10/5 Recap: Sabres ink trio to three-year deals

Mark Pysyk skated -1 Wednesday as Edmonton defeated Kootenay in a shootout, 2-1. Pysyk, who has two assists and a -2 rating through his first five games, will next take the ice Friday at Moose Jaw. ICE netminder Nathan Lieuwen made 26 saves in suffering his second defeat in a row. He enters Saturday’s tilt at Red Deer toting a 1.36 goals against average and .949 save percentage.

In the QMJHL, Cedrick Henley racked up three hits and two shots on goal as Val-d’Or lost a shootout to Rouyn-Noranda, 5-4. The 6’5 forward has yet to find the net through six regular season contests.

On Tuesday, Joel Armia posted an assist as Assat lost to Tappara, 3-2. Armia now has a goal and four assists with an even rating through his first nine games.

In case you missed it, the Sabres announced Wednesday that they have signed 2010 third-round draft pick, Matt MacKenzie.

The Buffalo Sabres signed Tri-City Americans defenseman Matt MacKenzie, the team's 2010 third-round draft pick, to a three-year entry-level contract worth $1.8 million.

Drafted 83rd overall, MacKenzie has 18 goals and 80 assists for 98 points, and 180 penalty minutes in 225 games split between the Western Hockey League's Calgary Hitmen and the Americans.

From New Westminster, British Columbia, MacKenzie, who will turn 20 on Oct. 15, was preparing for his second season with Tri-City, but he is scheduled to stay with the Rochester Americans (AHL).

On Thursday, the Sabres followed up the MacKenzie announcement by signing 2010 7th rounder Riley Boychuk and undrafted free agent winger Jonathan Parker to three-year entry level deals.

From the Sabres:

Boychuk (6’4”, 205 lbs., 2/20/91) picked up 30 points (14+16) and 157 penalty minutes with the Portland Winterhawks (WHL) in 2010-11. A native of Abbotsford, BC, Boychuk was the Sabres’ seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In four seasons with the Winterhawks, Boychuk has accumulated 83 points (39+44) and 391 penalty minutes in 194 games.

Parker (5’10”, 195 lbs., 9/25/91) spent the 2010-11 season with the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL), leading the team in both goals (45) and points (86). In three WHL seasons with the Raiders and the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Solana Beach, CA native has totaled 155 points (77+78) and 140 penalty minutes in 205 games.

9/23 Recap: JGL pots pair; Cat strikes again

In our first Friday of CHL action, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc picked up where he left off a season ago, cashing two goals, adding an assist, and leading his team with five shots on goal as Rimouski came from behind to earn a 6-5 shootout win over Chicoutimi. Trailing  4-2 heading into the third, the Nics battled back to a 5-5 tie with 2:19 left in regulation to force the extra time and tiebreaker.




Leduc, who finished last season on a tear with an impressive 18 points in his final 10 games to wind up as the QMJHL's #2 scorer among defensemen, is certainly out to stake an early offensive claim as Team Canada starts weeding out their 2012 World Junior hopefuls. The multi-goal game is the fourth in his last eight regular season contests (going back to 2010-11), a span that has seen the 6'2 defender convert nine of his last 15 shots on goal (remember five of those came Friday). Rimouski will next hit the ice Sunday when they host Shawinigan.

Also from the Q, Cedrick Henley collected an assist and eight hits as Val-d'Or lost a 5-4 shootout to the defending Memorial Cup champions, Saint John. The 6'5 wing's physical effort comes one night removed from a three-assist outing in his season debut. The Foreurs return to action Saturday in PEI.

Dan Catenacci continued his warm OHL start, scoring the game's first goal on the power play and adding an assist as Owen Sound closed out Guelph, 6-4. The 5'10 center now has four points (2+2) in his first two games as a member of the Attack. Catenacci, who scored just six goals in his final 30 games of 2010-11, will look to maintain his current 136-point pace Saturday when the Attack take on Saginaw.



Alex Lepkowski (+1) assisted on an empty-net goal as Barrie got past Brampton, 3-1. Colts forward Gregg Sutch played even with a cross-checking minor in the win. The Colts are now off until Thursday when they meet up with Owen Sound.

Kevin Sundher finished -1 as the Victoria Royals lost their inaugural WHL contest to Vancouver, 5-2. Earlier in the day, the Royals announced that Sundher would serve as an alternate captain for the 2011-12 season. The Royals and Giants will head back to Victoria Saturday for the Royals home opener -- the first WHL home game in Victoria since the Cougars fled for Prince George back in 1994.

Nathan Lieuwen earned the start in Kootenay's 2011-12 opener, making 27 saves as the ICE fell in the shootout to Red Deer, 3-2. The 6'5 netminder, who played well in helping the Sabres to the Traverse City title, surrendered three goals in the six-round shootout to put the ICE in a 0-1 hole to begin the year. Kootenay will look for the first win Saturday against Calgary.

In SM-liiga action, Joel Armia earned the primary assist on the game winning goal as Assat defeated the Blues, 3-1. The big wing dumped the puck off and pushed to the net as a screen to earn his second point in as many games. Assat returns to action Saturday versus HPK.

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Earlier Friday, the Sabres dispatched the first eleven players to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

F: Riley Boychuk, Jacob Lagace, Maxime Legault, Shawn Szydlowski, Mark Voakes, Travis Turnbull
D: Matt MacKenzie, Corey Fienhage, Nick Crawford, Alex Biega
G: Jeff Jakaitis

Unsigned draft picks Matt MacKenzie, 19, and Riley Boychuk, 20, are AHL eligible this season and worth the look in Amerks camp, but the Sabres could still elect to return the pair to their WHL clubs.

9/4 Recap: Boychuk bounced; Catenacci makes debut

Maybe they just don't like preseason?

A Sabres prospect was thrown out of his first exhibition skate of the year for the third day in a row Sunday as Riley Boychuk earned a late ejection in Portland's 5-1 loss to Spokane at Everett's preseason tourney. The 6'5 power forward was credited with 14 PIM on the night, with twelve coming in the final four minutes of play when he earned a roughing minor and then a game misconduct on his very next shift. Boychuk joins Matt MacKenzie (Friday) and Kevin Sundher (Saturday) as class of '10 picks to get the weekend boot.

Colin Jacobs, who will not be participating in the Traverse City Prospects Tournament, remained out of action as Seattle dropped a 7-4 decision to Everett. Dinged at the Sabres summer d-camp, Jacobs did not take part in the T-Birds fitness testing earlier in the week. His timetable for return is still unknown.

Also from the Dub, Mark Pysyk did not play as Edmonton lost to Swift Current, 4-2.

In the OHL, Daniel Catenacci did not register a point in his Owen Sound debut as the Attack lost to Barrie, 6-2. Catenacci is said to have had an "up and down" night, mixing his creative shifts with some individualistic ones. Sabres free agent invite Steven Beyers scored for Barrie, while Alex Lepkowski, anchoring the top pair this season with 15-year old phenom Aaron Ekblad, and wing Gregg Sutch, who could find himself on either or the third line the top-line as protection for Mark Scheifele, did not factor for the Colts.

Kassian gearing up; Pre-draft comments cause Catfight

Zack Kassian is perhaps the most intriguing Sabres prospect in recent years largely due to his hands. He uses them softly to pass and finish, but also tosses them like hammers when the gloves come off.

Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post recently caught up with Kassian, who has been gearing up for his professional debut after a junior career that saw good headlines (Memorial Cup win, World Junior silver medal) mixed with bad (suspensions). At 6'3, 226 pounds, the imposing forward is going to have to manage a disciplined focus while easing his way into hockey's highest level.

"I need to play with an edge, but I have to make sure I don't cross that edge," he said Tuesday. "With all the skill Buffalo has, I think they need some grit and definitely some people that are hard to play against to give those skilled guys some room. I feel like I can fill that job, and hopefully, I can do it sooner than later."

Kassian scored 77 points a season ago in Windsor, but the skills that created solid junior production are going to take some time to develop as a pro. Zack will be best served concentrating on his 40-second blocks in year one, making sure he keeps his feet moving, finishes his checks, and simply stays engaged while adjusting to playing against "men". Part of that process will be playing a smart game that keeps him...out of trouble and free of regret.

Kassian earned a 20-game suspension in his very first game with the Windsor Spitfires in 2010. He went steaming across the ice in the second period of a game against the Barrie Colts, aimed his shoulder at Matt Kennedy and fired himself into the smaller forward's head, sending both the player and his helmet flying to the ice.

"That suspension, definitely, I wish I could take back," Kassian said.

That collision has drawn more than 175,000 views on YouTube, the most-watched video of Kassian's career. And it might very well have factored into the suspension handed out for his secondmost popular clip, recorded while he was playing with Canada during the world junior championship in Buffalo last December.

As with the hit on Kennedy 12 months earlier, Kassian stalked Czech Republic forward Petr Senkerik through centre ice. Unlike the previous hit, though, Kassian remained on his feet, tucked his elbows into his side and aimed for the chest. The result was still devastating. Senkerik was removed from the ice on a stretcher, and the International Ice Hockey Federation removed Kassian from Canada's lineup for two games. It can be debated that the hit, had it been delivered in the NHL, would not have drawn any supplemental discipline.

"My previous suspensions in junior hockey didn't help my case at all," Kassian said. "I felt like that was a clean hit. It was definitely not fun to sit through world junior games, and especially a big game on New Year's, but stuff like that happens in the game."

Kassian no doubt brings a balancing element that the Sabres crave. His work begins next weekend when the Sabres ice a squad at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament.

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Elsewhere around the rinks...

The Sault Star reported this week that pre-draft comments by Hounds GM Kyle Dubas were the reason behind the Daniel Catenacci trade request. Remember, Cat was rumored to be telling friends that the request was not his decision.

The decision to seek a trade, according to a reliable source with knowledge of the situation, originated with the player's father, Maurice Catenacci.

And wait until you learn the reason why.

According to the source, Maurice was miffed over comments made by the new Hounds general manager, Kyle Dubas, in a June 21 article in The Star.

In a series of stories that ran before the June 24-25 NHL Entry Draft, each of the five Hounds players who were rated by NHL Central Scouting were profiled.

In an article dealing with defenceman Ryan Sproul's draft prospects, Dubas cited numerous calls he'd received from NHL scouts inquiring about Sproul.

And, based on that, the GM predicted big things at the draft for the six-foot-four, 190-pounder.

Dubas said NHL teams were telling him "Sproul could be a first-round pick."

Dubas added: "I don't think he gets past the 50th pick" and "it's very possible he could be the first Greyhounds player taken."

Which, by the way, is exactly what happened.

While he didn't go in the first round or in the top 50, Sproul was the first Greyhounds player selected.

The Mississauga native was chosen in the second round, 55th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings. Another Soo player, centre Nick Cousins, was next to go, a third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers and the 68th player chosen.

Catenacci went later in Round 3, 77th overall to the Buffalo Sabres.

According to my source, Maurice Catenacci, apparently angered by the GMs comments and feeling Dubas's words actually hurt Daniel's draft prospects, decided it was time for his kid to play elsewhere.

After having the trade demand met, the speedy center reported to training camp in Owen Sound this week and seems to be fitting in well with some familiar faces on the Attack roster.

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Out west, Kootenay ICE netminder Nathan Lieuwen tells The Daily Townsman that he's set to go for his first NHL training camp.

"At the end of the day, it's not in my hands; it's in Buffalo's hands as to what they want to do," said Lieuwen. "I love this organization (Ice) and I'd love to play another year here, that'd be great for me and my career, and if they (Sabres) choose to move me on, then that's another step forward that I can take and play some games there."

Lieuwen, who was a sixth round draft pick this summer after a stellar WHL playoff run, will be one of two goaltenders that the Sabres take to Traverse City. The action should be a good first test after undergoing offseason surgery for a sports hernia that caused him to sit out the Sabres summer development camp.

"My sights are set up there so we'll see what I can do when I get there but what I'm really focusing on right now is getting back into shape, back into proper form so that when I do go there, I do have a shot at making some noise," he said.

***

Also from the WHL, Riley Boychuk has again captured the "Paul Gaustad Fitness Award", an honor bestowed to the winner of the Portland Winterhawks training camp fitness testing (Goose even showed up for the award presentation). In fact, the award is Boychuk's third in a row.

5/13 Recap: McNabb's ICE take WHL title, deal next?

Brayden McNabb notched a pair of assists Friday including the primary on the game winning goal as Kootenay won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 4-1 win over Portland. The ICE, who earned their third WHL Championship in franchise history, will savor the flavor of victory before joining the Owen Sound Attack and host Mississauga Majors at the 2011 Memorial Cup. The QMJHL Final between Saint John and Gatineau is still being played with the Sea Dogs holding a 3-2 edge.

Moments after his nice slap pass wasn't converted, McNabb's patient power play quarterbacking found Matt Fraser in front of the Winterhawks net for the game winner at 19:16 of the 2nd period. The 6'4 defenseman would later assist on an empty-netter to finish the playoffs with a line of 3-24-27 (t2nd overall in WHL) and a +23 rating (1st). He had more assists than any other CHL defensemen had points in the postseason.

Portland's Riley Boychuk skated -1 while earnng a slashing/roughing double minor after he got his stick tangled between a Kootenay forward's legs on his way to a line change. The edgy 6'5 forward finishes his playoff year with four goals, 12 points and 50 PIM in 21 games.

With the Memorial Cup tournament set to being May 20th, McNabb may still make news before the puck drops. Back in 2009, the Sabres signed Tyler Myers to an entry-level the day after Kelowna's WHL Championship win. Keep an eye in the coming days as it's reasonable to suggest the Sabres use the short window prior to the tourney to get a deal done with Myers' former Athol Murray College of Notre Dame teammate.

5/11 Recap: McNabb stops at dozen as ICE inch towards title

Brayden McNabb saw his 12-game point streak come to an end Wednesday as Kootenay needed overtime to get past Portland, 5-4. The victory gives the ICE a commanding 3-1 lead in the WHL Championship series. McNabb (-1, 8 PIM) amassed 21 points over the dozen game run, collecting multiple points in seven of the contests (all victories).

Riley Boychuk picked up an assist to give him points in two straight games. With McNabb in the penalty box to start the second period, the 6’5 Boychuk found Ryan Johansen with a back door pass just as the ICE captain was skating back into play. Boychuk has four goals and eight assists in the playoffs heading into Portland's first elimination game of the year on Friday.

In Tuesday’s game three, McNabb and Boychuk each posted assists as Kootenay took a two-games-to-one lead with a 3-2 OT win. Much like McNabb on Tuesday, Boychuk was just stepping out of the box as the ICE rushed down the ice to open the game’s scoring.

5/7 Recap: McNabb keeps mackin'; Boychuk bounced

Brayden McNabb extended his playoff point streak to eleven games Saturday, collecting a pair of assists for the second straight game as Kootenay evened the WHL Championship series at a game apiece with a 7-5 win over Portland. McNabb, who now has 24 points (3+21) this postseason, struck with primary power play helpers three minutes apart in the second period as the ICE took firm control of the game into the 2nd intermission.

Portland forward Riley Boychuk (+1) was ejected in the second period after being assessed an elbowing major for a hit behind the net on defenseman Hayden Rintoul. I know Boychuk and the 'Hawks were trailing 6-1 and surely frustrated at the time, and I know the CHL is attempting to crack down on hits to the head, but I'll let you decide whether or not the crime was worthy of five and a game.





What do you think? Personally, I think we've all seen more egregious contact result in a lesser fine.

After splitting the first two games in Portland, the ICE and Winterhawks will head to Kootenay for back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

5/6 Recap: McNabb continues tear as 'Hawks steal opener

Brayden McNabb (+2) extended his point and assist streaks to a franchise record 10 games Friday as Kootenay opened the WHL finals with a 4-3 overtime loss to Portland. Finishing with a pair of even strength helpers, the 6'4 defenseman has now collected 22 points (3+19) in 15 playoff games. Meanwhile the ICE loss, much in part due to slow start after a long layoff, snaps their amazing 11-game winning the ICE. Sabres power forward prospect Riley Boychuk recorded a roughing minor for the Winterhawks, who are expecting close to 10,000 fans when they host Saturday's game two. Portland sniper Sven Bartschi ('11) continued his ascent up draft boards with a pair of goals, while linemate Ty Rattie ('11) buried the OT winner.

In the OHL Championship, Gregg Sutch was a scratch for the ninth consecutive game as Mississauga lost game three to Owen Sound, 6-5 in overtime. Defenseman Matt Petgrave, undrafted but mentioned in the 2010 preview as a possible late rounder, scored the OT winner and an assist for the Attack. The Majors hold a 2-1 series lead with the teams heading back to Owen Sound for Sunday's game four.

In the USHL Western Conference Final, Christian Isackson finished -1 with a shot on goal as Sioux Falls defeated Dubuque, 3-2. The Stampede, who now trail 2-1 in the best-of-five, will again play with their season on the line as the teams stay in Sioux Falls for Sunday's game four.

Boychuk primed for WHL final

Digging deep to bring you the latest and greatest in the world of the Sabres prospects, we'll turn it over to Riley Boychuk's hometown abbynews.com (Abbotsford, B.C. News) for a nice piece prior to the match-up with former bantam 'mate and Koootenay ICE netminder Nathan Lieuwen.

Emerging from a dark period, Boychuk's Winterhawks are set to offer a serious challenge to their counterparts. Rested Kootenay, led by stalwart rearguard and fellow Sabres prospect Brayden McNabb, will enter the series on a dominating 11-game winning streak after earning sweeps in their previous two rounds. Boychuk himself has pulled through a dark time, battling back after surgery on both hips to re-invent himself as a legit role player at the next level.

Like the team he plays for, Boychuk's game has undergone a transformation. After piling up gaudy stats in his final bantam season (60 goals and 74 assists for 134 points in 63 games), he's become a grinding power forward in the WHL. The 20-year-old is seventh in Winterhawks playoff scoring (10 points in 16 games), while putting his 6'5", 220-pound frame to good use on the forecheck.

"My role is to use my big body to wear and tear on their D-men," said Boychuk, who was a seventh-round draft pick by the Buffalo Sabres last summer. "A hard, energy-type game is what I'll be playing at the next level. So I might as well practice it here."