3/21 Recap: Eagles get by with a little help from Na-than

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

Gerbe for Hobey; Butler honored by WCHA

The Hobey Watch continues for Boston College left wing Nathan Gerbe, who today was named as one of ten finalists for the trophy given to the nation's top player. From hobeybaker.com:

Nathan Gerbe – Boston College, Junior, Forward, Oxford, Michigan This 5’5” dynamo packs a powerful punch and is entering the Hockey East playoff tournament as the nation’s second leading scorer with 52 points. His 27 goals rank tied for third in the country including bagging three in last weekend’s playoffs. Gerbe was named First Team Hockey East and has helped the Eagles to the past two Frozen Fours. • Has played in two straight NCAA championship games – Buffalo draft pick • Has 27 goals, 25 assists for 52 points in 37 games – Communications major • Has 9 PPG, 3 shorthanded, 4 winning goals – active in community service

The next step is the announcement of the Hobey Hat Trick on April 2nd, when the list of ten gets whittled down to three. Nine days later (4/11), the winner will be announced at the Frozen Four. The 10 finalists are: Nathan Gerbe, Jr, F, Boston College Ryan Jones, Sr, F, Miami Kevin Porter, Sr, F, Michigan Jeff Lerg, Jr, G, Michigan State Lee Jubinville, Jr, F, Princeton Simon Lambert, Sr, F, RIT Ryan Lasch, So, F, St. Cloud State Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, Sr, G, North Dakota T.J. Oshie, Jr, F, North Dakota Kevin Regan, Sr, G, New Hampshire --- Denver D Chris Butler has been named to the All-WCHA Second Team. The Sabres 4th round pick in the 2005 draft, Butler has gone 3-14-17 +8 in 38 games for the Pioneers this season. The St. Louis native has anchored the blueline all season long for a surprising Pioneers team that boasts just eight upperclassmen, and is a virtual lock to forego his senior season for a professional contract. The All-WCHA roll call First Team F — Ryan Lasch, St. Cloud State F — T.J. Oshie, North Dakota F — Chad Rau, Colorado College D — Jack Hillen, Colorado College D — Taylor Chorney, North Dakota G — Richard Bachman, Colorado College Second Team F — Andreas Nodl, St. Cloud State F — Garrett Roe, St. Cloud State F — Ryan Duncan, North Dakota D — Chris Butler, Denver D — Chay Genoway, North Dakota G — Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, North Dakota Third Team F — Tyler Bozak, Denver F — Kyle Turris, Wisconsin F — Blake Wheeler, Minnesota D — Jamie McBain, Wisconsin D — Robbie Bina, North Dakota G — Peter Mannino, Denver Rookie Team F — Kyle Turris, Wisconsin F — Tyler Bozak, Denver F — Garrett Roe, St. Cloud State D — Cade Fairchild, Minnesota D — Ryan McDonagh, Wisconsin G — Richard Bachman, Colorado College Player of the Year Richard Bachman, Colorado College Rookie of the Year Richard Bachman, Colorado College Defensive Player of the Year Jack Hillen, Colorado College Student-Athlete of the Year Joel Hanson, Minnesota State Coach of the Year Troy Jutting, Minnesota State --- To game results... Philip Gogulla went pointless as Cologne dropped game two of their DEL quarterfinal series with Mannheim, 2-1. With the teams trading home ice wins, the series will resume on Saturday in Cologne. Drew Schiestel opened the playoff season with a solid defensive effort in Niagara's 4-0 shutout of Mississauga-St. Michael's. Kudos to St. Catharines for loads of energy in their barn as the OHL playoffs returned to the Niagara Peninsula.

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.

3/15 Recap: Gerbe gains; Eno, Eidsness exit

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

3/14 Recap: Bye week good for Gerbe, Biega, Kennedy

In the opening game of their Hockey East quarterfinal series, Nathan Gerbe scored the final two Eagle goals as Boston College cruised past Providence, 5-1. Gerbe scored his 25th when a Benn Ferriero shot went wide, bouncing off the end boards to the waiting winger at the right side of the Friars cage. He later cemented the win by scoring his 26th on a crisp wrister with under seven minutes to play in the third. Gerbe's fellow junior, Andrew Orpik, returned to action from a shoulder injury, abandoning his usual RW spot to center the Eagles fourth line. Tim Kennedy potted his 19th goal and added an assist as Michigan State opened their playoff season with a 5-1 win over Northern Michigan. Kennedy's helper came on a cross-ice feed into Justin Abdelkader's wheelhouse, with the Red Wings prospect uncorking a one-timer for the game winning goal. Spartan freshman Corey Tropp skated on the fourth line, registering a shot on goal. Alex Biega had three assists as Harvard embarrassed Quinnipiac, 11-0. A week after Quinnipiac hung 14 on Brown, the Crimson scored more goals than they did in the entire month of November for their most lopsided win since 1993. Entering the WCHA tournament as the #3 seed, Denver met success in their opener at Magness with a 6-3 win over Duluth. Defenseman Chris Butler was even with three shots on goal for the Pios. After winning the decisive game three last weekend, Flames prospect Jimmy Spratt got the start for Bowling Green in their 4-1 loss to Miami in the CCHA playoffs. It is possible that 2007 pick Nick Eno gets the nod tonight as the Falcons look to even the series. In game two of the DEL play-in round, Felix Schutz was held scoreless as Ingolstadt fell to Hamburg in overtime, 5-4. Schutz took a minor penalty in the extra session, and Hamburg capitalized on the ensuing PP to even the series at 1-1. In the opener, Schutz assisted on the first Ingolstadt goal in their 5-3 win. The deciding game three will be played on Sunday. In the QMJHL, Jean-Simon Allard scored his 16th goal of the season on the power play, and T.J. Brennan added an assist as St. John's lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 5-3. The goal was Allard's first in 15 games, while Brennan's assist extends his current point streak to six games. Paul Byron was +2 with five shots on goal as Gatineau lost to Rouyn-Noranda, 7-4. The active center also blocked three of his team's eight shots in the loss. Benjamin Breault was -1 with four shots on goal as Baie-Comeau was downed by Chicoutimi, 4-2. The 5'11 center saw his nine-game point streak (10-9-19) end in the road loss. Drew Schiestel was -1 with a roughing double minor in Niagara's 5-2 win over the Majors. The contest evolved into a rough-and-tumble affair, and as it turns out, the two clubs will face each other in the first round of the OHL playoffs beginning next week. Niagara will close out the regular season on home ice Sunday versus Peterborough. Waterloo rearguard Drew MacKenzie picked up an assist in their 5-2 win over Omaha. In his first USHL season, the Vermont recruit now has 14 points, 84 PIM, and is +5 in 41 games. In AHL play, Rochester was shutout by Syracuse 3-0. And then there were six, as in the number of Sabres prospects left playing with the Amerks as injuries riddle the co-parent. With Andrej Sekera, Mike Weber, Mike Funk, and Patrick Kaleta all skating in the Sabres 7-1 trouncing of the Canes, the Amerks dressed just 16 players, including a shift for Marc-Andre Gragnani back to D from LW, in the loss. The Rundown: MacArthur- 3 SOG Mancari - 4 SOG, 2 PIM Hunter - 2 SOG, 2 PIM Zagrapan - 2 SOG, 2 PIM Gragnani - 1 SOG, -2 Dennis - DNP

3/8 recap: Gerbe back on track

Nathan Gerbe set up the eventual game winner in the first period, then later added an empty netter as Boston College closed the Hockey East regular season with a 4-1 win over Northeastern. The victory gives the Eagles home ice next week in a playoff set with Providence. In addition to the points, Gerbe was also +2 with a team-high six shots on goal in the win. After second period post-whistle meeting lead to coincidental minors with the Huskies' Steve Silva, Gerbe and his dance partner earned ten minute misconducts for chirping at the officials. The 2005 5th round pick enters the Hockey East tournament as the league's leading scorer with 24 goals and 24 assists. Junior RW Andrew Orpik missed his third straight game with a bum shoulder. Nick Eno stopped 20 of 24 shots before being pulled as Bowling Green fell to Lake Superior, 6-1. Despite the four goals against, not all of the blame can be placed on Eno. Odd-man rushes, screens, and turnovers lead to three Laker goals in a four-minute stretch in the early second period. Tied at one game apiece, the rubber match is set for tomorrow to see who will face #2 Miami next weekend. In the ECAC playoffs, Matt Generous had an assist as St. Lawrence lost to Colgate, 3-2. At the :48 mark of the second, Generous walked out from behind the Raider cage and fired a shot that led to a Travis Vermeulen rebound goal. The two teams will face-off tomorrow night at 7:00 with the winner advancing to play top-seeded Clarkson. Chris Butler scored the only Pioneer goal as Denver was swept by Colorado College, 3-1. Butler's goal, his third of the year, came with the man advantage in the third. Denver will take a three-game losing streak into next weekend's WCHA tournament match-up with Duluth. Drew MacKenzie was +2 with a pair of minor penalties as Waterloo blanked Chicago, 6-0.

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

3/1 Recap: Kennedy, Brennan stay warm

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.

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.

2/22 Recap: Gogulla passes in the clutch

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. The rundown: Dennis - 22 saves Mancari - 12 PIM, 6 SOG Funk - 12 PIM Zagrapan - 3 SOG Sekera - 4 SOG Hunter - 3 SOG Weber - DNP Hunter - 3 SOG

News and Notes: Rough week for Weber

It's been a rough week for Amerks defenseman Mike Weber. First, he returns to the lineup on Sunday after a two game suspension, only to carry his physical play into penalty box, costing his team two goals against.

"He just wanted to make an impact in his return," Cunneyworth said. "We want him physical and playing the body, but not that way."

Then, he gets a call on Tuesday afternoon with news that his good friend Mickey Renaud had collapsed and died. Weber and Renaud were teammates last season in Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.

"He was like a little brother to me," said Weber, a rookie defenseman for the Rochester Americans. Renaud, the son of former Amerks defenseman Mark Renaud, was captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires and Weber's teammate the past two seasons. He was drafted in the fifth round, 143rd overall, by the Calgary Flames in June. "You find yourself asking, 'Why?'" Weber said following practice on Tuesday. "He was my workout partner. Here's a healthy, 19-year-old kid, getting ready to sign a contract with Calgary, and he's gone in a second." Weber has asked for permission to attend Renaud's funeral and could miss Friday's home game against the Binghamton Senators. The Amerks are home tonight to play the Albany River Rats at 7:05 p.m. "It's all business (tonight)," Weber said. "He's a hockey player so he'd want me to play. He should have been right here in my shoes next season, playing his first pro season.

USCHO is running an article about Bowling Green's goalie tandem of Freshman Nick Eno (2007, 7th round), and junior Jimmy Spratt (CAL). It's a pretty unique situation for a NCAA club to have two NHL draftees between the pipes. NHLers in waiting, Eno and Spratt have created a formidable duo in net

Eno, on the other hand, probably couldn't wait to escape his doomed fate with an Eastern Junior Hockey League team called the Green Mountain Glades. He finished his lone year in juniors with nine wins in 25 starts. "Last year [in juniors], we didn't have the best team, so there were a few times when I'd see 40 or 50 shots a night," Eno said. Even with that amount of pucks flying at him some nights, Nick Eno ranked in the top 10 in save percentage and goals against average in the EJHL last winter. Thus, when Eno started out 4-0 with the Falcons in 2007, and has now continued to a 10-6 mark with two weekends to go, it surely is a refresher for the freshman goalie.

As expected, some suspensions were handed out after the melee at the end of the second period of Saturday's DU-UND contest. Chris Butler wasn't penalized in the fracas, but there's still a nice shot of him looking for a piece of the action in the Denver Post. The Niagara IceDogs recently held an open skate with the public that also featured a skills competition. Sabres 2007 second-rounder Drew Schiestel took home first place in the puck relay portion of the event. 2008 draftniks get out your clipboard: Alex Pietrangelo's slap shot clocked in at 96 MPH. Finally, don't look now, but Nathan Gerbe has some company in the national points-per-game race. Senior Ryan Cruthers of Robert Morris picked up three points at Bemidji over the weekend to tie him with the Sabres 2005 pick at 1.52 ppg. Michigan's Kevin Porter is right behind at 1.5 ppg. Gerbe will need to keep pace as #7 Boston College has a key home-and-home battle with #3 New Hampshire this weekend.

2/8 Recap: Biega back on board

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.

2/7 Recap: Bring on the weekend

In the calm before the weekend storm, Drew Schiestel went pointless as the IceDogs rode a pair of hat tricks by linemates Luca Caputi and Michael Swift to an 8-2 romp over Kingston. Niagara, who showed zero rust after a week-long break, will travel to streaking London tonight before hosting Missisauga-St. Mike's in a Sunday division match-up.

The weekend will feature 21 games for Sabres prospects, highlighted by a QMJHL set between league-leading Baie-Comeau Drakkar (Benjamin Breault), and host St. John's (T.J. Brennan and Jean-Simon Allard). At 37-14-1-4, Baie-Comeau is currently #7 in the CHL Mosaik Mastercard Top 10 Rankings.

Other Friday slap shots:

- Chris Butler and the Denver Pioneers had an up and down week heading into their weekend with Minneosta. First, they gained a commitment from David Carle, brother of former Pio captain and Hobey winner, Matthew Carle. Carle is an offensive minded defenseman, and should arrive in Denver just in time to take the reigns from Butler as it's expected the St. Louis native will forego his senior season and join Buffalo's training camp in the fall.

With that out of the way, news started to trickle down regarding the uncertain situation regarding their leading scorer, Brock Trotter. You may recall that Trotter did not travel with the team in a pair of weekend losses at Mankato due to "unspecified reasons". Rumors that he was hoping to catch on with Kelowna of the WHL were debunked when it was learned that he was signing a deal with the Montreal Canadiens. It's expected that he'll immediately report to Hamilton of the AHL.

Trotter was a key to a young Denver squad, and now even more of the onus is on guys like Butler and Senior captain Andrew Thomas to guide the team into the WCHA playoffs and a a spot in a Frozen Four that they will be hosting.

- It's still difficult to understand how Nathan Gerbe, despite moving up a spot to #2, is still without a first-place vote in CSTV's Hobey Watch. Gerbe not winning the Hobey could be the best thing that happens to his professional career.

- Junior Tim Kennedy leads a balanced Michigan State team in scoring (13-16-29) heading into the weekend against Northern Michigan. 2007 third-rounder Corey Tropp, coming off his best game of the season last week, leads all Spartans freshmen in scoring with six goals and 15 total points.

- The Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester will look to prevent another losing streak as they welcome San Antonio and Grand Rapids to the BCA on Saturday and Sunday.

2/2 Recap: Eno busy in defeat

Bowling Green frosh Nick Eno stopped 40 Buckeye shots, but Ohio State avoided the home sweep by defeating his Falcons, 4-2. Eno, a 7th round pick in 2007, stopped 79 shots over the two-game split. His 9-5 record computes to fifth-best in the CCHA, while his GAA (2.65) and save percentage (.907) are each ranked seventh.

After walking into a scholarship over the summer thanks to a Josh Unice renege, the Howell, MI native has asserted himself as the Falcons #1 goaltender. Saying this, don't be surprised if Scott Paluch gives Jimmy Spratt a nod next weekend when the Falcons welcome last-place Alaska.

#4 Denver's grip on a #1 NCAA tourney seed continues to loosen after a 3-2 loss at Mankato. 2006 4th round pick Chris Butler (+1) assisted on the first Pioneers goal as the Mavs swept DU for the first time since 1999. Coach Gwozdecky noted an improved effort tonight, with the team having all week to tune-up before hosting Minnesota on Friday. Meanwhile, the DU faithful eagerly await news regarding leading scorer Brock Trotter, who didn't travel with the club this weekend.

In Niagara Falls, Matt Generous had an assist as St. Lawrence and Niagara played to a 4-4 tie. With a man advantage in the third, the Chesire, CT native fed a pass to Brock Mcbride to give SLU the go-ahead goal. However, Niagara would force OT less than a minute later. The steady Generous failed to cash in an overtime opportunity, ringing a shot of the pipe with 2:20 left.

#5 Michigan State avenged last night's upset loss to Nebraska-Omaha with a 4-2 win at Munn. Centered by Justin Abdelkader (DET), Sabres prospects Tim Kennedy and Corey Tropp were held off the scoresheet after combining for five points in the series opener. The contest marked Kennedy's 100th as a Spartan.

In the AJHL, Brad Eidsness made 35 saves in Okotoks' 4-3 double-overtime win over Brooks. The UFA "AAA" Bisons product hasn't lost a start since a January 5th overtime loss to Sherwood Park.

Waterloo's Drew MacKenzie missed his second consecutive game in the Black Hawks 5-3 loss to Lincoln.

2/1 Recap: Eno notches ninth; Kennedy-Tropp clicks

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.

Friday Quick Hits

Some NCAA news and notes to kick off the weekend.... Leading up to the Beanpot opener on Monday, the Boston Herald ran a nice piece on Nathan Gerbe for today's edition. Laced with quotes from the diminutive Eagles forward, the article presents player who has defied odds to get where he is, and quite possibly will do so moving forward.

“When I was younger, I’d get upset when people would say I’m too small, but now I think it’s fun being able to prove people wrong. If you keep working hard, good things will happen. So far, that’s how it’s worked out.” While his reputation is firmly established now, Gerbe tended to catch opponents by surprise during his first two seasons at BC with his feistiness and refusal to back down to much larger opponents. That pugnacious nature developed at a young age in Michigan, where the youngest of Terrie and Joe Gerbe’s six children learned that nothing was ever going to come easy. “I’ve been undersized growing up, so I’ve been used to it since Day 1,” he said. “I’ve always been in the feisty situations, being the youngest kid, whether it was in sports or being picked on in the back yard or even when the food was put on the table. My three sisters and two brothers helped me learn to stand up on my own and reach for what I want and go for it. That’s how it’s always been at our house, everyone having the desire and passion to never give up.” Among the fastest skaters at any level, Gerbe is totally fearless and completely unafraid. “You can’t look at (size) as a negative or you’ll never make it,” said Gerbe, who has tallied 101 points in 103 career games. “I actually think it’s great. I can dodge in and out of people or maybe get in front of the net for a loose puck or spin out of the corner and it’s tough to get a hold of me because I’m so small. You can use it to your advantage.”

Elsewhere, #5 Michigan State's Tim Kennedy and Corey Tropp start their battle with Nebraska-Omaha tonight at Munn. Kennedy, the Spartans leading goal-getter with 13, enters play with a two-game pointless streak for the second time this season. His earlier scoring dearth came in the first two games of the season against North Dakota and Colgate, after which he proceded to score a point in eight straight. The Buffalo native, who also leads the team with 7 multiple point games, has been on the ice for nine MSU game winners - scoring five and assisting on two others. Corey Tropp's five goals lead all Spartan freshman, and his point total (12) is second to power play regular, D Jeff Petry. After last Friday's rocky outing against Notre Dame, it's hard to decipher whether Bowling Green will go with 2007 7th rounder Nick Eno, or Flames prospect Jimmy Spratt in net tonight at 11th place Ohio State. Either will have to be sharp as a struggling Falcons offense (0-26 on the power play over the last four games) looks to return the favor after the Buckeyes swept the Falcons last season on home ice. Lastly, D Chris Butler and the #4 Denver Pioneers will return after a weekend off, traveling north to Minnesota State for a two-game set. The Pioneers will look to keep their status as potential #1 NCAA tourney seed without the services of leading scorer Brock Trotter, who is out due to unspecified reasons. In total, sixteen Sabres prospects will see the ice tonight. Keep it here, as we'll offer updates at the close of each game.

1/19 Recap: Gerbe's streak ends; Eno, Eidsness shine

Saturday Night Fever. It might be time for Jhonas Enroth to get his starting job back in the SSK crease. The sensational rookie, who was arguably the best goalie in the SEL before winning silver at the World Juniors, watched again tonight as SSK lost 4-1 to Modo. Bjorn Bjurling, a 28-year old property of the Edmonton Oilers, caught fire and assumed the top spot for SSK right before Enroth left for international action. Bjurling has performed admirably as the top guy, posting a 2.32 GAA and a league-best .931 save percentage in 23 games. Meanwhile Enroth, who himself ranks second and third in SEL GAA and save percentage respectively, should be ready to see his first action since the WJC's on Thursday against Djurgarden. He's battled a bug for much of the two weeks since returning from the Czech Republic. Nathan Gerbe's point scoring tear came to an end as #11 Boston College battled to a 2-2 tie with crosstown rival BU. The 5'6 Hobey Baker favorite caps an impressive run of 27 points in nine games that began November 30th with a hat trick against the same Terriers team that shut him down tonight. The anti-Gerbe camp will be pleased with the unsportsmanlike/goalie interference minor he received just 1:27 into the game after running into Buffalo native Brett Bennett....Fourth-line banger Andrew Orpik was quiet for the Eagles, mustering just one shot on goal. Nick Eno earned another win with 18 saves in Bowling Green's 2-1 decision over Western Michigan. The freshman netminder's record is now 8-3, and he looks to be entrenched as the Falcons' #1 after playing both ends of the weekend set for the first time all season. Sabre prospects LW Tim Kennedy and RW Corey Tropp played together for what I believe to be the first time this season as #7 Michigan State shutout Ohio State, 4-0. Kennedy, the Spartans leading scorer, pitched in two assists while 2007 third-rounder Tropp added a helper of his own. North Dakota recruit Bradley Eidsness upped his record to 20-2-3 in Okotoks' 5-2 win over Lloydminster. Eidsness, who made 34 saves in the contest, leads the AJHL in wins, GAA, and save percentage through Saturday. Benjamin Breault had a pair of assists as Baie-Comeau rode a three-goal third period to beat Drummondville, 6-3. Indicative of his season-to-date, T.J. Brennan had a game-high four shots on goal and was a game-worst -2 in the loss. Brennan, the Sabres 2nd round pick in 2007, is now a disgusting -25 on the Foggies blue line. J.S. Allard opened scoring for the Fog Devils with his 13th of the year at the 2:45 mark of the first period. Chris Butler was +1 in #4 Denver's 4-2 win over Bemidji State. Butler, who is considered a high-end defenseman in the WCHA, had an up-and-down weekend after last Friday's rare icing miscue against Wisconsin. Steady D Matt Generous was St. Lawrence's only "plus player" (+1) in the Saints' 4-1 loss at Colgate. In the USHL, 2007 7th rounder Drew MacKenzie went pointless in Waterloo's 2-0 shutout win over Sioux City.

1/18 Recap: Gerbe dishes; Eno gets a grip

Friday Night Action: Nathan Gerbe had two assists in #11 BC's 5-4 win over #15 Lowell. Andrew Orpik put up zeros for the Eagles. Nick Eno made 35 saves in Bowling Green's 4-1 win over WMU. The foil was on in this one, as a line brawl broke out in the final seconds right after the Falcons scored an empty netter. WMU was frustrated by a slash earlier in the period, and their frustration had an outlet once a one-goal game became a three-goal lead for BGSU. Paul Byron scored his 18th goal of the season and added two assists in Gatineau's 7-2 win over Chicoutimi. Drew MacKenzie (+1) had an assist in Waterloo's 4-1 win over Sioux Falls. Chris Butler was a disappointing -3 as #4 Denver fell to an emerging Air Force club, 5-2. The Falcons made great use of their 16 SOG. Drew Schiestel was also -3 in Niagara's 5-1 loss to Sarnia. Future Sabre Steven Stamkos had two assists for the Sting. Corey Tropp and Tim Kennedy were both even with no points as #7 Michigan State beat Ohio State, 4-1. J.S. Allard was +1 while T.J. Brennan missed a shootout attempt as St. John's lost to Cape Breton, 3-2. Matt Generous was even in the Saints' 3-1 loss to Cornell. Philip Gogulla was -2 as Cologne lost to Iserlohn, 4-3. Ben Breault was -1 in Baie-Comeau's 7-2 loss to Lewiston.