2/18-19 Recap: Schiestel sour in six

Drew Schiestel was -3 as flat Niagara lost to Belleville, 4-1. The defenseman has now gone six straight games without registering a point. Dennis Persson was even through 12:34 of work as Timra owned Skelleftea, 8-0. On Wednesday, Tyler Ennis had an assist but was a season-low -4 as Medicine Hat lost at Brandon, 4-1. The fleeting forward has points in four straight games. Also from the WHL, Tyler Myers was even in Kelowna's 4-3 shootout loss to lowly Chilliwack. The Bruins entered the evening on a ten-game losing streak.

2/14 Recap: Albertans roll; Biega guides Crimson

Edmonton native Tyler Ennis (+1) scored a goal and an assist as Medicine Hat defeated Kamloops. 5-3. His shiftiness showed when he burst through two Blazer defenders before one-on-one faking his way to his 30th goal of the season in the first period. The #1 star performance was his third consecutive two-point outing after seeing his ten-game point streak snapped on Tuesday. Also in the WHL, Calgarian Tyler Myers (+1) picked up an assist on a Mikael Backlund goal as Kelowna downed Prince George, 5-1. The blue-chip rearguard now has five points in six February skates, all Rockets wins. Kelowna will defend the season-high six-game win streak Monday afternoon at Portland. In the NCAA, Chestermere, Alberta resident Brad Eidsness made 21 saves as #11 North Dakota edged Minnesota State, 4-3. The win continues the freshman's WCHA ascent, moving his season mark to 18-8-3 with a 2.47 goals against average and .909 save percentage. Justin Jokinen was inserted into the Mavericks fourth line after sitting on Friday, but did not produce a stat line. Alex Biega had a pair of assists, both with the man advantage, as Harvard posted a big upset win over #6 Cornell, 4-2. The helpers were his first points in four games, and raise his team-leading point total to 17 (3+14). The Crimson take both ends of the weekend set for the first time since mid-November. In Ontario, Nick Crawford had a power play assist as Saginaw came up short in a 4-3 OT loss to Belleville. The Spirit scored two goals in the final 4:00 to force the extra session with the Bulls. Drew Schiestel was even as Niagara defeated Owen Sound, 2-1. The defenseman has now gone without a point for a season-long four straight games. In the SEL, Dennis Persson returned from a shoulder injury to skate for 16:34 of action as Timra defeated Linkopings, 3-1. The left-side man has averaged 11:40 of time with the Eagles this season. Matt Generous (+1) registered two shots on goal as St. Lawrence won a key ECAC match-up with #9 Princeton, 3-1. Andrew Orpik was even as #15 Boston College played to a 4-4 tie with Lowell. The Eagles move to 0-2-1 against the Riverhawks this season. Sophomore goaltender Nick Eno was again idle as Bowling Green defeated Ferris State, 3-1.

2/13 Recap: Byron fuels comeback; Eidsness holds steady

In the QMJHL, Paul Byron earned the #1 star of the game with a goal and an assist in the final 20:00 in Gatineau's 4-3 win over Halifax. Trailing 3-1 entering the third period, Byron stole the puck from a fumbling defenseman at the blueline and roofed the game winner to cap the comeback. The even strength goal was Byron's 30th of the season. Tyler Ennis had a goal and an assist for the second consecutive game as Medicine Hat smoked WHL East Division leader Saskatoon, 7-1. Ennis' insurance marker gives him 29 goals and a team-best 61 points in 48 games this season. In Kelowna, Tyler Myers (+1) had two assists as the Rockets won a 3-2 overtime decision over Western Conference pacesetter Vancouver. Nick Crawford (-2) had a power play assist as Saginaw got throttled at Kitchener, 6-2. The defenseman will take a three-game point streak into Belleville on Saturday. Jacob Lagacé set-up the game winning goal as Chicoutimi beat Val-d'Or for a second straight night, 4-2. J.S. Allard registered one shot on goal as Quebec shut down Montreal, 2-0. Juniors defender T.J. Brennan missed the game as part of his five-game suspension after an attempt-to-injure penalty last weekend against Gatineau. In the NCAA, Brad Eidsness made 25 saves North Dakota cruised past Minnesota State, 4-1. The freshman netminder ups his record to 17-8-3 with the win, including a league-best 12-4-3 conference record. Justin Jokinen was a scratch for the Mavericks, while fellow frosh Corey Fienhage sat out for the Sioux but is pushing to get back in the lineup after a good week of practices according to Coach Dave Hakstol. Matt Generous was +1 as St. Lawrence defeated Quinnipiac 4-3 in overtime. In Cambridge, Alex Biega was +1 with a team-high four shots on goal as Harvard downed Colgate, 3-2. Heading into the weekend, the Crimson had won just once in their previous 17 tries. Andrew Orpik was credited with two shots on goal as Boston College was embarrassed by Lowell, 6-0. Nick Eno was the back-up to Jimmy Spratt as Bowling Green continued their woes with a 3-2 loss to Ferris State. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had five shots on goal but did not factor into the scoring as Cologne fell to Duisburg, 5-4 in OT.

2/7 Recap: Ennis runs up 10; Brennan awaits word

In Western Hockey League action, Tyler Ennis scored an even strength goal as Medicine Hat outshot Moose Jaw 42-17 en route to a 5-2 victory. Ennis' 27th goal of the year gives him points in ten straight games (10+8), as the Tigers forward has marked in all but two of his 14 games since returning from Team Canada. Tyler Myers (+1) had an assist in Kelowna's 5-1 win over Kamloops. The Calgary native now has five goals and 30 points in 40 games. In an afternoon QMJHL tilt (glog), Paul Byron had three assists in Gatineau's wild 7-5 win over Montreal. All of Byron's assists came on the power play as the Ottawa native ups his season point total to 82. Montreal's Luke Adam and T.J. Brennan each had an assist, with Brennan being tossed in the second period after an elbow on Gatineau's Craig England. England was taken off on a stretcher, while Brennan received a major and a misconduct on the play and may very well be subject to league discipline for the hit. J.S. Allard set-up Mikhail Stefanovich's third goal of the game and 32nd of the season as Quebec defeated Val-d'Or, 6-3. Allard now has 12 goals and 41 points in 51 games (.80 ppg) after averaging .90 ppg in 2007-08. Jordon Southorn was -2 as PEI lost to Acadie-Bathurst, 5-3. A 2009 prospect of mild intrigue, 6'1, 210-pound Benjamin Casavant registered a Gordie Howe Hat Trick for the Rocket with two goals, an assist, and a third period fight. The left wing also had six shots on goal. Ranked 185th on Central Scouting's mid-term list of North American skaters, Casavant has power forward tools with a good knack around the net. His skating needs more attention, but his developing package is one that will likely move up the board before June. He is currently 14th in Q scoring with 61 points (29+32), and is carrying a solid +26 for a team with a .364 winning percentage. Rounding out the QMJHL slate, Jacob Lagacé was -2 with four shots on goal as Chicoutimi struggled in a 5-0 shutout loss to Moncton. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was +2 as Saginaw won at Erie, 5-2. Crawford now is +15 on the season, which ranks second on the Spirit roster. Drew Schiestel was -1 as Niagara was shellacked by Windsor, 6-1. Schiestel went without a point for the second straight game, and has yet to endure a three-game drought this season. In a light night on the NCAA circuit, Nick Eno let in four goals on 12 shots, including two shorthanders, as Bowling Green lost to Northern Michigan, 4-1. In five appearances since returning from a high ankle sprain, the sophomore is 0-4 with a 4.33 GAA and .820 save percentage. Matt Generous (-1) had two shots on goal as #20 St. Lawrence lost to Clarkson, 3-1.

2/5 Recap: Schiestel keeps rolling; Ennis continues excellence

Drew Schiestel had a goal and two assists as Niagara downed Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3. The power play goal was Schiestel’s seventh of the year, while the three point night raises his career-best total to 44 over 47 games. In the WHL, Tyler Ennis scored his 26th goal of the season as Medicine Hat was doubled up by Calgary, 8-4. The goal extends his current point streak to nine games, with the Edmonton product looking to equal his previous career-high of 10 set last season when the Tigers host Moose Jaw on Saturday. In a Group E Olympic qualifier, Philip Gogulla scored a power play goal and added an assist as Germany outclassed Japan, 7-1. The Germans will now move on to face Austria.

1/31 Recap: Lagacé gets four; Schiestel, Genny snap winners

In QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé scored four goals and an assist as Chicoutimi avenged a Friday night loss to Baie-Comeau with a 10-5 rout. Lagacé struck three times at even strength and once short-handed to give him 23 goals on the year. The 10-goal output ends a ten game losing streak for the Sags. Tyler Ennis (+1) scored a goal and an assist as Medicine Hat lost to Kamloops, 5-4. The Tigers leading scorer, Ennis has 25 goals and 55 points in 43 games this season, and is currently on an eight-game point streak. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel scored the game winning goal as Niagara defeated Barrie, 4-3. Trailing 3-0 entering the third, Schiestel's high snapper capped an exciting four-goal period for the Dogs. Four of Schiestel's six goals on the season came in the month of January. Nick Crawford (+2) had a power play assist as Saginaw defeated Sault Ste. Marie, 5-2. Paul Byron was -1 with two shots on goal as Gatineau lost to Rimouski, 2-1. The first-place 'Piques had won eight straight before losing to the Nics, while Byron's five-game point streak comes to an end T.J. Brennan (-1) posted an assist as Montreal lost to Quebec, 3-1. Luke Adam (-1) failed to hit the scoresheet in the loss. J.S. Allard was +1 with three shots on goal for the victors. Tyler Myers was even as Kelowna lost to Seattle in overtime, 2-1. In ECAC action, Matt Generous had a pair of slap shot goals, including the game winner, and an assist as St. Lawrence defeated Colgate, 4-2. The senior has seven goals and seven assists from the Saints blueline. Brad Eidsness made 25 saves as North Dakota defeated St. Cloud State, 4-2. With the win, the freshman finished the month of January with a 7-1-2 mark. Nick Eno was the back-up as Bowling Green lost to Miami, 3-2. Justin Jokinen was a scratch as Minnesota State earned the sweep over #5 Minnesota with a 3-1 win.

1/30 Recap: Myers fights to a +5; Byron, Ennis extend

Paul Byron clicked in the third period with a goal and an assist as Gatineau skated to their eighth straight win with a 7-4 victory over Quebec. The reigning Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week is on a five-game point streak, with six goals and eight assists in that span. He sits fourth in league scoring with 28 goals and 50 assists for 78 points in 51 games this season. 2007 pick J.S. Allard scored the first Remparts goal, his 12th of the year, in the loss. In the WHL, Tyler Myers was +5 with an assist as Kelowna stomped Medicine Hat, 10-1. The big rearguard also had his first fight (with instigator) since November. Tigers speedster Tyler Ennis (-3) had an assist to extend his point streak to seven games as the Rockets handed Medicine Hat their worst defeat since 2001. Also from the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé netted his 19th goal of the season as Chicoutimi lost to Baie-Comeau, 3-2. The shootout loss for the tenth in row for the struggling Sagueneens. Jordon Southorn picked up an assist as PEI dropped a 6-5 decision to Acadie-Bathurst. In NCAA play, Alex Biega had two assists as Harvard topped Union, 3-1. The Quebec-born defenseman intercepted a clearing pass to set-up the first scoring play, while his second point came when his point-shot was tipped on it's way to the net. Biega remains atop Crimson scorers with 14 points in 20 games. Drew MacKenzie was even with a shot on goal as #6 Vermont lost to #13 New Hampshire, 3-2. The Connecticut-born freshman was on for the first (even strength) and last (power play) goals against, as well as a even strength goal from his Catamounts. MacKenzie's former Waterloo (USHL) teammate Blake Kessel sealed the Wildcat victory with 2:02 to play. Matt Generous was -1 with 4 PIM as St. Lawrence shocked #4 Cornell, 8-1. Justin Jokinen was even as Minnesota State dumped #5 Minnesota, 6-2. The freshman appeared in his fourth consecutive game for the first time since the season opening sets against Bemidji and North Dakota. Brad Eidsness allowed three goals on 18 shots while #12 North Dakota could not score on any of their 36 attempts in their 3-0 shutout loss to St. Cloud State. The loss was the first in nine starts for freshman netminder. Corey Fienhage was a scratch for the Sioux. In his first start since January 10th, Nick Eno made 27 saves and assisted on the only Falcons goal as Bowling Green stumbled against #10 Miami, 6-1. Eno still looks rusty with his positioning after missing the first half of the season with a high ankle sprain. Andrew Orpik registered two shots on goal as #11 Boston College played to a 2-2 tie with Providence. The senior forward finished even after being on the ice for goals for and against in the opening 20:00. In the OHL, Nick Crawford was even as Saginaw held off Mississauga, 6-4. Drew Schiestel (-3) was held without a point in the Niagara's 5-3 loss to Sudbury. On Thursday, Schiestel was -2 in Niagara's 5-3 loss to Erie. In Germany, Philip Gogulla had two shots on net as Cologne lost to Wolfsburg, 4-0. The league will now break until February 10th. EDIT: Gogulla not participating in All-Star festivities.

1/27-28 Recap: Key players heating up

In Wednesday QMJHL action, Paul Byron set-up both Gatineau goals on the power play as the Piques edged Moncton, 2-1. Pushing his season point total to 76, Byron also had a game-best six shots on goal for the Western Division leaders. Luke Adam scored his 22nd goal of the year and had his first fight of the season as Montreal buried Rouyn-Noranda, 6-1. T.J. Brennan (+1) added an assist in the win. The Junior (25-20-1-2) slide into a tie with the Huskies (23-21-4-3) for second place in the West. Both teams are seven points back of Byron's Olympiques. Also from the Q, Jordon Southorn was -1 with three hits in PEI's 3-0 shutout loss to Saint John. In the WHL, Tyler Myers (+2) had two even-strength assists in Kelowna's 4-1 win over Prince George. The solid two-way effort was rewarded with the game's #1 star, with the pair of helpers giving him seven points in nine games since returning from the World Juniors. The game's #2 star, Tyler Ennis scored his 24th goal of the season just 1:49 in, yet Medicine Hat came up short at Vancouver, 4-3. Ennis now has 13 points over his current six-game streak. On Tuesday, Ennis flexed the Tigers' claws in the third period with a pair of goals 2:14 apart in their 5-4 win over Seattle. The goals, one coming shorthanded with the second being the game winner, were Ennis' 22nd and 23rd of the season. The Edmonton native also had an assist for his sixth game of three points or more on the season. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla had the only Sharks goal as Cologne fell to Sinupret, 2-1. Gogulla has points in 10 of his last 12 games including a current five-game point streak that has seen him compile three goals and four assists in three Sharks wins. Also from Tuesday, Jacob Lagacé (+1) had two assists as Chicoutimi overcame a 4-1 deficit, but still lost to Rimouski, 5-4 in a shootout. The 2008 fifth rounder was stopped as the third Sags shooter in the deciding frame. Adam (1 SOG) and Brennan (3 SOG, 3 hits) were even as Montreal was blanked by Val-d'Or, 3-0. Foreurs netminder Raffaele D'Orso made 48 saves to earn the shutout.

1/24 Recap: Pairs of assists and DQs for Tropp

Corey Tropp (+2) had a pair of assists and may be on his way to a CCHA suspension as Michigan State lost to top rival Michigan, 5-3. Things got ugly with :53 to go when Tropp received a pair of game disqualifications after slashing at a downed Steve Kampfer. The Wolverine defenseman delivered a check on Tropp at center ice, and while skating back into play took a right-handed punch to the head from behind by the Spartans Andrew Conboy. With Kampfer going down along the boards after the blow, Tropp appeared to strike him with his stick in the neck area to earn five minutes and a pair of game disqualifications. Kampfer, who was helped off the ice by teammates, looks to have sustained a neck injury, while Conboy and Tropp will likely face disciplinary measures of some capacity. If the name Steve Kampfer sounds familiar, you may remember him as the UM hockey player on the receiving end of a vicious assault a few months back. After the game, a Michigan parent made his way down to the Michigan State locker room, reportedly in an attempt to fight the Sabres 2007 third-rounder. Police were needed to keep order. In the WHL, Tyler Ennis (+3) had two assists as Medicine Hat cruised past Prince George, 5-2. With 48 points on the season, Ennis has collected nine of those in his past five games. Tyler Myers had an assist and was +1 as Kelowna rode a three-goal first period to a 5-2 victory over Kamloops. The rearguard had 12 PIM on the evening, including ten for chirping at the officials in the second period. The Rockets decision over the Blazers snaps a four-game winless skid. In Saginaw, Nick Crawford had an assist as the Spirit pumped 59 shots on goal but still lost to Peterborough, 5-4. The Caledon, Ontario native got in on the barrage, firing a point shot that was tipped by Jack Combs to give the Spirit an early 1-0 lead. 2009 eligible Zack Kassian scored the go-ahead goal for the Petes at 11:50 of the third period before the teams traded goals in the final minute of play. Jordon Southorn was +2 with three shots on goal as PEI destroyed Baie-Comeau for the second night in a row, 11-2. The Rocket outscored the Drakkar 18-4 over the Friday-Saturday set. T.J. Brennan (+1) and Luke Adam (-2) were both held without points as Montreal lost to Lewiston, 3-2 in a shootout. J.S. Allard did not score as Quebec shut down Moncton, 2-0. At the Ralph, Brad Eidsness was the player of the game, making several big saves among his 38 stops as North Dakota tied Denver, 2-2. Eidsness was a much needed backbone as the Sioux had trouble applying heat despite taking three weekend points from the WCHA's top team. The affair also saw Denver coach George Gwozdecky get ejected after walking on to the ice to dispute a non-call. Andrew Orpik had an assist as Boston College doubled up Maine, 6-3. The East Amherst, NY native now has four points in his last four appearances, and a total of 12 on the year. In Canton, Matt Generous (+1, 3 SOG) saw his five game point streak come to an end as St. Lawrence defeated Union, 5-2. Nick Eno relieved Jimmy Spratt to start the second period as Bowling Green got clobbered by Lake Superior, 8-4. Eno made 16 stops while allowing three goals goals over the final 40:00. The game was marred by a nasty collision between BGSU's Brandon Svendsen and Lake State goalie Brian Mahoney-Wilson that saw the netminder get taken off the ice on a stretcher with a neck injury. He was taken to a hospital but looks to be OK. Drew MacKenzie was even in Vermont's 1-1 tie with Massachusetts. The freshman was on the ice killing a penalty when Casey Wellman tied it up for the Minutemen with 8:00 to play in regulation. Justin Jokinen was -1 as Mankato lost to Duluth, 7-4.

1/21 Recap: Byron, Ennis keep producing

Paul Byron scored a goal and an assist as Gatineau defeated Val-d'Or, 4-1. Byron's 23rd of the season in the second period proved to be the game winner and helped the flashy scorer earn the #1 star of the game. J.S. Allard was -2 as Quebec got pummeled at Cape Breton, 6-1. In the WHL, Tyler Ennis (-2) scored a power play goal and an assist as Medicine Hat lost to Lethbridge, 7-5. Tyler Myers was -2 as Kelowna dropped a 6-4 decision to the league's #1 team, Vancouver.

1/20 Recap: Four point night for Ennis

In Tuesday WHL play, Tyler Ennis scored his 19th and 20th goals of the year to go along with a pair of assists to guide Medicine Hat to a 6-5 shootout win over Chilliwack. Ennis also added a goal in the shootout to earn the game's #1 star. The four-point effort puts Ennis back as the Tigers leading scorer with 44 points in 37 games. Paul Byron scored the only shootout goal as the Gatineau overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat Rouyn-Noranda, 4-3. The Ottawa native is currently fourth in Q scoring with 64 points in 46 games. Now 19-4-1-1 after a 13-game losing streak, Gatineau (24-20-2-2) slides into a first-place tie with the Huskies in the Western Division with the win. Both clubs are two points up on Montreal (T.J. Brennan, Luke Adam), who has four games in hand on both teams.

1/18 Recap: Lagacé, Ennis approach 20

In the QMJHL, Jacob Lagacé scored his 18th goal of the season, fired seven shots, and blocked another five as Chicoutimi dropped a 3-2 shootout loss to Baie-Comeau. The rounded effort earned Lagacé the #2 star. J.S. Allard scored his 11th goal of the season as the Quebec defeated Saint John, 5-2. The winger has now connected for six points in his past three games. In Medicine Hat, Tyler Ennis (+1) scored his 18th goal of the season as the Tigers cruised to a 5-1 win over Red Deer. The Edmonton native's laser from the point put the Tigers up 4-0 in the second period. Nick Crawford (-1) scored a power play goal for Saginaw in their 6-3 win over Kingston. The goal, his fourth of the season, opened the game's scoring with 2:18 to play in the first period. 2009 eligible Ethan Werek had an assist for the Fronts to move his season numbers to 19-19-38. In the DEL, Philip Gogulla was -1 as Cologne dropped a 4-1 loss to the Metro Stars. On Saturday, Dennis Persson returned from a weeklong bug but did not see any time as Timra beat SSK, 4-2.

1/16 Recap: Tropp leads Spartans in victory

Corey Tropp had his first two-goal game of the season as Michigan State defeated #9 Miami, 4-1. Tropp showed his quick release wrister when he blazed down the left side and buried one far side for the eventual game winner. The win was the first for the Spartans on the road, while Miami suffered its fifth straight loss. Matt Generous (+1) scored a goal as St. Lawrence cruised to a 6-1 win over Brown. The goal, Generous' fifth of the year and second in as many games, came on a blast from the faceoff dot to give the Saints a 4-1 lead. Andrew Orpik had an assist as Boston College lost in overtime to Lowell, 4-3. Orpik was chugging at both ends for the Eagles before Nick Schaus (Orchard Park, NY) scored the OT winner for the River Hawks. Drew MacKenzie was even with a minor penalty as Vermont lost at Northeastern, 3-1. In WCHA action, Brad Eidsness made 19 saves while letting three goals past him as North Dakota played to a 3-3 tie with Michigan Tech. The decision moves the freshman netminder's record to 13-7-2. Corey Fienhage did not dress for the Sioux. Also watching from the pressbox was Justin Jokinen as his Minnesota State Mavericks lost to Anchorage, 4-2. Nick Eno was the back-up to Jimmy Spratt as Bowling Green shutout Michigan, 3-0. In the QMJHL, Paul Byron factored into all of Gatineau's marks with two regulation goals and an assist on the overtime winner in their 3-2 win over league power Shawinigan. The 'Piques catalyst, Byron earned the game's #2 star in the win. J.S. Allard (+2) had two assists, including the primary on the game winner, as Quebec edged Drummondville, 4-3. Luke Adam had a pair of even strength assists in Montreal's 5-4 win over Val-d'Or. T.J. Brennan (-1) added an assist on Angelo Esposito's second power play goal of the game in the first period Jordon Southorn was -1 with a team-high five shots on goal as PEI fell to Cape Breton, 4-1. The Pincourt, QC native also added five hits for the Rocket in defeat. Jacob Lagacé finished -1 as Chicoutimi was beaten by Rimouski, 5-2. In WHL play, Tyler Ennis was -1 as Medicine Hat was shut down by Saskatoon, 5-0. Tyler Myers was -2 as Kelowna suffered a road loss at Prince George, 5-2. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel played even as Niagara lit up Jaroslav Janus for four goals over a period and a half in their 4-2 win at Erie. Nick Crawford was even in Saginaw's 3-2 OT win at Ottawa.

1/13-15 Recap: A week of assists

Time for a little catch-up on a relatively light week before the Friday action hits. I’ll be posting reaction from the CHL Top Prospects Game later this weekend as SabresProspects gets ready to open its 2009 Draft coverage, all the while putting the final touches on the winter prospect rankings. Stay tuned. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel assisted on the lone Niagara goal as the Dogs defeated Mississauga, 2-1. The power play helper ups the 6’2 defenseman’s point total to 36 in 39 games this season. Nick Crawford had an assist and finished +3 as Saginaw cruised to a 5-2 win at Peterborough. On Wednesday, Tyler Myers had an assist as Kelowna rode a three-goal third to a 3-2 win over Tri-City. Coming on the power play, the assist was his 21st point of the year. On Tuesday, Tyler Ennis (+1) had an assist as Medicine Hat was stifled by Vancouver, 6-2. Ennis set-up Colton Grant's shorthanded goal to open scoring at 14:15 of the first period. Dennis Persson has missed two SEL games this week due to illness.

1/10 Recap: Ennis with bookends in return

In his first game since returning from the World Juniors, Tyler Ennis (+1) scored a pair of goals to steer Medicine Hat to a 5-1 win over Swift Current. The Edmonton native scored the first and last Tiger tallies to raise his season total to 17. Jean-Simon Allard connected for three assists as Quebec routed Rouyn-Noranda, 9-0. The Remparts answered the bell after after a poor effort ended their nine-game winning streak a night earlier. Paul Byron scored his 19th goal of the season and added an assist as Gatineau won at Saint John, 4-3. The two-point night ups the Ottawa native's total to 61 on the season. Jordon Southorn fired seven shots for PEI in their 3-1 loss to Moncton. His 118 shots on goal rank fourth among all QMJHL defenseman. Luke Adam won eight of ten draws and blocked three shots, while T.J. Brennan finished +1 as Montreal defeated Lewiston, 4-2. Rounding out the Q, Jacob Lagacé was -1 with five shots on goal as Chicoutimi lost to Shawinigan, 4-1. Brad Eidsness made 24 saves as North Dakota swept #3 Minnesota with a 6-1 victory. Eidsness held the door closed for nearly two-and-a-half periods before the Gophers, playing without top scorer Ryan Stoa, cracked the shutout in the mid-third. The game between the WCHA rivals featured over 100 penalty minutes. Corey Fienhage was a scratch for the Sioux. Drew MacKenzie was +1 as #12 Vermont defeated #9 Boston College, 4-2. Andrew Orpik was -1 for Boston College. Matt Generous (+2) picked up an assist as St. Lawrence defeated North Country rival Clarkson, 5-1. Alex Biega had an assist, three shots on goal, and a boarding minor for Harvard in their 6-2 loss to Yale. Justin Jokinen had two shots on goal as Minnesota State defeated Colorado College, 3-1. Nick Eno made 21 saves in his first start of the year as Bowling Green lost to Ohio State in overtime, 4-3. Tyler Myers was again given a rest as Kelowna dropped a 4-3 decision to Prince George. Dennis Persson (sick) sat out of Timra's 4-2 win over Djurgarden.

1/8 Recap: Persson points; Byron, Schiestel stay put

On Thursday, Dennis Persson (+1) assisted on the third period equalizer in Timra's 1-1 tie with HV71. Persson, who sat out practice earlier in the morning with a sore throat, saw his point-shot rebound punched in for his fifth point of the year (1+4). After he and fellow defenseman Alex Pietrangelo stated their preference to remain with Niagara past the Friday OHL trade deadline, Drew Schiestel played even in Niagara's 1-0 win over Barrie. Dogs goalie Jeremy Smith (NAS) made 33 stops to earn the shutout in his first game after being dealt to Niagara from Plymouth. In late Wednesday action in the WHL, a spent Tyler Myers (+1) returned to the Kelowna lineup in their 5-2 win over Seattle. Myers finished +1, but did turn the puck over to create the first Seattle goal in the third period. Tyler Ennis returned home to Edmonton with his gold medal, but decided to take a rest as Medicine Hat won a 5-4 shootout over Red Deer. Also worth noting is that Gatineau's Paul Byron was not moved at the noon QMJHL on Thursday.

Myers, Ennis get gold

Congratulations to Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis who, as members of Team Canada, helped the red and white win their fifth consecutive World Junior Hockey Championship with a 5-1 win over Sweden. The 6'7 Myers was perhaps the steadiest Canadian defenseman throughout the medal round. He increased his physical play with each game, and was very effective in getting the puck out of his end quickly all tournament. The Calgary native finished the gold medal game with a +2, and was a +5 overall in the tournament I didn't count shifts for Ennis, but his line with Jamie Benn and Brett Sonne was limited as Myers gained more steam. The shifty left wing produced in pool play, finishing with three goals, four assists, and 13 shots on goal in the six Canada wins.

1/3 Recap: Myers and Ennis ready to mine gold

On Saturday, Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers both earned a chance to skate for World Juniors gold as Canada defeated Russia in an exciting shootout, 6-5. Trailing 5-4 in the final seconds, Jordan Eberle (EDM) punched a goal home with just :05 left to advance the game into overtime. Myers (+1) was effective with his stick, making good decisions and asserting himself physically when needed. He made a nice break-up on a Nikita Filatov rush in the overtime period after returning from a blocked shot off the knee that sent him hobbling. Ennis (-2) contributed three shots on goal, but has seen his ice time decrease the past two games as the Tavares, Hodgson, and Cormier lines have seemingly steered the ship into the finals. Also from Saturday, Jacob Lagacé had an assist as Chicoutimi defeated Rimouski, 6-3. Paul Byron (-1) had an assist in Gatineau's 2-1 OT loss to Baie-Comeau. J.S. Allard (+2) posted an assist in Quebec's 4-2 win over Lewiston. Jordan Southorn was +1 in PEI's 5-4 loss to Acadie-Bathurst. He also added three shots on goal and two hits. In the OHL, Drew Schiestel had an assist for Niagara in their 6-5 shootout win over Sudbury. In NCAA play, Justin Jokinen posted an assist, his first point since opening night, as Minnesota State defeated Nebraska-Omaha, 4-3. Drew MacKenzie was even as Vermont took the Catamount Cup title with a 4-0 win over St. Lawrence. Matt Generous was -1 with three shots on goal for the Saints. Brad Eidsness made 17 saves in North Dakota's 4-3 overtime win over Bemidji State. Corey Fienhage sat again for the Sioux. Alex Biega was even with two minor penalties as Harvard lost to Princeton, 5-1. Corey Tropp was even as Michigan State lost to Alaska, 3-1. In the SEL, Dennis Persson was -1 in 19:10 of action as Timra lost to Rogle, 3-2.

Twin Tylers help Canada advance

Tyler Ennis scored an empty netter with :10 to play to cap an exciting 7-4 Canadian victory over Team USA. Ennis had three shots on USA goalie Thomas McCollum, but they didn't come as easy as they had in the previous wins due to both fewer shifts and the decent job done by the American defense to neutralize the Canadian attack. Tyler Myers showed up to play for Team Canada, using his long stick and poise to clean the zone. Trailing 1-0 in the first, the 6'7 blueliner got a little rough with the stick after the whistle to create a two-man advantage for Team USA, which Jimmy Hayes (TOR) would use to make it 2-0. Five minutes later, Myers and Ennis were on the ice as a 20-footer from Jim O'Brien (OTT) put the Americans ahead 3-0. He later made a nice block on a 2-1 break as Canada gained control of the pace in the second period, and looks to be ready for key minutes in the medal round.

Ennis stays on sheet in win over Germans; Canada-USA next

Tyler Ennis had an assist and three shots on goal as Canada cruised to a 5-1 win over Germany on Monday. Ennis was in on Zach Boychuk's power play tally to open scoring at 7:21 of the first period. The bigger German club played physical and kept a good pace in both ends while holding Canada to a 2-1 lead after 40:00. Tyler Myers played well for Canada despite being on the ice when David Wolf's tip from the slot resulted in the only German goal. He had a few good outs, protected his crease after the whistle, and showed some aggression after Denis Reul checked Angelo Esposito from behind with a little over 7:00 to go. Statistically, he was even with a shot on goal. The win sets the stage for Wednesday's prime time match-up between Canada and The United States. Both teams are 3-0 with the U.S. coming off a 12-0 blanking of Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Meanwhile, is anyone wondering if P.K. Subban (MTL) should have been called for goalie interference on his end-to-end run when Evander Kane ('09) made it 3-1?