, his 14th of the season and fourth in his last six games, forced overtime with 4:22 left on the clock. He was later stopped in a shootout attempt. J.S. Allard registered four shots on goal for the Foggies.
Niagara's Drew Schiestel picked up an assist on the power play as the Dogs defeated Sudbury, 5-3. The Hamilton native now has five assists in his last six games from the Ice Dog blueline. In the Dogs win, Pens prospect Luca Caputi had two assists to go over the 100-point plateau.
Drew MacKenzie was -2 in Waterloo's 4-3 loss to the Jr. Blue Jackets.
2006 pick Benjamin Breault scored his 28th goal of the year and added a pair assists in Baie-Comeau's 6-3 win over Quebec. Breault, whose goal came while being down a man, was named the game's first star with his three point night. He now has 63 points in 54 games as the top-line pivot for the Drakkar.
Steady IceDogs defender Drew Schiestel assisted on the first two Niagara goals in their 4-2 road defeat of Peterborough. The 2007 2nd round pick continues to impress after an up-and-down run through the early parts of the season.
T.J. Brennan scored for the second straight night as St. John's defeated Drummondville, 2-1. The first pick of the second round in last June's draft, Brennan now has 12 goals and 34 points for the Fog Devils. Foggies forward J.S. Allard went pointless in the two game set with the Voltigeurs.
In Elitserien, Jhonas Enroth made 21 saves as SSK was defeated by Timra, 1-0. Despite the loss, Enroth is still sparkling with a .928 save percentage and a 2.18 GAA. Meanwhile, SSK remains on the outside looking in by just a point as SEL teams start looking towards the playoffs.
Nick Eno made 22 saves to earn another "W" in Bowling Green's 2-1 win over Ferris State. The weekend split with the Bulldogs was the second time all season that Eno started both games of a weekend set over Flames prospect Jimmy Spratt. The steady frosh has now collected 11 of the Falcons 16 wins on the year.
Tim Kennedy scored his 16th goal of the season on the power play, but his Spartans allowed a goal in the final minute of all three periods en route to a 5-2 loss to Michigan at Joe Louis Arena. In the second period, a Jeff Petry shot rebounded in the high slot to a waiting Kennedy who potted his third goal in four games. Freshman right wing Corey Tropp punched up one shot on goal in the loss. The Spartans will close the regular season next weekend against Eno and the Falcons.
Alex Biega was even with five shots on net as Harvard defeated Brown, 2-1. The Crimson have now won four straight games since their loss to Boston College in the finals of the Beanpot.
Andrew Orpik scored the only Eagles goal right out of the penalty box, his fifth of the season, as Boston College dropped another game to New Hampshire, 5-1. Nathan Gerbe was held scoreless with five shots on goal for the second straight night, and has just one point in his last five outings. Chris Butler was even as Denver used a weekend broom on Alaska-Anchorage, 3-1.
Matt Generous was -1 as St. Lawrence lost to union, 3-1. The Saints lost their fourth straight game despite out-shooting the Dutchmen 47-26.
Brad Eidsness faced just 17 shots, stopping 15 of them, as Okotoks defeated Camrose by a 3-2 score.
Drew MacKenzie registered a shot on goal as Waterloo exercised the weekend sweep over Green Bay with a 2-1 win.
Tonight also marked the NHL debut of Sabres prospect Marc-Andre Gragnani, who appeared in a Buffalo sweater in their 4-3 loss to the Rangers. Drafted as a defenseman but playing well as a wing at the AHL level, Gragnani was -1 with two hooking penalties in nearly six and half minutes of ice time. The hooking calls were the result of not moving his feet, something that can't be done at the top level. It's an overwhelming experience to play in your first NHL game, so he shall receive a mulligan from SabresProspects.com.
In DEL play, Philip Gogulla continued to rack up assists with two more in Cologne's 5-4 OT win over Duisburg. Down 4-2 with under three minutes to play, Gogulla picked up the primary helpers as the Sharks rallied with two goals in 1:40 to force the extra session. The Dusseldorf-born left wing furthered his career best totals of 31 assists and 41 points as Cologne clinched a playoff birth with the win.
Felix Schutz assisted on the game's first goal as Ingolstadt edged Straubing, 4-3. The 2006 fourth-rounder will carry a season-best three-game point streak into Sunday's contest with the Iserlohn Roosters.
Michigan State LW Tim Kennedy scored a goal and an assist as the Spartans upended top-ranked Michigan, 5-2. Just 18 seconds after Justin Abdelkader gave the Spartans a 3-1 lead, the Buffalo native pounded home an Abdelkader rebound to break the game open in the early third. Kennedy was one of three Spartans to post a game-best +3 in the big win at Munn. Buffalo's 2007 third-rounder, Corey Tropp, hit a post on a first-period breakaway, and ended up scoreless for the Spartans.
Chris Butler scored the game-winning goal while short-handed to give Denver a much-needed 4-2 victory over Alaska-Anchorage. Breaking down the ice on a two-on-one, Tyler Bozak delivered a perfect pass to Butler who directed the puck home for the Pioneers. The goal was Butler's second of the season after a 2006-07 campaign which saw him pot 10 from the Denver blue line.
Matt Generous netted his third goal of the year as St. Lawrence fell to RPI, 4-2. Down 3-1 in the third, Generous went hard to the net to finish a give-and-go pass from Casey Parenteau. RPI was strong down the stretch as the Saints continued their season-long struggle.
Freshman goaltender Nick Eno made 39 saves for the second consecutive start, but this time the result was different as Bowling Green lost to Ferris State, 2-1. Ferris dominated from the get-go as 33 of Eno's stops came in the first forty minutes.
Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe fired seven shots on the Wildcat net, but proved unsuccessful in the Eagle's 2-0 shutout loss to #3 New Hampshire. The crucial loss leaves Boston College trailing UNH by eight points for the Hockey East season title. Like the rest of the Eagles squad, junior RW Andrew Orpik had a quiet night in defeat.
Alex Biega notched an assist in Harvard's 6-1 trouncing of Yale.
Paul Byron had an assist in Gatineau's 3-2 loss to Drummondville. With twelve seconds to play, Byron set-up a Jean-Philip Chabot goal to send the game into overtime. The assist extends Byron's point-streak to seven games.
In the OHL, Drew Schiestel was even in Niagara's 2-1 win over Mississauga-St. Mike's.
Drew MacKenzie was +1 as Waterloo beat up on Green Bay, 6-1.
Dennis Persson went scoreless as Nykoping took it on the chin in a 9-3 loss to Leksands.
In the AHL, Binghamton used three power play goals to shut down Rochester, 4-0. Adam Dennis made 22 saves to take the loss in his ninth straight start in the Amerks crease. Bad blood permeates this rivalry, and the night's chippiness resulted in Mark Mancari and Mike Funk each receiving misconducts as part of the festivities.
Defenseman Mike Weber missed the game to attend the funeral of former teammate and close friend, Mickey Renaud. The Amerks were also without F/D Marc-Andre Gragnani, who earned his first call-up to the NHL thanks to his fine play of late as a forward.
In the AHL, the Rochester Americans saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss to Syracuse. Andrej Sekera scored his second goal of the year, and first since the season opener, on a first-period power play. Marek Zagrapan picked up helpers on both Rochester goals to raise his season point total to 31, while Marc-Andre Gragnani extended his point-streak to six games with an assist. Adam Dennis made 30 saves in the loss. Mike Funk was given a misconduct at the end of the game after voicing concerns about uneven officiating.
In juniors, Gatineau center Paul Byron scored a pair of even-strength goals, including the game winner, and added an assist as the Olympiques defeated Victoriaville, 4-1. On the ice for all four Gatineau goals, the three-point night earned Byron the game's #1 star. The 5'10, 140-pound pivot now has 29 goals and 51 points in 41 games, after going 21-23-44 in 68 games in 2006-07.
2007 fifth-rounder Jean-Simon Allard notched three assists as St. John's held on to their 5-0 lead to defeat PEI, 5-4. Like Byron, Allard was also a solid +4 on the evening. Fog Devils Defenseman T.J. Brennan was +2 with a team-best six shots on goal.
Brad Eidsness and the Okotoks Oilers avenged Frday's loss, getting the home-and-home split with a 4-2 win over Olds. The 2007 fifth-rounder made 35 saves for the win in a contest featuring 26 power plays between the two clubs.
Black Hawks defenseman Drew MacKenzie checked out with a -3 as Waterloo took a 7-1 whooping from USHL cellar-dweller, Des Moines.
In the NCAA, Nick Eno faced 40 shots, stopping all but one as Bowling Green defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 3-1. Tonight's victory was the tenth in a solid freshman season for the Howell, MI native, as his brickwall effort earned him the game's #2 star. Bowling Green climbed their way back to .500 with the win.
Tim Kennedy had an assist on the power play as #7 Michigan State swept lowly Western Michigan with a 4-2 afternoon win. Spartans coach Rick Comley continued his season of line juggling, placing Corey Tropp on the third unit where he was even with three shots on goal. Next week, the Spartans will take on Michigan in a key CCHA battle.
Nathan Gerbe had a power play assist and zero misconducts as #8 Boston College earned a weekend split by defeating #18 Lowell, 5-2. Andrew Orpik also had an assist for BC, bringing his point total to nine on the year.
Chris Butler was again -1 as #6 Denver got outplayed by #3 North Dakota in a 4-1 loss. The game featured 122 penalty minutes thanks to a melee at the end of the second period, but Butler was only responsible for a holding minor. The weekend sweep slides Denver down the pairwise rankings, with the 6-8 cluster of teams now likely to involve the Pios, Michigan State, and Boston College.
Saints defenseman Matt Generous was also -1 for the second consecutive night as St. Lawrence lost to Brown, 3-1. His +12 is still good for sixth in the ECAC.
Alex Biega was +2 with five shots on goal as Harvard cooled surging #16 Quinnipiac, 4-1. Over the past four games, the stocky rearguard has seen his season plus/minus go from -1 to +7.
In the SEL, Jhonas Enroth rested while Bjorn Bjurling made 34 saves in a 2-2 tie with Skelleftea. SSK and Skelleftea are currently tied for the 8th and final elitserien playoff spot.
In the RSL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov has finally scored a goal for Ak-Bars. Through 40 games this season, the steady defender has one goal and 10 PIM. Over the past five games, he's raised his plus/minus from -3 to +1.
Friday was rather stacked in terms of the Sabres prospects schedule. Let's take a trip around the rinks for an update on over twenty Sabres properties to hit the ice in fifteen different games.
Marek Zagrapan scored his 16th goal of the season in Rochester's 4-2 win over Hershey. Marc-Andre Gragnani assisted on the Zagrapan goal to extend his point streak to five games while the Amerks won their third straight. Adam Dennis made 29 saves for the win, and has now been in net for 13 of the team's 16 victories. Andrej Sekera was a game-best +3.
Earlier in the week, it was learned that Amerks defenseman Mike Weber was suspended for two games following a checking him from behind major in the final minute of play on Sunday. He'll again sit out tomorrow's contest with Syracuse, then return to the lineup on Sunday against Hamilton.
Elsewhere, Tim Kennedy scored a short-handed goal and added an assist in Michigan State's 3-0 shutout of Western Michigan. Kennedy's third period goal ends a career-long thirteen game drought. 2007 third rounder Corey Tropp, who was re-united with Kennedy and Justin Abdelkader (DET) for this one, did not register a point. The win gives the Spartans a first-round bye in the CCHA tournament. The two clubs will play it back tomorrow at Western.
Dennis Persson scored his first goal of the season and assisted on another in Nykopings' 4-3 loss Nybro. The Sabres first round pick in 2006, Persson now has three points in his last two games after a quiet offensive season to date.
Gatineau's Paul Byron had a goal and an assist the Olympques pounded Shawinigan, 8-1. The 5'10 center, who had five blocked shots to go along with his power play marker, was named the game's #3 star.
Harvard sophomore Alex Biega followed a nice showing in the Beanpot final on Monday with two assists tonight in the Crimson's 3-2 win over Princeton. The Montreal-born defenseman has a goal and four assists in his last three games.
Nathan Gerbe and Andrew Orpik were both held scoreless as Boston College lost to Lowell, 3-1. In the second period, Gerbe lost his cool by punching a Lowell player in the head to earn a roughing minor. On his way to the box, a few choice words for the official earned himself another ten minutes of "time out". With the Eagles trailing, the frustrated Gerbe has to know better than to hurt his team's comeback chances with a senseless misconduct.
In the DEL, Philip Gogulla assisted on the game-tying goal as Cologne went on to defeat Sinupret, 3-2 in overtime. Under contract with Buffalo, Gogulla now has 28 assists and 37 total points this season with the Sharks.
Chris Butler was -1 as Denver stumbled in a 5-4 loss at North Dakota. Butler was beaten late on a great wraparound play by T.J. Oshie (STL) to set-up the game winner. North Dakota trailed the Pios 4-1 in the second before scoring four unanswered goals for the win.
Matt Generous was -1 as St. Lawrence lost to Yale, 4-3.
T.J. Brennan and J.S. Allard both were without points as St. John's fell to PEI, 4-1. Brennan was +1 with five shots on net, while Allard was only able to muster one of the Foggies 52 shots on goal.
Benjamin Breault was -1 with five shots on goal in Baie-Comeau's 4-1 loss to Halifax.
In the AJHL, Brad Eidsness made 40 saves in a 4-3 OT loss to Olds. The loss was the Sioux recruit's fourth on the year against 26 wins.
Drew MacKenzie had three shots on goal in Waterloo's 4-2 win over Des Moines.
Drew Schiestel was -3 as Niagara put forth a disappointing effort in their 5-2 loss at Erie.
Nick Eno had the night off in Bowling Green's 5-3 loss to UNO.
Defenseman Nick Petrecki (SJ) scored the game winning goal for Boston College, giving the Eagles their first Beanpot win since 2004. The three Sabres prospects playing tonight - Nathan Gerbe, Alex Biega, and Andrew Orpik - each performed well in their respective roles. Major dogs heading into the final, Harvard has nothing to hang their heads about. Anything can happen with the enthusiasm of the tournament, and the two teams were dead even in shots on goal after regulation play. The extra session was the difference however, as BC outshot Harvard 7-0 leading up to the Petrecki winner. Final score: BC 6, Harvard 5.
Nathan Gerbe 0-0-0 -1 2 PIM 5 SOG Andrew Orpik 1-0-1 +1 2 SOG Alex Biega 0-2-2 +3 4 SOG
It's been a back and forth affair in Boston tonight, with BC and Harvard knotted 5-5 after regulation. It'll be an exciting sudden death session to say the least.
- Alex Biega (+3) has made some nice defensive plays throughout to go along with his two assists. His swift skating makes him noticeable on most shifts, as he's counted on to be a Crimson motor from the back end. His wrister towards the net was deflected in by Mike Taylor for the game-tying goal.
- Andrew Orpik, along with linemates Matt Lombardi and Kyle Kucharski, have provided a spark in the Eagles offensive zone. The trio owned the boards in the third, with their crashing style creating the fifth BC goal (credited to Orpik).
- Nathan Gerbe has been more active since the start of the second period. He's often been found flying around the net, both with the puck and on the forecheck, and his #9 jersey has been active after the whistle as well. He showed a great burst late, going around a defender while shorthanded to create a scoring opportunity. Pointless thus far, Gerbe looks to again be the hero after last Monday's OT goal against BU.
At the end of one at the Beanpot, Harvard has a surprising 2-1 lead over Boston College. Nathan Gerbe is having difficulty getting it going, while the entire Eagles squad has been unsuccessul in cracking the neutral zone versus a diligent Crimson defense. Alex Biega, who can look like one of college hockey's better defensemen when he's skating hard, was on the ice for both Harvard goals. With BC's having trouble getting it deep, one might think that Andrew Orpik's physical play will come in handy as the Eagles amend their game plan to more of a dump-and-chase style.
Alex Biega pumped home the first Crimson goal less than four minutes in as Harvard defeated Union, 3-2. After a turnover made its way to the point, Biega blasted a low slapper to score on the first shot of the game. The goal was the second of the season for the 2005 fifth-round pick, and first since November 9th, after netting six last year as a freshman.
Matt Generous collected two shots on goal as St. Lawrence could not recover from a quick pair of Tyler Burton goals in a 2-1 loss to Colgate.
Michigan State coach Rick Comley removed Corey Tropp from the top line with Justin Abdelkader (DET) and fellow Sabres prospect Tim Kennedy, but it did little to provide a spark as the Spartans fell to Northern Michigan, 3-1. Kennedy punched up four shots on goal, while Tropp was -1 against a Northern team that blocked 25 shots.
In the WCHA, junior defenseman Chris Butler was +1 with four shots on goal as #7 Denver played to a 1-1 tie with #20 Minnesota. The Pioneers were playing their first home game since the announcement that leading scorer Brock Trotter had bolted the program for the pros.
Drew Schiestel (+1) was on the ice as ex-Knight Jordan Foreman buried the overtime winner in the IceDogs 2-1 win over London. Niagara will return to St. Catherines for a Sunday afternoon tilt with Mississauga-St. Mike's.
Waterloo's Drew MacKenzie posted zeros while returning from a two-game absence due to illness in the Black Hawks' 5-2 win at Sioux Falls.
Over the pond at the Skoda Cup, Germany's Philip Gogulla was held scoreless in a 2-0 shutout loss to host Switzerland. Felix Schutz was a DNP for Germany.
Trailing BU by one just over a minute into the third, Boston College LW Nathan Gerbe connected on the power play to force sudden death at the Beanpot. Sitting on the doorstep, Gerbe poked a loose puck through Brett Bennett's pads to get on the scoresheet.
Boston College was the better team in the third, and Gerbe was abuzz after the goal. The equalizer was his 20th of the season, and 8th on the power play. He currently has a game-high seven shots on goal.
The Buffalo Sabres will have at least one prospect in the Beanpot final, as Alex Biega and the Harvard Crimson sat on their first period jump to surprise #14 Northeastern, 3-1. Harvard advances to the Beanpot final for the first time in a decade, and hasn't taken the trophy home since 1993.
With 31 shots through the first two periods, Harvard was outshot 7-2 in the third. The Huskies held play, but couldn't get another goal on the board. Biega led the Crimson charge, finishing a +3 with four shots on goal. The Montreal native now has one goal, eight assists, and is +1 in 21 games this season.
Boston College, the team that all non-Eagles fans seem to hate, faces off against B-line rival Boston University in just a few minutes. NCAA top-scorer Nathan Gerbe (1.54 ppg) of Boston College is the featured player in tonght's closer at TD Banknorth Garden. Fellow Sabres prospect Andrew Orpik will see key minutes for the Eagles as an energy line banger.
In a year when #14 Northeastern has a chance at capitalizing on underachieving Boston-area teams, the Huskies find themselves trailing Alex Biega and Harvard 3-1 after forty minutes in the opening game of the 2008 Beanpot.
The 2006 fifth-round pick, Biega has been on the ice for all three Crimson goals while collecting three shots on net.
A first-round rematch of the last three finals between Boston College and Boston University follows at 8:00.
Bowling Green's Nick Eno held his ground through the final forty minutes to earn a key 5-2 road win at Ohio State. The freshman netminder stopped 39 Buckeye shots in all, backstopping his way to a hard-earned ninth win of the season. BGSU coach Scott Paluch would be wise to ride the hand hot tomorrow night as the Falcons go for the road sweep.
In E. Lansing, freshman Corey Tropp had his best night as a collegian, scoring a power-play goal and assisting on a pair of Justin Abdelkader tallies in #5 Michigan State's 5-4 OT loss to unranked Nebraska-Omaha. After UNO opened scoring 5:09 into the game, it was Tim Kennedy to Tropp to Abdelkader to tie it up a minute later. Kennedy would later assist on the second Abdelkader goal as well, with their line combining for eight points and 13 shots on goal.
#9 Boston College welcomed #13 Providence to Chestnut Hill, but had a hard time getting things going in a 3-2 loss to the Friars. LW Nathan Gerbe, once again named the Hockey East Player of the Month earlier in the day, was held without a point despite his game-best seven shots on net. The Hobey favorite finished a -1, after being on the ice for the game winning goal against in the third period. Andrew Orpik (7th, 2006) had an assist as he, Kyle Kucharski, and Matt Lombardi formed a swarming fourth-line attack for the Eagles in the loss.
#4 Denver, who has a history of struggling in Mankato, came out flat after a week off en route to getting bounced by the Mavs, 5-1. Chris Butler (-3) assisted on Rhett Rakhshani's power-play goal early in the second, but that's all the Pios could muster on a night that saw their defensemen get pounded on the forecheck. Coach George Gwozdecky chastised his team's defensive effort, so look for Denver to show equal output in all three zones as the two teams go at it again tomrrow.
Alex Biega pumped thorugh a game-high five shots on goal, but was -1 in Harvard's 4-2 loss to Brown. The Crimson will kick off the Beanpot on Monday against Northeastern.
In the QMJHL, Benjamin Breault had a goal and an assist as Baie-Comeau got pounded by Rouyn-Noranda, 8-4. Breault was busy with the man advantage, as both of his points and most of his seven shots on goal came on the power play. Even strength was a different story, as the Pembroke, Ontario native finished an unsavory -3 as the second-place Huskies doubled-up the first-place Drakkar. Jean-Simon Allard opened scoring with his 15th of the year en route to being named the game's #2 star as St. John's defeated Halifax, 3-1. Defenseman T.J. Brennan was +1 with a air of minor penalties for the Fog Devils.
Paul Byron did everything but bury one for Gatineau in their 3-1 loss to Rimouski. The Sabres 6th round pick in 2007, Byron finished the night with four blocked shots, and a team leading four hits, and seven shots on goal.
Brad Eidsness was also in action tonight as Okotok's faced-off against Brooks. Those results will be posted shortly. In the meantime, check out a brief interview clip with the Sabres 2007 fifth-round pick on the front page of ajhl.ca.
Waterloo defender Drew MacKenzie did not play in Waterloo's 4-1 loss to Sioux City.
News and notes on a busy Saturday for Sabres prospects...
NCAA
LW Nathan Gerbe scored the game winning goal late in the second period as Boston College defeated Maine, 4-2. The energetic Eagle wore a target for most of the contest, carrying play to produce a game-high five shots on goal. "Big" Ben Bishop owned the match-up until the shifty junior broke in alone to clank home his 19th of the year.
A night after exchanging swipes with the 6'7 Maine goaltender, Gerbe and freshman D Mike Banwell picked up coincidental slashing minors in the second. BC teammate Andrew Orpik collected four penalty minutes in the win, including a minor for a blow to the head.
Gerbe's 1.61 points-per-game is still tops in the country as the Eagles head into Friday's game with Providence before kicking off the Beanpot the following Monday.
A night after aiding a shutout of #1 Michigan, Michigan State's Tim Kennedy and Corey Tropp were again unable to combine for a goal as the Spartans and Wolverines played to a 2-2 tie. Kennedy had a chance at an open net to start the third, but shot the puck into the sprawling Billy Sauer.
MSU looked to be on their way to the sweep until Spartan forward Matt Schepke knocked the puck into his own net with 1:38 to play. It was a strange twist to the weekend after Wolverine Mark Mitera own-goaled the night before. Hobey Baker favorite Kevin Porter was again quieted by the green and white defense, mustering just four shots on goal all weekend for the maize and blue.
As expected, Nick Eno got a rest while Bowling Green was swept by Notre Dame, 5-1.
In the ECAC, St. Lawrence D Matt Generous was throw out of his game with Rensselaer after a check from behind on Jonathan Ornelas. The Saints defender had just gotten out of the box from a previous scrum before uncharacteristically earning the misconduct. The Engineers beat the Saints, 6-3.
Sophomore rearguard Alex Biega could not get any of his three shots past summer prospects camp invitee Mike Devine as Harvard beat Dartmouth, 3-1.
CHL
In a sad day for St.John's, Jean-Simon Allard scored a goal and two assists as the Fog Devils defeated the Sea Dogs, 5-4. With three more points, the 2007 5th rounder now has a career-best 52 with 19 games remaining. The 6'2 pivot is developing on schedule, on pace for a 72 point finish after going 12+38=50 in 69 games in 2006-07.
Foggies D T.J. Brennan was active with the puck, assisting on Allard's tally and using his wheels to jump into the rush. Brennan made a few longs looks up ice, creating an aggressive tempo from the back end.
Earlier in the day, it was announced that this would be the Fog Devils last season in the Newfoundland outpost, as new ownership has struck a deal with Verdun. Just outside of Montreal, Verdun receives another QMJHL franchise fourteen years after their last entry folded and five years after the Montreal Rocket bolted for PEI.
Elsewhere in the "Q", center Paul Byron was -1 with five shots for Gatineau in an exciting 6-5 OT loss to Rouyn-Noranda. R-N came from St. Hyacinthe via Verdun originally...
USHL
Future Catamount Drew MacKenzie was -2 in Waterloo's 4-3 win over Lincoln. The rookie has 12 points, leads his team in PIM, and his +4 has been among the team's best all season (compared to UNH bound, NYI draft pick Blake Kessel's -15). The Black Hawks are off until Friday while the league heads to Green Bay for the USHL All-Star Game on Tuesday.
AJHL
In Grand Prairie, Brad Eidsness manned the South Division net for the first period of the AJHL 2008 All-Star Game. In a game featuring 96 shots on net, the Sioux recruit limited the North to three goals. Northern Michigan recruit Tyler Gron had four goals and two assists to earn MVP as the North defeated the South by a touchdown, 14-7.
Rochester (AHL)
Finally, Rochester went into the first intermission against Lake Erie holding a 1-0 lead, only to give up five second period goals en route to a 7-2 loss. Adam Dennis faced just two shots in the first, but Lake Erie chased him after scoring four goals in the first 8:38 of the second. Dylan Hunter notched a goal for the Amerks, while Mark Mancari and Mike Weber added assists.
With Anthony Stewart and Patrick Kaleta back with the Amerks, Marc-Andre Gragnani played defense for the second straight game. The Montreal native, perviously flourishing as a forward, finished the game a -4.
For now, trying to coach the talented AHL rookie into a defenseman is understandable. However, it's not like the Sabres pipeline is rife with left wings, or lacking in puck moving defensemen. Perhaps Grags' playmaking vision gets a permanent look next fall when the Sabres have to ice a full AHL roster.
