1/31 Recap: Adam's trick tames Tigres

Luke Adam scored his sixth career hat trick on Sunday as Cape Breton completed a weekend sweep of visiting Victoriaville, 5-3. The hatty, Adam's third of the season, gives him an even 35 goals on the year and extends his career-best streak to six straight games with a mark. The Newfoundland native rounded out his #1 star effort with seven shots on goal, seven blocks, and a 11-8 record at the dot. Jacob Lagacé provided a helper on Adam's power-play game winner, while Maxime Legault also had an assist for the Eagles.

With 10 goals in his last six QMJHL games, Adam's outburst comes up short of Tyler Ennis' torrid 10-goals-in-three-games clip from last February. If you recall, the former WHL sparkplug potted six in one night.

However if you add Adam's nine goals in six games prior to his departure for Team Canada, his current stretch of 19 in his last 13 is the most productive baker's dozen the Sabres prospect stable has seen in recent years. To compare, it's more productive than all of the following:

- Tyler Ennis' 17 goals in 13 games (including the six-goal game) with Medicine Hat in 2008-09
- Benjamin Breault's 17 goals in 13 games with Baie-Comeau in 2006-07
- Jacob Lagacé's 15 in 13 earlier this season while with Chicoutimi
- Paul Byron's 15 in 13 in both the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons with Gatineau
- Nathan Gerbe's run of 14 goals in 13 games with Boston College in 2007-08

Last season, both Ennis and Tyler Myers rode successful World Junior experiences to impressive finishes of their CHL seasons. As of now it appears that Adam is enjoying a similar ramp-up, which is certainly a delightful development for a Sabres organization in need of a hard-driving center who can finish.

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In Sunday OHL action, Marcus Foligno (-1) had an assist as Sudbury defeated Brampton for the sixth straight time this season, 4-3 in a shootout. With the Wolves trailing 2-1 in the second period, Foligno worked the puck to a charging John McFarland. McFarland took it to the paint where crashing linemate Mathias Sointu whacked home Sudbury's second goal of the game. 2010 eligible Phil Lane (Rochester, NY) scored his 14th goal of the year for the Battalion, but missed as the third shooter in the deciding frame.

Somewhat aided by a promotion to the McFarland line a week-and-a-half ago, Foligno accomplished a career first by finishing the month of January a point-per-game player with five goals and eight assists in 13 games. To put the development into perspective, it took the 18-year old banger 28 games through November to fetch his first 13 points of the season.

Rocket Casavant launching on to draft radar

Scouting amateur hockey players is generally a straight-forward process. Break a player down beginning with his skating, and work your way into a battle, vision, and two-way skill analysis to properly project their pro potential. Fans will often look at major-junior stat sheets and wonder why players like Maxime Boisclair, who potted 70 goals for Chicoutimi in 2005-06, or Matthew Pistilli, a 20-year old who has scored 80 goals over his past two Q seasons, aren't considered big league prospects. While these guys produced with solid supporting casts, they lack the skating and footspeed to be effective NHL players. In PEI this season, a recently turned 18-year old forward presents an early quandary in the 2009 draft evaluation process. Benjamin Casavant is a bullish, 6'1, 210-pound left wing who has used hands and heart to pace the sub-.500 Rocket with 39 goals and 80 points this season. The St. Hyacinthe, QC native has developed into a leader in his first season on the island. Hard working and intelligent, Casavant goes to the tough spots to get his work done, and is difficult to move when he gets there. Like the aforementioned though, he doesn't have that acceleration and overall swift skating stride to make him an elite prospect, and thus was rated #185 by CSB on their mid-term rankings. So what separates Casavant from his slow-footed major-junior predecessors, making him relevant in the world of Sabres prospects? Let's begin answering that question by posing a few others. Could the Sabres system use forwards with size and ability to finish the dirty work down low? How many 6'1, 210-pound 17/18-year olds have finished 7th in the QMJHL in goals on a below average club? Can skating, like other key skills, be taught and developed through additional seasons of major-junior and beyond? This isn't to suggest that he's a top priority at the draft table. There are no guarantees that his feet will ever come around (an absolute must in a trnasition based NHL), but his overall make-up of offense, smarts, and dedication puts him on the radar. You can teach skating, but you can't teach size and natural scoring ability, making Casavant a potential late-round gamble - especially if they amass some extra picks along the way. Another reason Casavant is draft relevant in Sabreland is simple geography. PEI is somewhat of a lesser-scouted hockey outpost, but it's fair to assume they'd know about Casavant even if he wasn't a top-12 point producer in the QMJHL. Buffalo's Q scout, Al MacAdam, is positioned in the Maritimes and knows Charlottetown well. He was born there, played his college hockey there, and despite not speaking with him before the draft, kept tabs on current Rocket dman Jordon Southorn leading to his 2008 selection. Similarly, Director of Scouting Kevin Devine is an off-season resident of Charlottetown, and was on board with the Sabres 2005 pick of former Rocket Marc-Andre Gragnani before assuming his current position a year later. When in Rome. Regardless of opinions of CSB's rankings, Casavant should rise a few spots when the final list is published in April. If you use CSB as a benchmark, it's worth noting that the Sabres are more apt to go late-round fishing in the Q when a player falls, not rises. Jacob Lagacé slid to the fifth round (134th overall) last season after being ranked the #55 North American skater. Benjamin Breault was the 57th ranked skater in 2006, but lasted to the Sabres pick in the seventh round (207th overall). Louis-Philippe Martin was once the 30th rated player in the 2003 mid-term rankings. He finished the season 50th before the Sabres scooped him up at #266 (9th round).

9/12 Recap: Lagacé points as Sags sag

RW Jacob Lagacé scored a breakaway goal and added an assist as Chicoutimi dropped their season opener to Drummondville, 6-3. The Sags were short on firepower in this one, playing without a few NHL camp participants including Nicolas Deschamps (ANA), Joel Champagne (TOR), and Charles-Antoine Messier (VAN). Regardless of the loss, it's encouraging to see the fifth-rounder produce in his teammates absence. The Montreal Junior debuted this evening, falling to the loaded Quebec Remparts by a 5-1 score. T.J. Brennan (4 SOG) assisted on the lone Junior goal, while a frustrated Luke Adam finished a team-low -3 despite registering the first shot on goal for the former Fog Devils franchise. Ex-Sabres property Benjamin Breault paced the Remparts with a pair of goals and an assist to earn the game's #1 star. Jordon Southorn (4 SOG, 2 PIM) was an unsavory -4 as visiting PEI got smoked by Moncton, 8-2. Chosen in the 4th round last June, the 18-year old rearguard will wear the "A" this season for the Rocket. All four players will now trek west for a week to partake in the rookie portion of Buffalo's training camp. Three games into the KHL season, Kazan blueliner Vjacheslav Buravchikov is +3 and has yet to notch a point. Under contract to his Russian club, the 2005 pick will not travel to North America for camp. In the same boat is eight-year afterthought Artem Kriukov, whose second season with SKA St. Petersburg just got underway.

9/5 Recap: Brennan, Byron light lamp

Some notes from Friday's CHL pre-season action: Montreal's T.J. Brennan (+2) and Gatineau's Paul Byron (-1) each had power play goals as the Junior defeated les Olympiques, 6-4. Luke Adam assisted on Brennan's tally in the first action of the pre-season for both players. Byron won 15 of 24 faceoffs on the evening for Gatineau. The two teams will play it back on Sunday. Jacob Lagacé did not play in Chicoutimi's 3-1 loss to Quebec. Former Sabres prospect Benjamin Breault picked up a pair of goals for the Remparts in the second of two games between the clubs. On Thursday, Lagacé (-1) had an assist as the Sags dropped the first game by a 3-2 count. Jordon Southorn took the night off as PEI fell to Cape Breton, 6-3. In the OHL, Saginaw's Nick Crawford was in the lineup as the Spirit played to a 5-5 tie with the Soo in the pre-season opener, while Drew Schiestel sat out of Niagara's 7-5 loss at Sudbury. Out west, Tyler Myers did not make the trip with the Rockets as Kelowna kicked off their 2008 pre-season with a 4-3 loss to Vancouver.

Breault gets new club...in the Q

Recently cut loose by the Sabres, QMJHL forward Benjamin Breault has been traded from Baie-Comeau to Quebec for the 2008-09 season. Cape Breton Post

The Marshall deal was among a number of trades swung by head coach and general manager Patrick Roy. He also acquired overage goaltender Charles Lavigne from the Moncton Wildcats in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2009. The Remparts also acquired centre Benjamin Breault from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and a third-round pick in 2009 for Felix Petit and a second-round pick (No. 33) in Saturday's draft.

And with this, it looks like the Breault file will be officially closed here at SabresProspects.

No go for Breault

The Buffalo Sabres have informed 2006 7th round pick Benjamin Breault, 20, that he is not in their future plans. Without an offer from Buffalo, the Pembroke, Ontario native will likely return to the QMJHL next season where he has has scored 106 goals over the past three seasons with Baie-Comeau. Chosen 207th overall two years ago, the 5'11 center will re-enter the draft three weeks from now.

3/29 Recap: New foursome booked; Gerbe, Gragnani, groovin'

At the NCAA Northeast regional, Nathan Gerbe scored a goal and an assist as Boston College dominated Minnesota, 5-2. While on a first period power play, one of Gerbe's game-best seven shots was directed out to Ben Smith to set-up the first Eagles goal. The 5'5 winger later sealed the game with an empty netter. Andrew Orpik, again playing at the center spot, went pointless for BC. National runners-up the past two seasons, the Eagles will look to punch their ticket to Denver when they play Miami tomorrow. As one USHL product (Gerbe/Omaha) carries on in the tourney, the end of the road came for three others. In Colorado Springs, Michigan State forward Tim Kennedy (Sioux City) assisted on the only Spartan goal in their 3-1 loss to upstart Notre Dame. Kennedy finishes his junior year as the Spartans leading scorer (20-23-43), tied for 16th in the NCAA, and has scored 104 points through his three seasons in E. Lansing. LW Corey Tropp (Sioux Falls) posted two shots and a team-low -2 to close out his freshman campaign with 17 points. With graduation and the possible early departures by Kennedy and Justin Abdelkader (DET), he could enter the fall as the fifth-leading scorer among returning players. Defenseman Chris Butler (Sioux City) saw his junior season come to an end as Denver got housed by Wisconsin, 6-2. Also playing in what is likely his final collegiate game, Butler was -2 with three shots on goal. The Midwest regional loss was the first ever NCAA tournament game for the 2005 fourth rounder. Joining the three collegians in the bag line this week is Baie-Comeau C Benjamin Breault, who went pointless in the Drakkar's 5-2 loss to Rimouski. The Pembroke, Ontario native carved out three assists while the opposing Oceanic easily polished off one of the QMJHL's strongest regular season clubs, four games to one. In current USHL action, D Drew MacKenzie followed his best statistical game of the season (1-1-2) with two shots on goal in Waterloo's 3-1 win over first-place Indiana. With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Black Hawks look poised for a deep playoff run. They are 12-3 in their last 15, and currently hold the league's third-best record. AHL rookie Marc-Andre Gragnani scored a pair of goals as the Amerks won their second straight in a 5-2 defeat of Grand Rapids. Playing defense, Gragnani's shorthanded and power-play goals give the 6'1, 197-pounder a team-best 50 points. He has scored ten points in his last seven games, and 15 in the 12 games since returning from his two-game NHL stint. Dylan Hunter added an assist for Rochester in the win. The Rundown: Gragnani - two goals, +1, 5 SOG Hunter - assist MacArthur - +1 Mancari - 0-0-0 0 0 Zagrapan - 3 SOG, -2 Funk - out Whitmore - DNP Kostka - DNP

3/28 Recap: Kennedy clicks; Allard goes hard

Tim Kennedy scored a power play goal and added an assist as Michigan State opened the NCAA tourney with a 3-1 win over Colorado College. The defending champion Spartans got on the board when a dangling Kennedy scooped up a loose puck, and calmly slid it to his backhand past CC netminder Richard Bachman. Freshman forward Corey Tropp went pointless while moving to the left side on State's third-line with Dustin Gazley and Nick Sucharski. The Spartans advance to face Notre Dame, who earlier posted an upset win over #1 seed New Hampshire. In the USHL, Vermont recruit Drew MacKenzie scored the game-winning goal and later notched an assist in Waterloo's 3-0 defeat of Sioux Falls. The two-point night was the first multi-point output of the season for the Connecticut-born defenseman. J.S. Allard had a goal and an assist as St. John's was overpowered by Acadie-Bathurst, 7-2. Acadie-Bathurst now leads the series three games to two, and will look to put a nail in the final Foggies season on Monday. Currently the eighth-best scorer in the Q playoffs, Allard has four goals and six assists, and is +9 in the series. T.J. Brennan went scoreless for St. John's, failing to add to the two goals and four assists he had compiled in the previous four. His -3 on the evening lowers him to team-worst -7 in the playoffs. Paul Byron had an assist as Gatineau overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Shawinigan, 5-2, and close out their first round series four games to one. In the five games, the 5'10 center posted a goal and four assists for les Olympiques. On Thursday, Benjamin Breault had an assist in Baie-Comeau's 3-1 loss to Rimouski. The assist was Breault's third point of the playoff year. After finishing 2nd overall in the Q regular season, the Drakkar trail the Oceanic 3-1 in the best-of-seven, and will look to extend their season another day when the two clubs meet on Saturday. Drew Schiestel had three assists in Niagara's first round sweep of Mississauga-St.Michael's. The 2007 second-rounder was also a +5 in the series' four games, as the Dogs advance to face '09 stud John Tavares and the Oshawa Generals. Philip Gogulla went pointless as Cologne closed out their 4-1 series win over Mannheim on Wednesday. The German winger had one goal, a game winner, and two assists in the five games. The Sharks now await the winner of a game seven match-up between Iserlohn and Frankfurt. Ak Bars D Vjacheslav Buravchikov has skated without a point in three RSL semifinal contests against Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Ak Bars currently trail the series two games to one. In the AHL, Dylan Hunter scored a goal and an assist in Rochester's 5-4 shootout win over Manitoba. Clarke MacArthur, Marek Zagrapan, Mike Funk, and Marc-Andre Gragnani also added assist for Rochester. Gragnani's helper was his 48th point of the season, locking him in a tie with Mark Mancari atop the Amerks scoring list. Derek Whitmore was -1 with 2 PIM in his professional debut with the Amerks. The Rundown: Hunter - goal, assist, -1 Zagrapan - assist, +1 Funk - assist Gragnani - assist, -1 MacArthur - assist -2 Whitmore - 1 SOG, -1 Mancari - 1 SOG, -1 Kostka - DNP On Wednesday, the Amerks lost to the same Manitoba squad by a 4-1 score. Marek Zagrapan assisted on the only Rochester goal, while Mike Kostka was +1 in his first game after signing with the Sabres on Wednesday. Adam Dennis made 32 saves in the loss.

3/23 Recap: Schiestel, Breault lend helping hands

IceDogs defender Drew Schiestel had a pair of assists and was +1 in Niagara's 5-0 thrashing of Mississauga-St. Michael's. The IceDogs now hold a 3-0 series lead, and will look for the sweep Tuesday night in the Majors' barn. In three playoff wins, Schiestel has three assists and is +3. In the QMJHL, Benjamin Breault also had a pair of assists as Baie-Comeau evened their series at one game apiece with a 5-2 win over Rimouski. With over 60 minutes in penalties, the physical affair was at times more reminiscent of a Rougeau Brothers tag-team match than a QMJHL playoff game. In the RSL, Vjacheslav Buravchikov went scoreless as Kazan dropped their first game of the playoffs, 3-0 to Salavat Yulaev. Ak-Bars now trail the semi-final series, 1-0. With Nathan Paetsch cleared by doctors to return to the Buffalo lineup, Michael Funk has been returned to Rochester. Funk was -3 in four games with the Sabres.

3/22 Recap: Gerbe, Butler tabbed for All-Tourney teams

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. The Rundown: Gragnani - goal, assist, +1 Hunter - goal, 5 SOG, +1 MacArthur - assist, +1 Mancari - assist, +2 Zagrapan - 2 SOG 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.

3/16 Recap: Kennedy, Tropp get unlikely break

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.

3/9 Recap: Byron flyin' at right time

In a key QMJHL match-up, Paul Byron (+4) scored a goal and three assists in Gatineau's 6-1 trouncing of top-ranked Baie-Comeau. The four-point effort gives the explosive center 27 points in his last 14 games. Five days after Byron's 11-game point streak came to an end, Drakkar center Benjamin Breault extended his run to nine games (10-9-19) with an assist in the loss. T.J. Brennan (+1) continued his solid run by scoring the only Fog Devils goal in a 3-1 loss to Lewiston. The goal was Brennan's 16th of the season, with four of those coming on his current five-game point streak. 2007 5th round pick J.S. Allard had a shot on goal in the St. John's loss. Drew Schiestel notched an assist and helped control the game late in Niagara's 4-3 shootout victory over Oshawa. The comeback victory by the Dogs was teeming with OHL talent, as three of the top-four league scorers (#2 Brett MacLean and #3 John Tavares of Oshawa, and #4 Luca Caputi of Niagara) joined Schiestel in action, along with highly ranked 2007 defensive hopefuls Alex Pietrangelo and Michael Del Zotto. The assist gives Schiestel points in his last six games (1-5-6), raising his season sums to seven goals and 29 assists. Brad Eidsness made 31 saves, but Okotoks couldn't get it going in 5-1 loss to Drumheller. The loss puts the Oilers in a 1-0 hole in their AJHL second round series with the Dragons. In the final weekend of DEL play, Ingolstadt's Felix Schutz registered two shots on goal in a 4-2 win over Frankfurt. The victory coupled with a Krefeld loss puts Ingolstadt in the tenth and final playoff spot. The DEL Rookie of the Year, Schutz compiled 12 goals and 13 assists in his first season back in Europe after two QMJHL campaigns. Philip Gogulla was +1 as Cologne closed their regular season with a 4-1 win over the Metro Stars. Entering the postseason, the 2005 2nd round pick has 11 goals and 33 assists for the third-place Sharks. Last season, Gogulla scored eight goals and 21 total points. Dylan Hunter tied the game in the third, but the Amerks couldn't make it to a shootout in a 3-2 overtime loss to Houston. Adam Dennis made 29 saves, while Marek Zagrapan, Marc Mancari, and Mike Weber were all credited with assists. Combos of note: MacArthur-Zagrapan-(Globke) Gragnani-(Brine)-Hunter Funk-Weber The Rundown Hunter- goal, +1, 4 SOG Zagrapan - assist, +1 Mancari - assist, +1 Weber - assist, +2, 4 PIM Gragnani +1 MacArthur - 0-0-0 0 0 E Funk -1 Dennis - 29 saves Keep it here as we'll have updates following a pair of deciding games in college tourney action featuring St. Lawrence defenseman Matt Generous and BGSU's Nick Eno. For now, the update looks like it'll be limited to just Generous, as Bowling Green coach Scott Paluch has given the nod to Jimmy Spratt in the Falcons net after Eno gave up four goals on 24 shots in last night's loss.

3/7 Recap: Eno gets win; CHLers heating up

Freshman Nick Eno made his first career playoff start, stopping 20 shots in a 4-3 win over Lake Superior. With his Falcons off to a 3-0 lead in the second period, Eno was beaten by a blueline blast as he was screened by both his defensemen. Superior would later catch Eno while on a 5-3 power play to make it 3-2. The Falcons would get one back, only to have a shot beat Eno high glove side to cut Bowling Green's lead to 4-3 with six minutes remaining. A 2007 7th round pick, Eno was able to hold off a late flurry to earn his first NCAA post-season victory. Nathan Gerbe was -2 as Boston College continued their slide with a 3-2 loss to Northeastern. After scoring 36 points in his first 20 games (1.80 ppg), Gerbe has scored just 10 in points in 14 games since then (.71 ppg). Usually a leader in shots on goal, the feisty Oxford, MI native had just two on the night. Teams are guarding Gerbe differently, limiting his opportunities to get behind the defense while trying to keep him on the perimeter. LW Andrew Orpik remained out of the lineup with an injured left shoulder as the Eagles fell to 1-5-1 in their last seven games. Defenseman Matt Generous played solid defensively and added four shots on goal as St. Lawrence defeated Colgate, 5-2. The Saints jumped out to 4-0 a lead en route to taking the 1-0 series lead. Generous' defensive partner and goal leader among ECAC defensemen, Zack Miskovic, had a pair for SLU. Chris Butler went pointless with a team-best five shots on goal as Denver fell to Colorado College, 5-2. Butler missed a scoring opportunity late in the second, finding a goal post instead of the back of the net for the second straight week in the loss. With the victory, CC earns the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA champions, and the Gold Pan, played for annually between the two Colorado rivals. In the CHL, Drew Schiestel was +2 with another assist in Niagara's 5-2 win over Brampton. As the Dogs flex some muscle with the playoffs around the corner, Schiestel has been upping his game as well. He set up Luca Caputi's 50th goal of the season on his first shift of the game to give Niagara a 1-0 lead. The 2007 second-rounder now has points in his last five games (1-4-5), and eight in his last nine, all while being a minus player in just five of his past 30 games. T.J. Brennan continued his recent hot streak with another goal, his fifth in his last seven games, as St. John's toppled Lewiston, 2-1. The first-period goal against Jonathan Bernier, his 15th of the season, came five-hole on a 35-foot slapper and eventually proved to be the game winner. J.S. Allard was +1 with a team-best three blocked shots for the Fog Devils, and has just one point in his last seven games. Paul Byron picked up a goal and an assist in Gatineau's 6-5 overtime loss to Rimouski. The points jack up the center's season totals to 36 goals and 27 assists in 49 games. Benjamin Breault pocketed an assist in Baie-Comeau's 8-4 loss at Shawinigan. The helper runs Breault's point-streak to eight games (10-8-18) as the Drakkar maintain their standing as the top QMJHL club despite the loss. In the USHL, Drew MacKenzie was -1 on the Black Hawk blueline as streaking Waterloo upended last-place Des Moines, 3-1. The Hawks are 6-1 in their last seven games, and now occupy second place in the East Division. MacKenzie's 13 points are third on the team for defensemen, while his +2 is tied for second overall on the club. The Rochester Americans jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but surrendered three unanswered goals in a 3-2 loss to the Rampage. Amerks captain Clarke MacArthur scored a goal in his first AHL game since January 4th, while Mike Funk and Marek Zagrapan had assists in the loss. Marc-Andre Gragnani skated without a point, ending his season-best ten-game point streak. The Amerks played without Andrej Sekera who has been +2 in two games with the Sabres since his recall early in the week. The Rundown: MacArthur - goal, +1 Zagrapan - assist Funk - assist Gragnani - 2 SOG Mancari - 6 SOG Hunter - 1 SOG Weber - 1 SOG Dennis- DNP

Breault named CHL Player of the Week

On top of being named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week, Benjamin Breault has also been named Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week.

TORONTO - Baie-Comeau Drakkar forward Benjamin Breault was named Canadian Hockey League player of the week Wednesday. He scored six goals and added three assists in three Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games last week. Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires was the Ontario Hockey League nominee and Victor Bartley of the Regina Pats was the Western Hockey League nominee.

3/5 Recap: Breault continues streak; Oilers move on

Benjamin Breault scored the first Drakkar goal and earned the game's #2 star in their 3-1 win over Quebec. The goal extends the point streak of the reigning QMJHL Player of the Week to seven games (10-7-17). With 73 points, the 2006 seventh-rounder needs seven in his final four games to match last season's 80-point output. T.J. Brennan notched a power play assist in St. John's 3-2 win over Moncton. J.S. Allard was -1 for the Fog Devils. Drew Schiestel added another assist to his season total in the IceDogs 7-5 road loss to Erie. With 4th place in the OHL's Eastern Conference locked up, Niagara marches in to Brampton on Friday. In Sweden, Dennis Persson went pointless on the third pairing in Nykoping's 8-4 loss to Bjorkloven. In the AJHL Playoffs, Brad Eidsness made 22 saves as Okotoks closed out their first-round series with a 4-2 victory over the Calgary Canucks. With the a 3-1 series win, the Oilers will move on to the second round to meet the Drumheller Dragons. On Tuesday, Eidsness made 23 saves as Okotoks defeated Calgary 5-4 in overtime to take the 2-1 series lead. Also Tuesday, Paul Byron saw his impressive eleven game point streak come to an end in Gatineau's 5-2 loss to Victoriaville. The Olympiques pivot scored 11 goals and 21 total points during the run, and now has 35 goals and 61 points in 48 games. His goal total puts him in a tie for 15th on the Q leaderboard, while his 23.2 shooting percentage is best among the top 100 league scorers.

Breault named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week

Benjamin Breault has been named QMJHL Offensive Player of the Week. From the Q Website:

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, March 3, 2008 – Baie-Comeau Drakkar centre Benjamin Breault and St. John’s Fog Devils goaltender Jake Allen today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from February 25 to March 2. In three contests, Breault scored six goals, including a shorthanded marker, and added three helpers while registering a +6 rating. He helped the Drakkar collect six points in the standings with wins over the Cataractes, the Voltigeurs and the Saguenéens. Moreover, Breault was named the first star of each contest. He played arguably his best game of the week last Wednesday as he collected four points in an 8-3 decision over Shawinigan. This week, he joined teammates Matt Marquardt and François Bouchard as the third member of the 30-goal plateau. Angelo Esposito (3-7-10) of Quebec, Francis Paré (6-1-7) of Chicoutimi and Mathieu Perreault (2-6-8) of Acadie-Bathrust were also considered.

3/2 Recap: High marks across the board

The Buffalo Sabres didn't have enough juice in their loss to the Red Wings, but it was a rather successful night for the rest of the Sabres organization. Marc-Andre Gragnani and Dylan Hunter each collected a pair of goals and assists in Rochester's 5-3 win over Iowa. Gragnani remains the Amerks hot hand, scoring both of his goals on the power play to extend his season-best point streak to ten games. Hunter's four-point game (3 on the PP) was a greater output than he had in all of February (3 points in 11 games). Rundown: Gragnani - 2 goals, 2 assists, 6 SOG Hunter - 2 goals, 2 assists, -1 Funk - assist, +2 Weber - 5 PIM, -2 Sekera - assist, -2 Mancari - assist, 3 SOG Zagrapan - 4 PIM, 2 SOG In the DEL, Philip Gogulla continued his excellent season with a goal and an assist in Cologne's 4-2 win over Mannheim. Down 2-0 entering the final period, the 2005 second-rounder put Cologne on the board with a power play goal at the 4:19 mark. Later on a 5-3, Gogulla set up the game-winning goal by Sean Tallaire to the delight of over 15,000 fans in Koln Arena. Gogulla now ranks third on the Sharks in scoring with 43 points, and is clearly ready for North American hockey next season. Felix Schutz had three shots on goal as Ingolstadt lost to the Metro Stars, 5-3. Schutz, who earlier was named the DEL Rookie of the Year, has 12 goals and 13 assists in 45 games this season after a two-year run in the QMJHL that saw him post 96 points. After dashing up to #11 on the latest SabresProspects rankings (tease), Paul Byron is building a case to earn even higher marks with a two-goal, one assist performance in Gatineau's 5-4 win over Acadie-Bathurst. The 2007 pick scored a third period goal on the power play, then netted his 35th goal of the season in overtime to lead the Olympiques come-from-behind efforts. With 14 goals and seven assists in his last 11 games, Byron owns the longest active point streak in the QMJHL. Another player heating up with the post-season in sight is Baie-Comeau's Benjamin Breault. Today, Breault potted two goals five minutes apart in the first period in the Drakkar's 4-2 win over Chicoutimi. The Pembroke, Ontario native dominated play with seven shots on goal while winning 19 of 25 faceoffs to earn the game's #1 star. Not to be outdone by Byron, Breault himself is sporting a six-game point streak that has seen him compile 9-7-16. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel scored the seventh IceDogs goal, his seventh of the season, as Niagara doubled-up Erie, 10-5. Schiestel was also +3 in surprisingly solid effort following the team's early-morning return from Sudbury. Brad Eidsness made 34 saves as Okotoks lost to the Calgary Canucks, 2-1. The Canucks scored two first-period goals, but the Oilers couldn't put together a team effort to dig themselves out in the ensuing forty minutes. The Sioux recruit was named his team's best player in the loss. The clubs are now tied at one game apiece in their best of five series with action resuming Tuesday evening in Calgary. In the USHL, Drew MacKenzie was on the ice for both Waterloo goals in their 2-1 win over Green Bay.

2/29 Recap: Byron extends; Breault and Kennedy keep going

In the Q, Paul Byron ran his point-streak to ten games with an assist in Gatineau's 7-0 dismantling of Shawinigan. Byron has 18 points during the tear, and is averaging 1.26 points per game this season. The Ottawa native was given a game misconduct after a second period incident that reportedly involved him "going after a player from behind". We'll try to grab more details. Baie-Comeau center Benjamin Breault continued a recent spike with his second straight two-goal, one assist performance in the Drakkar's 7-3 win over Drummondville. Breault also dominated in the faceoff circle, taking 16 of 21 draws. The top-line center now has seven goals and seven assists in his last five games, and sits with an even 70 points on the year. T.J. Brennan scored a goal, his third in his past five games, and added an assist in St. John's 6-0 trouncing of Cape Breton. For a player who was -20 entering play, it should be noted that he finished the night +3. Brennan's second period tally was his of 13th the year, and with the assist now has 36 points on the season. J.S. Allard pitched in an assist and was +1 for the Fog Devils. However, he won only two of 16 faceoffs. In the NCAA, Tim Kennedy scored his 17th goal of the year and was +4, and freshman Corey Tropp had two assists as Michigan State defeated Bowling Green on Senior night at Munn, 6-3. With the game tied at three with under three minutes to go, MSU blew up it open with goals by Justin Abdelkader (DET) and Kennedy to seal the deal. Tropp, who saw points come off a Jeff Prety wrister and a Matt Schepke follow up, raised his season total to 17. 2007 seventh rounder Nick Eno made 30 saves for the Falcons in the loss. St. Lawrence defensive anchor Matt Generous had a pair of power play assists in the Saints 4-1 win over Quinnipiac. The swift-skating Connecticut native now has 14 points in 29 games this season. Alex Biega scored his third goal of the year as Harvard played to a 3-3 tie with Colgate. Off a second period faceoff win, Biega blasted a slapper past Mark Dekanich (NSH) from the right point. Andrew Orpik scored his sixth goal of the season as #8 Boston College's continued their late-season struggle in a 3-2 loss to Providence. Nathan Gerbe added an assist for the Eagles to push his league-leading total to 45. The shifty pivot also posted a game-high nine shots on goal, with all of them coming in the first two periods. Gerbe's best chance was a first period breakaway that was thwarted by Friar's keeper, Tyler Sims. Orpik, a 7th round pick in 2005, notched his goal by burying a second period rebound. He later left the game with an upper-body injury. Chris Butler had two shots on goal and a roughing minor as Denver won a goaltender's duel with Michigan Tech, 1-0. Vermont-bound Drew MacKenzie was +1 in Waterloo's 3-2 shootout win over Cedar Rapids. In Germany, Philip Gogulla displayed a nice individual effort, but was unable to generate much in Cologne's 6-2 loss to Hannover. Gogulla finished the night with four shots on goal and six minutes in the box. Sweden's Dennis Persson went pointless in Nykoping's 4-3 overtime loss to Almtuna.

2/27 Recap: Breault heating up at right time

With the QMJHL playoffs arriving in three weeks, Baie-Comeau's Benjamin Breault is stepping up his play in what should be his final season of junior hockey. Riding a three-game point streak into tonight's action, the 5'11 center scored two goals and added a pair of assists in the Drakkar's 8-3 rout of Shawinigan. Breault's goals, one short-handed at the mid-point of the first period and a third-period tally on the power play, raise his season total to 30 on the year. The 2006 seventh-rounder now has five goals and six assists in his last four games, and is leading the charge for the first-place Drakkar with just seven games left to play in the regular season. In HockeyAllsvenskan, Dennis Persson was whistled for a pair of minor penalties, including one for roughing, as Nykopings defeated Bofors, 5-1.

2/23 Recap: Breault goes 1-2-3 for B-C

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.