Showing posts with label ennis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ennis. Show all posts

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Foligno, Leggio stifle Dogs

In Saturday AHL action, Marcus Foligno recorded his first two-goal game as a pro to help the Rochester Americans to a 3-1 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs. Williamsville native David Leggio was excellent for a second straight night, finishing with 35 saves to earn the game's #1 star. The Amerks had previously lost six of seven games to their North Division rival.

Foligno, who scored the game winner just 17-seconds into the middle frame and added an empty-netter in the final minute, now has 12 goals through his first 36 games. Given his projection as a checker, that number rates well compared to some other recent AHL graduates through their first 36 games: Nathan Gerbe (21), Luke Adam (17), Tyler Ennis (11).

Leggio impressed with several big stops in the third as the Amerks were forced to kill a Jonathan Parker boarding penalty with three minutes to play.

Corey Tropp did not dress for a second straight night, while Drew Schiestel was made a healthy scratch (EDIT - there seems to be conjecture over the Schiestel scratch; will wait for statements regarding lingering knee soreness).

The Rundown:
Foligno: 2G, +1, 3 SOG
Parker: A, +2
Lagace: A
Crawford: A, +1
Szydlowski: A, +1
Biega: +1
Brennan: 2 SOG
Fienhage: 2 PIM
Persson: even
Boychuk: 1 SOG
Kassian: -1, 3 SOG

The Amerks (17-13-5-3, 42 points, 2nd in North Division) will now prepare for a Thursday/Friday series with Olkahoma City.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Kassian, Foligno ready to go with future expectations

Sabres fans are licking their chops at the prospects of watching Team Canada's Zack Kassian and Marcus Foligno skate on HSBC Arena ice over the next twelve days as the IIHF conducts the 2011 World Junior Championship. After all, the object of their NHL rooting interest has a 6.5% of making the playoffs so it makes sense to look for future hope.

And just like that, more Sabres fans care about what I do. I'm getting more emails and texts about Kassian. Co-workers are asking questions about the two playing on the same line. My Blackberry and mouth need a massage.

To summarize the conversations, we've all witnessed how playing in the World Junior Championship elevates a player's game to more dominating level. What a player immediately does with the experience, at least with the Sabres anyways, goes a long way in projecting their effectiveness as a professional.

Last season, Luke Adam scored 25 goals and 27 assists in 32 QMJHL games (1.63 ppg) before playing for Team Canada. The big forward returned to pot 24 goals in his final 24 games with Cape Breton, and carried that pace into 2010-11 with an AHL Rookie of the Month honor in his first as a pro.

Prior to skating alongside Tyler Myers at the 2009 tourney, Tyler Ennis averaged 1.16 points-per-game (31GP 15-21-36) with Medicine Hat (WHL) before ripping off 28 goals and 21 assists in his final 30 games (1.63 PPG) to cap his second consecutive 85-point season. Ennis went on the impress the following year, earning AHL Rookie of the Year and a firm spot on the big club.

Do I even need to mention Myers? He didn't become the Calder winning monster that he is until after the 2009 tournament.

So what does this all mean for Kassian and Foligno? Given the make-up of the two players, it's fair to expect the spike to continue.

Kassian has himself been a monster this season in Windsor with 15-33-48 in just 25 games. It's going to be hard for him to maintain his 1.92 ppg pace, but if he can keep it steady with 1.75 over the final 30 games, he'll be the first Sabres prospect to hit the 100-point mark since London's Dylan Hunter did it in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Combine the Ennis and Adam trend with how physically dominant he is against 17-18-19's, and it seems that Kassian hits the target barring injury or suspension, and could blow past it if he gets traded to a top contender.

As far as Foligno is concerned, it's all gravy from here. The 6'3 leader has already posted a career-high in goals with 15 in his first 28 games, and is likely to use the experience to prove that he can beat the D on the forecheck and a cause trouble in front of the opposing net. Foligno works hard, and any exposure to faster, stronger players makes him work harder. Hard work equals production, so I'm setting the final 2010-11 target at 33 goals and 75 points for a weak Sudbury squad.

Every theory has an anomaly, so it's worth mentioning how Clarke MacArthur earned his 2005 World Junior look by amassing 14-27-41 in 30 games with Medicine Hat, but failed to vault his offense upon return with a still-respectable 33 points in his final 28 games. What's funny is that MacArthur's 'starting' trend has continued in the NHL, with nearly half of his 53 career goals coming in October and November...

If we've learned anything, it's that making Team Canada is great but what you do after matters most.

And one last thing - exhibition action saw Kassian and Foligno skate on a line with 2011 draft stud Sean Couturier. With the Sabres sinking and Derek Roy out for the balance of the year, Sabres fans may want to keep an eye on the prize. A prime-time offensive talent, Couturier is currently numero uno on my draft board.

The fun beings with Canada-Russia today (Sunday). Enjoy the games. GO USA!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

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.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

NHL.com: Ennis growing into his own

NHL.com currently has a nice piece up on Portland forward Tyler Ennis. The 5'9 rookie is currently tied for the AHL rookie lead in scoring with 12 goals and 35 points in 37 games.

On playing center:

"(Buffalo) really wants all of its (forwards) to know how to play different positions," he said. "They told me in juniors that they'd like me to try and learn how to play center, so I tried it for a few games and then went back to wing. But I played center all through training camp this year and have stuck with it here in Portland."

The position change has proved challenging at times for Ennis, who said the technical aspect of faceoffs is one area that he has particularly needed to focus on improving. He also finds himself trailing the play into the offensive zone more as a center, as opposed to primarily leading the rush on the one of the wings.

But describing himself as a mix between a playmaker and a scorer, the switch hasn't hampered his ability to develop scoring opportunities.

"Once you're in the (offensive) zone, things tend to develop where all the forwards are getting chances. So I haven't noticed much difference in terms of (passing the puck vs. opportunities to score)," he said.

I recommend reading the entire article, as it capsulizes his season-to-date rather well.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Gerbe, Weber join Ennis in Classic

Mike Weber and Nathan Gerbe of the Portland Pirates have been named to the PlanetUSA roster for the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic that will be played in Portland on January 19th.

The American Hockey League announced this afternoon that Mike Weber and Nathan Gerbe have both been selected to play for the PlanetUSA AHL All-Stars in the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic being held January 18th and 19th at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

Weber, a 22 year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native, is one of only two members of the Pirates to have played in all 34 games this season. The third-year defender has 10 assists this season (fifth most on the team) and his plus-16 ranking is tied for the second-best in the AHL.

Gerbe was voted as a PlanetUSA All-Star starter for the second straight season. The 22 year-old native of Oxford, Michigan, who missed the game last season due to injury, is currently on recall by the Buffalo Sabres. In 23 games this season the defending AHL Rookie-of-the-Year has collected five goals and 15 assists for 20 points. He also collected his first career NHL goal earlier this season.


The selections raise the number of All-Star Pirates to three after rookie Tyler Ennis was named to the Canadian squad earlier in the week.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Ennis an All-Star

Continuing the catch-up....

Portland rookie center Tyler Ennis has been selected to the Canadian All-Star Team for the AHL All-Star Classic that will be hosted by the Pirates on Tuesday, January 19th. The speedster is currently tied for the Pirates scoring lead with 28 points (11+17).

Among the members of the Canadian team are 17 first-time AHL All-Stars including Manchester’s Jonathan Bernier, Hamilton’s Cedrick Desjardins and Texas’s Brent Krahn, who are the AHL’s top three goaltenders in both goals-against average and save percentage. The Canadian squad also features six former NHL first-round draft picks including Logan Couture of the Worcester Sharks and Tyler Ennis of the host Portland Pirates, the top two rookie scorers in the league. Players on the Canadian roster with previous All-Star experience include Binghamton’s Martin St. Pierre and Hartford’s Corey Locke, who are tied for the event’s all-time scoring lead with eight career points each.