"(Mancari) put some points on the board, and he was a presence," Dineen said. "I think he is very aware he's playing with some guys who have some special skills, and he's embracing that."The two "guys with special skills" happen to be prospects Tim Kennedy and Nathan Gerbe. Kennedy added a goal and two assists in his first professional game, while Gerbe posted a pair of helpers to propel the Pirates. Adam Dennis made 28 saves between the pipes to secure the win. The rundown: Mancari: 3 goals, 2 assists, Kennedy: 1 goal, two assists, +2 Gerbe: 2 assists, +2 Butler: 2 assists, +2 Gragnani: 1 assist, +1 Hunter: assist, +1 Whitmore: 1 assist Kostka: even Schutz: 2 PIM Zagrapan: -1 Weber: -2 Card: -2
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Pirates majestic in 6-3 win over Monarchs
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Dennis to start; Funk out indefinitely
F Mancari – Kennedy – Gerbe Darche – Zagrapan – Murphy Whitmore – Hunter – Bouck Fretter – Schutz – BonneauWith Mike Funk concussed, the presence of Mike Weber should provide quite a spark to the Pirates blueline. Per the Portland Press Herald, Weber thinks there might be a natural flicker by no longer sharing an AHL affiliation with the Florida Panthers.D Weber – Card Butler – Baier Kostka – Gragnani
It's safe to say that these comments validate the patience that many have taken with promising talents like Marek Zagrapan. On top of lacking veterans, last year's Amerks lacked any sense of cohesion.Portland Pirates defenseman Mike Weber had been in town less than 24 hours, but he already sensed a big difference between this AHL team and the one he played on last season in Rochester.
"It's a better setup than what we had in Rochester," Weber said Friday morning. "We had two different (NHL) teams barking at the coaching staff, and there was a divide in the locker room. Here, it's a different situation."
Last spring, the Sabres ended a 29-year relationship with the Rochester Americans after sharing the AHL affiliate with the Florida Panthers for three seasons.
"Florida said they wanted these systems, and Buffalo said they wanted these systems, and the players were in the middle," Weber recalled. "It was a little bit crazy."
In June, Buffalo became the new NHL parent of the Pirates after the Anaheim Ducks ended their three-year affiliation with Portland.
"Everyone's on the same page here," Weber said. "It provides a less stressful environment."
Monday, September 22, 2008
Leafs upend Sabres, 7-4
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Funk suspended after brawl
A scrap between Amerks winger Tanner Glass and Crunch defenseman Duvie Westcott sparked an 11-player brawl that led to the ejection of nine players, including Amerks goalie Tyler Plante. "That's more a season of frustration setting in," Amerks defenseman Mike Funk said. "It's something that needed to be done." There was no plan to fight, especially since the Amerks have no brawlers. But the brouhaha began when Glass gave a shot to Westcott with his stick. Westcott slashed him back, at which point Glass decided they would fight. "It was a complete two-hander that set it off," Amerks coach Randy Cunneyworth said after his club was shut out for the ninth time. Soon all players paired off. Funk enraged the Crunch when he tried to fight highly skilled centerman Derick Brassard. Brassard turtled and Funk, who rarely fights himself, ended up on top of the rookie. "That will be in the memory banks," Crunch coach Ross Yates vowed. Crunch thug Jon Mirasty, one of the toughest fighters in the AHL, had been paired off with Anthony Stewart, with the linesmen trying to break them up. Mirasty saw Funk punching Brassard and broke free and began throwing punches at Funk from atop the pile. Because Stewart was still being detained by a linesman, Plante left his crease to pull Mirasty away from the pile. He certainly didn't want to be paired off with Mirasty. A linesmen was between them as each threw a punch. "It was like hitting a brick wall," Plante said. "Obviously he's taken a punch before."The Rundown: Zagrapan - 4 SOG Gragnani - 2 SOG, -1 Mancari - 3 SOG Whitmore - 1 SOG MacArthur - 1 SOG, -1 Funk - 15 PIM Weber - 12 PIM Dylan Hunter missed the game with a shoulder injury, while D Mike Card re-joined the team in full-gear for their Friday practice. Card isn't expected to play again this season, but it's an encouraging sign in his battle back from a pair of concussions.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Butler, in the library, with the deal?
Two big question marks, and a smaller third one, exist with the Pios. One, will junior defenseman Chris Butler be back? DU’s best two-way player had a nice summer camp with the Buffalo Sabres last year and will probably have a tough decision to make. If he stays, he’ll be the WCHA’s top D-man and possible team captain. I talked to him briefly about it after Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Badgers, and he didn’t say much — other than the loss could inspire him to come back and give it another shot. But once he’s offered a contract and the Sabres present a plan for him next season, certainly the sting of the season-ending loss will be history. My take: 70-30 he signs.Chambers says 70/30 he signs. I'll say 89/11. Other than winning a college championship, which is a dangerous motivator for a player reknowned as a "team guy", there isn't a whole lot left for Butler to prove in the WCHA. Of course, completing his education has to be a primary goal, but that can always be done over the offseason. Developmentally, the St. Louis native is good to go as a professional hockey player. Andrej Sekera is certain to be on Buffalo's blueline next season, and it looks like Mike Weber is on the verge of joining him. With a twice-concussed Mike Card engaged in rehabilitation, and still-defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani showing chops best served as a left wing, Mike Funk and Mike Kostka could be the only defensive prospects under contract for the Sabres AHL affiliate in 2008-09. (The recently signed Kostka will attend training camp after leaving his Amerks ATO to finish his UMass coursework.) Enter Butler, 21, and perhaps even 2006 first-rounder Dennis Persson. Butler would obviously be an early signing, while the Sabres are inside of 60 days away from a decision on Persson. 2007 picks T.J. Brennan and Drew Schiestel both would benefit from another junior season, and as 19-year olds, would have to make the Sabres roster outright (unlikely) since they won't meet AHL age requirements. Harvard sophomore Alex Biega and St. Lawrence junior Matt Generous are expected to return to college, while '07 Drew MacKenzie hasn't even glanced at his first campus co-ed. SabresProspects is still keeping tabs on unsigned Miami D Mitch Ganzak, who recently completed his senior season with the Redhawks after attending Buffalo's prospect camp over the summer - the same camp that put Kostka on the radar.